June 26, 2026
Shared joys. Shared grief. Shared responsibility.
Chukat-Balak, this week's Torah portion, finds the Israelites on the threshold of a new chapter. After years of wandering, they are preparing for what comes next. They are learning that readiness is not a destination. It is something we cultivate through learning, community, and faith.
As I reflected on this week's Torah portion, I found myself thinking about the quiet work of preparing for the future. So much of what we do at Jewish Long Beach is rooted in the belief that the seeds we plant today will grow and bloom in ways that will sustain our future. A seed is simply a promise. It requires faith that what we nurture today will become something far greater tomorrow.
Last Friday, we celebrated the graduation of 53 preschoolers from the Alpert JCC Early Childhood Education Center. As families gathered by the Mary Alpert Pool, we marked much more than the end of a school year. We celebrated children who are ready for what comes next because of the love of their families, the care of their teachers, and a community that has invested in their growth.
As I looked around the pool at proud parents, grandparents, teachers, and the kiddos, I was reminded that this is what l’dor v’dor (from generation to generation) looks like. Preschool is often a family's first experience of Jewish community and one of the most important investments we can make in the future of Jewish peoplehood.
Early this week, members of our community participated in the annual Ride for the Living Global Challenge alongside thousands of participants, both virtual and in-person, from around the world in support of the JCC Krakow. The ride traces the path from Auschwitz-Birkenau to Krakow, celebrating the resilience of the Jewish people and the renewal of Jewish life. It reminds us that honoring our past also means investing in our future.
Later this summer, I will join 30 teenagers to represent Jewish Long Beach at the JCC Maccabi Games® in Toronto. They will compete alongside thousands of Jewish teens from around the world. While the JCC Maccabi Games® feature athletic competition, they are ultimately about something much bigger. They build lifelong friendships, strengthen Jewish identity, and remind young people that they are part of a global Jewish people.
Damage to the Hebraica Caracas Jewish Community Center. (Photo: eJewishPhilanthropy)
This week also reminded us that our responsibility extends beyond our own campus. As many of you have seen, the devastating earthquake in Venezuela has left communities facing tremendous loss and uncertainty. Our hearts are with everyone whose lives have been forever changed by this tragedy.
Jewish peoplehood reminds us that we are never isolated from one another. Our joys are shared. Our grief is shared. Our responsibility is shared. At Jewish Long Beach, we strive to be an institution that responds with compassion and action. Through our partnership with the Jewish Federations of North America, we are joining Jewish communities across North America in a unified response to provide emergency relief and humanitarian assistance.
If you are able, I encourage you to contribute to our emergency relief campaign (select Venezuela Earthquake Relief from the dropdown menu). Every gift is an expression of our shared responsibility and our shared humanity.
Shabbat Shalom,
Erik Ludwig, PhD
Chief Executive Officer