The parsha of Noach. The story we’ve all been told: G-d has decided that humanity cannot be saved and must be destroyed, then rebuilt. After choosing Noah to build an ark and to save one male and female of every species, God floods the earth for 40 days - killing all life.

For years now, humanity has heard the same trope: how we are in an unforged territory. A new horizon yet to be seen as we come back to each other after a few years apart. A world-wide pandemic, killing millions, devastating the global economy, and tearing us apart from each other. We turned to online connections on Zoom, Facetime, and masked meetings in parking lots to get the basic forms of connections we so deeply yearned for.

Yet when we talk about this portion, the after is hardly ever spoken about. What happened after the dove landed on the boat with a branch signaling land, and most importantly, a future. Spoiler alert, the world was rebuilt as we are all here today. Yet, in between the flood and the rebuilding, what did Noah do?

Noah rebuilt. He disembarked from the ark with his family to begin anew. Into a new landscape never seen before, it was his sole responsibility to ensure humanity's survival and resurgence. There was no blueprint, there was no path ahead that was clear, it was his decision. Sound familiar? After the rocky past two years, our journey of navigating the rough seas of the storm that was Coronavirus is coming to an end. The dove has landed and we are beginning to disembark.

We are completing this journey, luckily together, but in a time and space few have seen before. A time when the future of a nearly 100 year-old organization is at stake. A time when spikes of Antisemitic attacks, both physical and online, are rising and becoming more and more common. A time where the Jewish people like us are seeing highs and lows. A time of economic and political instability are rocking families, cities, and entire nations. A playing field no one has ever attempted to score before.

However, unlike Noach, we are incredibly lucky. We have the internet. We also have thousands of teen leaders, staff, supporters, mobilizers, gamechangers, influencers, and organizations, spread across the six continents where we have communities in, dedicated to our success. As we begin to rebuild in a space unknown, rest assured that we are not alone. As Noah did so long ago, we will do it again.

Remembering that Noach had the weight of the world on his shoulders, we can rest assured we are supported. We have come into this space dedicated, more than ever, to work for them. For the future of our movement rich with history of changing the world and, more importantly, for the future of the Jewish people.

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Shabbat Shalom,

Avi Gorodetski, 78th Anita M. Perlman International N'siah

Levi Fox, 98th Grand Aleph Godol

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