Dear Dallas Jewish Community,

One year ago, May 1, 2025, I walked through the doors of the Aaron Family Jewish Community Center for the first time as its CEO; my heart full of hope, my calendar already full of meetings, and my inbox already full of emails I had not yet earned the right to receive. What I could not have fully anticipated was the extraordinary warmth with which this community would embrace me, challenge me, and inspire me to become a better leader.

Today, on this one-year milestone,

I want to pause and simply say: Thank You!

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A Welcome Like No Other

From my very first week, I was met not with skepticism or indifference, but with open arms, open doors, and, most memorably, open kitchens. The number of coffees, lunches, and Shabbat dinners to which I was invited in those early months humbled me deeply. You did not simply let me find my way; you walked alongside me. Whether you are a long-time J member, a program participant, a donor, or a volunteer, you gave me something invaluable: your time, your trust, and your candor.

I have led organizations before. I know that welcome is not guaranteed. What this community extended to me was something rare; a genuine invitation to belong. I do not take that lightly, and I never will.

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The Power of Partnership

What has struck me most profoundly over this past year is not any single program or facility or budget line, it is the spirit of collaboration that pulses through everything we do. The J does not exist in isolation. We are woven into the larger tapestry of Dallas Jewish life, and I have been consistently moved by how generously our community partners, synagogues, schools, social service agencies, and philanthropic leaders lean into that shared purpose.

In my first year, I have witnessed what is possible when institutions set aside silos and ask instead: what can we build together? That question has guided some of our most meaningful work, from expanded early childhood programming to our growing partnerships in wellness, adult education, and Jewish identity building. Every collaboration has reminded me that our collective strength far exceeds what any one of us can do alone.

To our board of directors: your guidance, your sincerity, and your confidence in me have been a steady compass.

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Building Forward: Innovation and Possibility

If there is one thing the past year has confirmed for me, it is this: the Dallas Jewish community is not content to simply maintain. You are builders. You are innovators. You believe, deeply and practically, that every generation deserves a J that meets them where they are and invites them somewhere greater.

That conviction has shaped everything we have undertaken together. We have reimagined how we serve families at different life stages. We have had honest conversations about what is working, what is not, and what we have the courage to change.

And we are only getting started.

In the year ahead, you will see us deepen our commitment to innovation.

The kind that asks: does this make Jewish life more joyful, more accessible, and more meaningful for the people we serve?

We will continue to pursue excellence in our health and wellness offerings, in our arts and culture programming, in our camp and early childhood education, and in our adult engagement work.

We will embrace new partnerships and new ideas, and we will remain anchored, always, in the values that have sustained Jewish community for generations.

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With Gratitude and Great Optimism

One year in, I am more committed than ever to this community, this J, and this mission. The welcome you gave me has become the foundation upon which everything we are building together stands. The collaborative spirit you model every day reminds me why this work matters. And the bold, forward-looking energy you bring to this J fills me with genuine excitement for the years ahead.

Jewish community centers exist to be a kehillah, a gathering of people bound not just by heritage, but by shared aspiration. In Dallas, I have found that community in its fullest sense. I am honored to serve you, grateful to be among you, and deeply proud of what we are building together.

Here’s to year two and to all the good that lies ahead.

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Todd