Every year as the Jewish New Year approaches, I find myself both excited and deeply moved by what has become one of my favorite responsibilities as our Jewish Family Services Director. Our annual Rosh Hashanah gift deliveries to homebound seniors began as a simple gesture, but over the years, it has evolved into a reminder of the importance of community.

This year's story began with a familiar gathering of hearts ready to serve. Laura Seltzer Duny, Julia Downer, Brenda Gordon, Rosanne Stupar and David Lambersky arrived at the J, their energy infectious as we loaded the gift bags with apples, honey and challah. But what made this year special was watching Jamie Bath arrive with her three teenage sons: Levi, Yitzhak and Gabriel. Jamie had volunteered before, but this was the first year all three of her boys were joining for the excursion. I was struck by their genuine eagerness to participate in something bigger than themselves.

"We decided to make this a family mission," Jamie told me as we packed the last of the bags into her car. She wanted her boys to understand what it means to celebrate our heritage, while creating connections that matter. Little did any of us know how transformative those connections would become.

After everyone headed out to their assigned routes, I waited eagerly to hear their stories. When Jamie returned she was bright with emotion sharing about her day of deliveries. "When I first walked through those nursing home doors," Jamie reflected, "I felt sad. Seeing the residents reminded me of my father, who recently passed away. I wasn't sure I was emotionally ready for this." I could hear in her voice that the day had started with apprehension, but something in her demeanor told me the story was about to take a beautiful turn.

The moment the Bath family began their visits, everything changed. "Immediately, I felt appreciated by the individuals. I felt welcome and a warm connection. This made me so happy and glad that I was there with them."  As Jamie described their afternoon, I could picture the transformation she witnessed. "These residents went from blank expressions to open smiles—genuine joy," she told me. Her boys discovered something amazing: these seniors weren't just receiving kindness, they were eager to give it back. "Stories poured out about grandchildren, memories of holidays past and gratitude that seemed to fill every room we entered."

What moved me most was hearing how natural the connections became. "They soaked in the attention," Jamie observed, "and honestly, I soaked in it too. We all wanted more time together, more of those feelings of caring and happiness. The words we shared about Jewish heritage, family, friends and traditions helped us connect. We are all a community, and experiences like this benefit everyone."

One of my favorite moments from their day came during a house visit in Jamie's own neighborhood. As she described approaching a modest home, her sons' excitement was palpable. "We discovered that the elderly gentleman who answered the door was someone we'd passed countless times during family walks. We had no idea there were Jewish people right in our neighborhood." That realization, that community exists everywhere if we just take time to look, seemed to crystallize something important for this young family.

By the time Jamie finished sharing their experiences, she was already planning ahead. She expressed interest in continuing the relationships with these individuals. She wants them to know that people genuinely care, not just during holidays, but all year long.

Listening to Jamie and watching her sons process their day reminded me why I chose this work. "I felt more connected to our local Jewish community," Jamie shared. "I felt needed and appreciated in a way that was completely new." But more than that, she and her boys discovered that acts of kindness create ripples that touch everyone involved.

As we finished putting away the empty boxes and reflected on everyone's experiences, I realized we had witnessed something timeless. From front porches to nursing home hallways, each encounter was a reminder of the true spirit of the holiday: connection, kindness and the joy of community. These simple acts of caring brought sweetness not only to those who received the visits but also to every volunteer who gave their time with love. The sweetness our volunteers brought wasn't just in the honey and apples. It was in the connections, the recognition that none of us walks alone and the beautiful truth that community happens one caring moment at a time.

The Jewish New Year teaches us about renewal and hope, but this year's deliveries taught us something equally important: sometimes the greatest gift we can give is simply showing up, looking someone in the eye and reminding them they matter. In doing so, we discover that we matter too.

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These vital JFS programs and services are fueled by your generous support of our annual campaign, making it possible for us to reach every corner of our community with care and compassion.