Dear Shaarie Torah Community,
Over a period of two and a half months, many of you gathered in homes across Portland and Palm Desert to participate in our Shaari-ing Sessions. Together, we held 15 sessions with nearly 30% of our Congregation taking part.
Thank you to everyone who attended, hosted a gathering, or shared your thoughts. We were grateful not only for your time, but also for your openness, honesty, and genuine care for our Congregation.
The purpose of these sessions was to share information about Congregation Shaarie Torah today, listen to your feedback, and begin a conversation about our future. While every discussion was unique, several common themes emerged.
What We Heard:
- → A deep appreciation for the warmth, friendships, and sense of belonging that make Shaarie Torah such a special place.
- → Strong interest in preserving and improving our existing space so it can meet the needs of the Congregation.
- → A shared desire to invest in our future through meaningful programming, strong staffing, and thoughtful stewardship of our cemetery.
Attached is a Shaari-ing Session Summary which brings together the ideas, hopes, and dreams shared across all fifteen sessions. It is an aggregate of what we heard from those that attended a Shaari-ing Session. While it doesn’t capture every individual comment, we hope it reflects the spirit of the conversations and the many ways people are imagining Shaarie Torah’s future.
Whether your vision focused on our building, our staffing and programming, or the long-term care of our sacred cemetery, one thing was clear: Our community cares deeply about Shaarie Torah and wants to see it grow stronger and more vibrant for years to come.
If you were unable to attend one of the Shaari-ing Sessions, we hope you’ll take a few minutes to read the attached summary. We also welcome your thoughts and invite you to reach out to either of us if you’d like to continue the conversation.
Thank you again for helping shape our next steps, leading us into a capital campaign to make some of these dreams come true! We look forward to sharing more as our planning continues.
With gratitude,
Mimi Berlin & Linda Nemer Singer
Campaign Co-Chairs