Hear Our Voice

Our ancient Sages asked, “Eizeh hu hacham?” Who is wise? And they answered,
“Halomed mikol adam.” The one who learns from others. In a tumultuous world in which
too often, sound bytes set the course of a day or a conversation or even a relationship,
it is crucial that we are able to sit for a meaningful period of time and hear wise words
that last longer than 30 seconds.

Coming up tomorrow night at our Israel Shabbat, as well as on Rosh Hashanah and
Yom Kippur mornings for our “Book of Life” responses, I am excited to announce that
CSK will welcome these three wondefrul human beings to our spiritual home. (For CSK,
“Home” is wherever we happen to be!)

Roy (Roi) Bachrach is our guest speaker this Shabbat evening, Friday, September
20. Roy was born in Jerusalem in 1970 and was named after Roi Rothberg, who was
murdered by Palestinians in 1956 in Kibbutz Nachal Oz. Nachal Oz is one of the
kibbutzim that was also attacked by Hamas on October 7 th when it lost 13 of its
members, while others were taken hostage into Gaza.

As a teenager, Roy spent most of his free time on an ambulance as a Junior First Aid
Provider. He served in the IDF in an infantry unit (NACHAL) as a combat medic. In his
civilian life, Roy served as a Paramedic in Magen David Adom. He treated many
casualties of terror attacks, at times daily. Roy graduated from Ben Gurion University in
1999 from the EMS program, and graduated in 2001 from the Health Administration
program.

In 2005, Roy moved to Houston for a job in the medical device field. He currently owns
a consulting firm that helps Israeli companies doing business in the US, specializing in
bridging the cultural gap between Israel and the US.

Roy is married to Noa, who leads the adult therapy program at the Jewish Family
Services (JFS), and they have three children: Lia (16), Ya’ara (13) and Gil (12).

Kevin Cotter – Book of Life Speaker Rosh Hashanah Morning, Oct 3

In 2014, Kevin Cotter faced a life-altering challenge when he was diagnosed with Major
Depression following a hospitalization for Suicidal Ideation with a Plan. This diagnosis
opened his eyes to the possibility of treatment and recovery, a journey he now shares
with others. Kevin authored the upcoming book, The Power of Intentional Choices, to
help bring hope and understanding to those facing similar struggles. He is also a
dedicated speaker and state trainer for NAMI’s “In Our Own Voice” program, where he
educates and inspires through his personal story. In his professional life, Kevin has
been the director of business development for a local ambulance company since 2015.
Additionally, he is an active and proud member of Texas EquuSearch.

Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher – Book of Life Speaker Yom Kippur Morning
October 12

Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher represents Texas’ Seventh Congressional District in
the greater Houston area. A resident of Houston and Congressional District 7 nearly all
of her life, Congresswoman Fletcher was elected to represent the district in 2018.
Before her election to Congress, she represented Houstonians in the courtroom as a
lawyer on a wide range of matters. She is a graduate of Kenyon College and William &
Mary Law School, where she was the editor-in-chief of the William and Mary Law
Review. In the 118th Congress, Congresswoman Fletcher serves on the House
Committee on Energy & Commerce and is a leader of key caucuses, including the New
Democrat Coalition, where she Chairs its Trade Task Force; the Pro-Choice Caucus,
where she serves as the Whip; and the Equality Caucus, where she is a Vice Chair.