The Meaning of Family
The Meaning of Family
Posted by Nancy Burnett on Tuesday, November 25, 2025
As we enter into these early days of the year 5786, we encounter a period of national thanksgiving—a time to reflect on all that we have to be thankful for. First and foremost on my list is my family, which prompts me to think of the meaning of the word family. I am blessed to have children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren; and although we are scattered geographically, they are never more than a phone call away.
But the word family has a broader meaning. We are all members of the human family and as such are commanded to take care of each other knowing that the dignity of difference is a core concept of Judaism. We are each individuals, yet the ways we unite in times of crisis or stress go beyond our biological relationships.
Families share memories; families share a sense of altruism extending beyond our nuclear family to friends, to neighbors, to communities, and from there to nations. As I think of my own personal family, my thoughts extend to that wider definition which includes my relationships within the community. Just as the tree of life extends from its roots to the trunk to the limbs to the leaves, so do our lives extend outward and upward.
I joined the Youngstown area Jewish community in 2015 and was welcomed with open arms. Andy Lipkin, Melissa Bateman, and Neil Yutkin, of blessed memory, were the first to encourage me to become active with the Youngstown Area Jewish Federation, and I’ve never looked back.
My earliest activity was with Partnership2Gether. It was my first glimpse into the global outreach of our Federation. It afforded me the opportunity to travel to Israel and Hungary and Poland and see firsthand where some of our annual pledge money goes and what causes those donations support.
Here in our own community, the Youngstown Area Jewish Federation is composed of five agencies, each supporting local citizens from all walks of life and serving all age groups. Our programs include an active, full-service community center (the JCC) with a community food service and an Early Learning Center. Heritage Manor and Levy Gardens support the aging population. Our family service agency (Jewish Family & Community) serves those with a variety of needs. We provide financial assistance to Akiva Academy and the religious school at Ohev Beth Sholom. Our Jewish Community Relations Council advocates for equality, tolerance, and resilience as it seeks to raise awareness in the political world of antisemitism, and our security department keeps us safe as we gather for events on campus and in the community.
We really are a cradle-to-grave institution. This season of thanks giving I truly am thankful for and proud of my “family”—all of them—and for my opportunity to serve my community through volunteering and my annual pledge. As our Federation Annual Campaign closes out another year, I am proud to add my financial contribution to support so many programs and people in so many ways.