| Dear Friends,
As many of us are busy preparing our homes for the upcoming Passover holiday, we at The Network are also busy preparing for PowerNET 2025. Close to 500 are registered to attend PowerNET 2025 (April 27-30 in Denver)!
The weeks leading up to PowerNET 2025 are focused on a myriad of details including finalizing workshop presentations, confirming plenary speaker arrangements, and reviewing plans to celebrate award winners at our Annual Meeting.
For many, the preparations leading up to Passover involve cleaning, cooking, shopping, and devoting time to preparing for the discussions that will take place at our Seder tables.
The intensity of the many details in preparing, both for Passover and for PowerNET 2025, may distract us from the real impact that these events can bring to those who are fortunate to participate in both experiences.
This year, especially, the themes of the holiday ask us all to consider the meaning of freedom. With hostages still being held by Hamas, historic rates of antisemitism throughout the globe, and the many changes that have come with the new administration in D.C. weighing heavily on so many in our Network and beyond, the daily work of Network member agencies is at the core of what keeps communities healthy, safe and supported.
The themes of Passover connect us with powerful reminders of the work of our Network member agencies, each of which we will discuss throughout the many workshop offerings of PowerNET:
1. to “remember the stranger, as we ourselves were once strangers in the land of Egypt”,
2. to “let all who are hungry, come and eat, as we ourselves were once hungry in the land of Egypt” and
3. to “celebrate the joys that come with freedom, as we ourselves were once slaves in the land of Egypt”.
Today, the agencies of our Network serve as sources of comfort for many who consider themselves strangers in their communities.
Today, the agencies of our Network ensure that all who are hungry have a place for food and nourishment.
Today, the agencies of our Network help those who struggle with a sense of being enslaved to find meaning in their lives and a sense of freedom.
As a Network that purposefully establishes services that are person-centered and trauma-informed, the professional and volunteer leadership of our agencies often serve as “family” to many who feel alone, isolated, and disconnected from the community.
May we all find ways to connect our personal selves and our professional selves to the themes of the Passover holiday and may those who are joining together in Denver enjoy powerful days of learning and return home with a renewed commitment to the powerful missions that guide our agencies.
Wishing us all a sweet and meaningful Passover holiday and looking forward to coming together soon! |
