Message from the Moderator

I am excited to be the new moderator of the Walnut Street Minyan, officially taking over in November 2024.  Elyse and I moved to Newton nineteen years ago in large part to join the Newton Center Minyan - sight unseen - and we have never looked back. 
 
I started taking notes at our quarterly Town Meetings fifteen years ago because I was fascinated by how we make decisions as a community.  Before taking action, we solicit input and assess whether we have reached a consensus.  While it is not always the most efficient method of governance, it is one of the best ways to give everyone a voice in how we move forward. 
 
One of the defining features of our community is the behind the scene work of so many members, on multiple committees, making it possible for the minyan to function smoothly.  It looks effortless, but it's not.  People generously share their talent and time because they care, working to build the kind of respectful and inclusive Jewish community we value.  Everyone has something unique to contribute, from a skill or a talent to a program idea they want to bring to life.
 
WSM has flourished in the year and a half that we have been in our new home at 858 Walnut Street, and we continue to find new ways to engage and connect.  We encourage members and friends to participate in ways that resonate for them.  I hope to see you soon - and often.

David Small
Walnut Street Minyan Moderator