By Susan Lesh
I am finding the passage of time to be unusual. There don’t seem to be real cutting-off points. Although my school year ended in June and doesn’t start up for a couple of weeks, I have continued to think and worry about it, so it never really ended for me. I usually go away with extended family, but due to the virus that hasn’t happened either. David and I, however, have been lucky enough to spend some mornings at the beach, which has been very restful. We also found a way to spend a couple of hours with Rachel in Philadelphia when she moved into a new apartment.
I’ve attended our Ethical Sunday platforms, which have continued to be provided on the Zoom platform, which has felt surprisingly familiar and comforting. I’ve enjoyed seeing everyone more in the summer than I usually do. And I’ve been able to attend a couple of in-person outdoor events like a Backyard Social and the Ladies Dinner. Having even those brief experiences with different people not in my typical universe is energizing.
As the fall rolls around, however, we will need to roll up our sleeves. With Joe’s retirement, our Leadership Advisory Committee has begun to discuss what the next step will be. Joe Chuman will be a hard act to follow! He has led us, inspired us, and cajoled us to do the right thing for over 47 years. He is a charismatic presence who embodies our movement. He has fostered our community’s leadership, however, so we will work together to keep our Ethical community moving forward.
And the world needs us, now more than ever! We are needed to fight systemic racism, we are called to be anti-racist, we need to raise awareness and take action to tackle climate change, we are on the side of the vulnerable…we are a small group but have a mighty voice. I look forward to joining with you, my Ethical community, as we take on these challenges.
Susan Lesh is president of the Ethical Culture Society of Bergen County.
