Our Belev Echad gala dinner is an annual highlight. It’s the place to be—fun, entertaining, and most importantly, the opportunity to raise money for a good cause. But that was all BCE: Before Covid Era. In 2020, like everyone else, we went virtual. And as fortunate as we are to have the technology to do so, virtual cannot compete with an in-person experience where people can meet, socialize, eat and drink together, and feel the energy in the room. There is no comparison.
Anyone running a non-profit shares the same dilemma. What do we do for 2021? Can we schedule our annual events or not? And it’s not something we can decide on a whim. These events take months of preparation, a large amount of money, and a tremendous amount of work to ensure that everything runs smoothly.
There was a point mid-summer where it seemed like Covid had finally begun to retreat and we started planning a beautiful in-person mega gala like we used to. We booked a hall that could hold 1000 people, a celebrity speaker, and were about to start putting down money when the Delta variant hit and all certainty was again lost.
So we decided to wait until after the holidays were over to make a decision. We researched all kinds of creative ideas. We spoke to lots of people, all of whom had different opinions. We looked at what other organizations are doing, but there was no universal approach. Some have cancelled their galas, others are doing them virtually, some are doing scaled-down events, outdoor events, delayed till next spring…and so on there was no consensus.
So what do we do? Do we take the risk and schedule it in person? What if Covid numbers rise again? What if another variant emerges and people are afraid to attend? There are so many unknowns, and with so much money on the line it’s hard to commit. But there comes a point where we have to make a decision and go with it.
And it’s at times like these that we need to take a step back, breathe deeply, and realize that we do not have full control of our lives. We think we make the decisions, but ultimately it’s all G-d’s doing.
We all love to feel in control. We like to know exactly what we will be doing and when we will be doing it. We like to plan our flights, schedule our vacations, and know precisely what we’ll be doing hour by hour once we get there. We love to be in the driving seat of our lives. But the truth, it’s all an illusion. The only one in control is G-d.
And this gala is just another moment where we see that clearly and undeniably.
So what did we decide?
First, we turned to G-d, and prayed sincerely that He lead us to the correct decision. Then we turned to our board members for guidance, and together we came up with a plan: A full, in-person gala, with the option to attend virtually, with all the technology to make it as pleasurable an experience as possible.
Do we know what will happen on December 5th, the night of our big event? No. Will it be successful? Will people come? Will we raise the necessary funds to help our soldiers? We don’t know. But we will put forth our best effort, secure in the belief that G-d will come through and help us.
So, good luck to us! Here is the link to our beautiful gala website: www.belevechadgala.nyc. We hope to see you all there. L'chaim!