September 4, 2026
A Message from the Regional Director, Alan Ronkin
This week, Jews around the world will gather as we have done for thousands of years to celebrate Rosh Hashanah. We will hear the sound of the shofar which invites us to reflect on the year behind us and consider our responsibilities in the year ahead.
We live in a moment plagued by chaos, distraction, and fear. Every day brings a new poll, a new controversy, a new crisis, and endless speculation about what comes next.
Yet, as I reflect on the year behind us and consider the year ahead, I find myself returning to a different question:
What will happen because of what we do?
Rosh Hashanah asks us to look beyond what has happened and consider what should happen. The High Holidays are not only a season of reflection. They are a season of responsibility.
The Jewish future is not the responsibility of "the Jewish community." It is the responsibility of Jews.
Communities are built by men and women who decide that the future of the Jewish people is their responsibility.
The Jewish future is not something we simply inherit. It is something we build.
At AJC Washington D.C., we create concrete opportunities for Jews to use their skills and passion on behalf of our people. Sometimes it means helping diplomats improve their understanding of Israel and the Jewish people. Sometimes it means ensuring that elected officials and civic leaders address antisemitism and community security. Sometimes it means developing young leaders or creating opportunities for more people to advocate, learn, and engage.
Different actions with one purpose - helping Jewish leaders translate passion into action and relationships into outcomes.
Long before elections and long after elections, relationships matter. The relationships we build with diplomats, elected officials, educators, faith leaders, and community partners matter. The leadership we develop matters. Our advocacy matters.
Because when difficult moments arrive, communities rely on the relationships, institutions, and trust built beforehand. That is the work of AJC.
The results are not always immediately visible. They appear in stronger alliances, better-informed decision-makers, more effective advocates, and a community that is better prepared to meet the challenges ahead.
I am deeply grateful to the lay leaders, volunteers, donors, and professional staff who strengthen AJC Washington, D.C. Under the leadership of our president Sue Stolov, they contribute their time, expertise, and resources toward the fulfillment of our mission - to ensure a thriving Jewish people wherever we live.
They engage diplomats, mentor students, convene communities, advocate for the Jewish people, and sustain our programs. Their efforts help translate ideas into action and responsibility into results.
Tomorrow’s headlines will be different and the same. Political debates will continue. There will always be another crisis competing for our attention. But our responsibility remains the same: to build a strong Jewish future; to strengthen our community - here, in Israel, and around the world; to invest in the resilience of our people,; and to prepare the next generation to lead.
As we enter a new year, ask yourself where your participation can make a difference. Reach out to a legislator. Mentor a young leader. Advocate for our community. Attend a program. Share your expertise. Support the work that strengthens Jewish life.
The future of Jewish life will be shaped by the choices we make, the responsibilities we embrace, and the willingness of ordinary people to step forward.
The question before us is not what will happen to us in 5787.
It is what will happen because of what we do.
May the sound of the shofar renew our sense of purpose, strengthen our commitment to one another, and inspire us to help build a future worthy of the generations that will follow.
On behalf of all of us at AJC Washington, D.C., I wish you and your loved ones a healthy, meaningful, and sweet New Year.
L’Shanah Tovah.
