Be A Mensch.
- aarrington547
- Dec 31, 2025
- 2 min read
As we welcome 2026, I’ve been thinking a lot about one simple, powerful word: mensch.
A mensch isn’t someone who does everything, or gives all that they have. A mensch is someone who lives with intention. Someone who notices. Someone who understands that community isn’t something you consume — it’s something you help create.
So as we begin a new year together, I want to invite you into a gentle challenge:
How will you be a mensch at Temple Beth-El this year?
Here are just a few ways — none of them big, all of them meaningful:
Introduce yourself to someone you don’t know yet — at an Oneg, a Shabbat dinner, or a lecture.
Try something new — attend Torah Study if you haven’t yet, or volunteer to be a Greeter at Shabbat services.
Change your space — sit somewhere different in the Wulfe Sanctuary, or at a Shabbat dinner encourage everyone to sit at a new table.
Making friends is a building block of a strong community.Tell a friend, neighbor, or colleague about something happening at Temple — how many new folks can you invite this year?
Reach out to someone you haven’t seen around in a while, or let someone know an upcoming event is right up their alley.
Say thank you to a volunteer or staff member who added value to your day — or made it easier.
None of these acts require a committee, a title, or a long-term commitment.They simply require the belief that these things matter. Because they do.
They matter to the person attending an Oneg for the very first time.They matter to the family newly enrolled in Beit Midrash.They matter to the friend who’s been curious about engaging Jewishly in San Antonio and believes Temple Beth-El might be the place for them.
And one more meaningful way to be a mensch — especially in the last few hours before this year comes to a close — is by making a year-end, tax-deductible gift to Temple Beth-El.
Your generosity can be in honor, memory, or in appreciation of or for someone. A gift today is not only an investment in our shared future — it’s a tangible expression of the values we hold dear. The value of being a mensch.
As part of our We Are Temple campaign, I invite you to consider making your year-end contribution today and helping ensure that Temple Beth-El remains a vibrant, caring, and connected community for all.
So here’s the question I’ll leave you with:
How many of these good deeds can you check off your list this year?
Dollie Closna
Executive Assistant to the Senior Rabbi
12/31/2025
