It’s also the final year for Kol Echad. That’s right, after 23 years at the helm of Kol Echad and 33 working (volunteering) for FHL Communications, I have decided to step down.

This decision was not made lightly, but after much consideration, I believe it’s time to close this chapter of my life. This shutdown will not happen overnight but will proceed in stages. Work on the final issue has already begun. We are in the process of gathering material and have already created a cover for this special issue.

To help with this send-off, we are asking members for their assistance. We would love if you could jot down your thoughts about what Forestdale Heights Lodge means to you. It doesn’t have to be long, and all submissions will be included (after editing, of course).

This means that after this issue, we will publish a Pesach issue in March before turning our sights on Volume 23, Issue 5.

You may wonder if there will be a last-minute reprieve, a change of heart to produce a sixth issue (and beyond). The short answer is no, at least not under the stewardship of this editor. (There may be a special issue compiling everything created since last September, but that remains a work in progress.)

When the pandemic struck in 2020 and shut down much of society and our monthly dinner meetings, then FHL president Stewart Indig asked if I would continue publishing Kol Echad to keep the lines of communication open within our membership. Things were definitely different back then, as meetings were cancelled until that fall. That meant Kol Echad had to change course and become something different.

 Since then, this publication has morphed from a pure lodge publication to an entertaining/entertainment newsletter with updates on Forestdale Heights. It didn’t diminish the final output. In some ways, I think we wound up with a better end product.

Certainly, our advertisers must have agreed, as most stayed with us until we ended our relationship with them last summer. By then, Kol Echad had become a profitable publication, paying for itself and bringing money into the Lodge.

Still, finding new and interesting material to fill the pages was always a challenge.

I’ll be the first to admit that I will miss this experience. I will definitely miss writing my column, which has been an important outlet to keep my writing muscle in tune.

My family has repeatedly asked what will come next after Kol Echad is no more. I am still trying to put all the pieces together. However, I remain inspired by a plaque I bought many years ago and keep close by as a reminder.

Until our penultimate issue in March, be well.