I feel particularly honored to be standing on the shoulders of many great leaders from our patriarch Saul Viener to the creative Minette Cooper.  Through the efforts of all the giants in between, the Southern Jewish Historical Society (SJHS) has grown into a regional organization that has appealed to many, many people not only in our Southern region but throughout the country from New York to California.  Our growth in membership each year attests to the far reaching growth and interest in our vibrant society.   

Our annual conferences have successfully strove to offer not only a diverse program in intellect and has highlighted the features and history of our host city and region.  The last few years we have been hosted by the cradle of our birth, Richmond, Virginia; the city that is the home of both the historic Plum Street Temple and campus of the UAHC with its outstanding Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio;  a city that is the home of one of the largest naval bases in the country and the one of the strongest Jewish Historical Society, the Peninsular JHS, Norfolk, Virginia;  a city that was observing the Louisiana tribute to the Jews of the state, Shreveport, Louisiana;  an entire city representing all phases of Judaism that welcomed the SJHS for a memorable weekend, Memphis, Tennessee; and last year where we were most fortunate to attend one of the true historic cities in the country, Charleston, South Carolina.  We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the host committees in these communities for all of their efforts as well as our program chairpersons for the creativity in producing outstanding speakers and brilliant papers.
 
Next year you will witness the efforts of many people in planning our next conference in Baltimore, Maryland.  Let me take this opportunity to invite you to join us in this outstanding city and attend what promises to be not only an opportunity to learn from our outstanding speakers and panelists but also to enjoy the sites of this historic city that is blessed with a large, active Jewish community.    Please make plans to be with us in Baltimore on November 4th through the 6th, 2005.  View our web site periodically as we will continue to add information concerning the conference.
 
We have a number of goals for this year.  Chief among these is strengthening the bonds between the SJHS and the local affiliates.  We intend offering any services that we can provide, and we also want to learn from these local groups ways of advancing the SJHS organization.  Thus, learning from each other is an important goal. 

For some time now we have discussed raising sufficient funds to increase our grants and awards program and also to help local host committees with their financing.  We would like to ask for your help in contacting foundations and other support groups.  This is your organization and we need your help in making it as financially stable as possible. 

Finally, I am truly grateful  that you have elected a most capable group of  officers and board members.  They will all play a role in what will hopefully be a most productive and successful year.  There will be a great deal of effort by these people in planning our next conference in Baltimore.  Let me take this opportunity to once again urge you join us in this outstanding city this year.

If at any time you would like to be involved in any project of the SJHS, please contact me. This is strictly a volunteer organization and, therefore, we need to draw our strength from within.  Thank you again for the opportunity you have given me to follow in the giant footsteps of our past presidents.     

Best Regards,
Sumner Levine
President