Dispatches from Good Name Advisors

We’ve all heard the “three T’s” of giving: time, treasure, and talent. The idea is that you can contribute by showing up, by giving financially, or by offering your skills. I truly believe in all three — no one is more valuable than the others, and the most meaningful engagement usually blends them all.

At the risk of sounding like the old Hair Club for Men commercialfeefij04
(“I’m not just the president, I’m a client!”), I’m not just a professional in the world of philanthropy — I actively participate in it. I serve on multiple boards and committees, each with a different cadence of involvement: some more episodic, others more demanding, with regular meetings and multi-stakeholder planning.

While I love them all equally 😀, today I want to tell you about one in particular. It’s all about Shabbat.

A few dispatches ago, I reflected on my own “rearview mirror.” One early milestone came during my time at the Jewish Federation of Detroit, when I helped lead a program called Rekindling Shabbat. We partnered with local synagogues and community groups to create a shared rhythm around Shabbat — not just as a ritual, but as a cultural touchpoint. It was an educationally focused, food-forward, welcoming approach, and it left a mark on me. In my mid-20s, I began attending services more regularly, keeping a Kosher home, and I started hosting or joining Shabbat dinners. Not necessarily religiously observant, but deeply Shabbat-aware.

That’s why this week’s Shabbat dinner — while not especially unusual for us (we host 2–3 times a month) — will feel extra meaningful. This time, Eddie and I are hosting through OneTable, an organization I care deeply about and where I have served on the board since 2019, the last two years as board secretary.

OneTable empowers young adults (roughly ages 21–39) to host and build their own Shabbat practice. In recent years, they’ve expanded through a white-label platform called Powered By and a new initiative called Together@, which supports Jewish adults 50+ as they explore what Jewish ritual looks like in this stage of life.

That’s where we come in.

We’re gathering friends new and old, sharing food and conversation, and talking about why this practice matters to us. Why Shabbat offers rhythm, restoration, nourishment, and meaning. Why we believe in OneTable’s mission. And why that old Ahad Ha’am quote still rings true:

“More than the Jewish people have kept Shabbat, Shabbat has kept the Jewish people.”

To me, this is what it looks like to give your time, treasure, and talent. Sometimes all at once — sometimes around a table.

If you’re curious about how to bring a little more rhythm, rest, and intention into your week — or want to support organizations like OneTable — I’d love to talk.

Shabbat shalom,

PS – Below is a picture of my daughter Noa in 2006, celebrating Shabbat as a preschooler, with four of our family candlesticks and two from her classroom, and of course, the Shabbat bear.