October 9, 2026
Jewish tradition teaches us that at any given moment in time, there are 36 righteous individuals who are privileged to behold God’s presence and who, because of the sacred work they do, sustain the world. The origin of this notion is found in the Talmud, in tractate Sanhedrin (97b), where we learn, “There are not less than 36 righteous people in the world who receive God’s presence.” When I first learned this teaching, I was also made aware that lamed vavniks, as they are called in Hebrew, do not know how they are. (The name lamed vavnik is derived from the numerology of Hebrew letters in which every Hebrew letter also has a number. In this case, lamed = 30 and vav = 6; added together, they equal 36.) While we cannot apply to join the club, nor would we know where to send our application, we can aspire to be righteous in our work.
As we think about the individuals who make a difference in the world, I want to highlight that each year, the Columbus Jewish News selects 18 Difference Makers in our community. I am not suggesting that these 18 individuals are lamed vavniks, but perhaps they can inspire all of us to think about how we can make a difference in the world we encounter on a daily basis. While I want to extend my congratulations to all, I want to highlight the two members of this year’s class who are Beth Tikvah members, Bill Byers and Tanya Shats. If there is one character trait that might help them qualify as lamed vavniks, it is their humility. When I wished each of them a mazel tov, they showed their humility, essentially saying that others were more deserving.
Bill has been an incredible leader in the Jewish community. Through his leadership and vision, he has helped guide us into the future as we better understand our security needs so that we can be active participants in Jewish life and the Jewish community can thrive. Over the years, I have had numerous conversations with Bill about the challenges we face as a Jewish community. Bill is always a listening ear and someone who brings innovative ideas as we think about a pathway forward. Through Bill’s leadership and vision, we are setting the standard for security in Jewish communities across North America.
Working with Tanya as our Social Action chair has been a joy. Her first entry point into Beth Tikvah was when she began serving as our Mitzvah Day Chair and then became our Social Action Chair. Tanya brings incredible joy and resolve to the work she does at Beth Tikvah, helping us achieve our vision of making the world we encounter a better place. Perhaps even more important than her volunteer work is her professional work where she helps support foster children, some of our community’s most vulnerable. She helps to ensure they are loved, supported, and able to find places where they can grow and thrive.
We should be proud of our fellow Beth Tikvah members, Bill and Tanya, and we extend a mazel tov to all those who make a difference in our community. As we read about the special work each of them does, may we be inspired to make a difference as well. Mazel tov!
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Rick Kellner