When I joined the Jewish Federation of Greater Nashville last June, I came with deep roots in Jewish communal life and a profound belief in what a Federation can be when it is firing on all cylinders. Not just as a fundraising organization, but as a connector, convener, funder, and innovator for the entire community. One year in, I am moved by what this community has shown me and energized by everything we are building together.
Here is a look back at some of the highlights of this remarkable first year.
Our 2025 Annual Campaign closed at the highest dollar amount since 2008. That milestone belongs to every donor, volunteer, and professional who made a call, wrote a check, or showed up for this community. Restoring a high-touch, relationship-driven campaign model — with lay leaders at the center — made all the difference. Dozens of community members stepped forward to volunteer on behalf of causes they believe in, and it showed. We held a well-received community campaign event featuring Alison Lebovitz and recaptured energy and enthusiasm around the Jewish Federation’s Annual Campaign.
One of the most meaningful experiences of my first year was co-leading our first volunteer mission to Israel with our new Israel & Overseas Director, Jessica Cohen Banish. Watching community members connect to the land, to the people, and to each other in a post-October 7 context was extraordinary. The engagement we have seen among participants since returning is exactly what these missions are meant to produce. Deeper involvement, stronger giving, and a renewed sense of Jewish peoplehood. We welcomed the new Consul General of Israel and launched the brand-new Israel & Overseas Department.
Our Avi Poster Social Justice Seder was a highlight of the spring and a testament to what is possible when communities come together in genuine relationship. This year's event deepened our ties with Nashville's Catholic community in ways that felt truly meaningful. These are not just ceremonial gestures. They are the foundation of the coalition we need to stand against hate and build a stronger city together.
Throughout the year we held meetings and engaged in dialogue with diverse groups: The Church of Jesus Christ, Latter Day Saints, Indigenous Messengers, The Metro Nashville Human Rights Commission, the Nashville Catholic Archdiocese, the October 7 Coalition, and strengthened our partnership with the ADL.
This year also required us to navigate antisemitic incidents affecting our community. We did not shy away from that work, and we brought real resources and real results to bear.
I am proud that we hired a dedicated Secure Community Network (SCN) regional security advisor to address Jewish community security across Middle Tennessee, a recognition that our community is spread across a wide geography and that every Jewish family in this region deserves to feel safe.
Working in close partnership with the other Tennessee Federations, we also took our advocacy to the state capital — and won. Together, we successfully reinstated $1.25 million in the state budget for houses of worship security, a significant legislative achievement that will benefit Jewish institutions and communities of faith across Tennessee. This is what collective Jewish voice looks like in action.
On the federal level, I was honored to represent Nashville at the Jewish Federations of North America fly-in to advocate for the Jewish American Security Act and the Sacred Act, with the goal of increasing national funding levels to $1 billion and to provide buffer safety zones at the entrance to houses of worship.
Representing the Jewish community in Nashville is one of the parts of this role I cherish most. This year I had the joy of bringing Chanukah to two Nashville morning television shows — a small but genuinely delightful moment of sharing who we are with the broader city. We also celebrated together at a hugely successful Jewish Community Night at a Nashville Predators game and marked history with our first annual Jewish Heritage Night at the Nashville Sounds — an event that exceeded every expectation and that we fully intend to grow.
I am especially proud of our work to re-energize and focus on Women's Philanthropy and our Jewish Foundation this year. These programs have a proud legacy in our community, and with new energy, strong leadership, and a renewed commitment to engaging women philanthropists and all community builders, the future is bright.
A year in, I am more certain than ever that Greater Nashville's Jewish community is poised for a remarkable chapter. We have an extraordinary lay leadership team, a staff that is talented and deeply committed, and a donor community whose generosity continues to humble me. There is much more to do, and I cannot wait to do it alongside all of you.
The Jewish Observer is published by The Jewish Federation of Greater Nashville and made possible by funds raised in the Jewish Federation Annual Campaign. Become a supporter today.