I was asked by the Jewish Federation of South Carolina to share this message with our membership. Over the past few weeks, some of you may have received text messages and post cards to complete a brief survey about Jewish life in our community. Similar text messages may continue to go out over the next couple of weeks.  If you did not receive a text message but would like to participate in the survey, please let me know. I want to assure you: these messages are legitimate and the work behind them is important. This is part of a national research initiative led by The Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) to better understand how Jewish individuals across the country  and here in South Carolina experience and engage with Jewish life.  Our Federation is partnering locally to ensure your voice and experiences are reflected. We're working with two respected research firms, Opinion Research Institute (ORI) and Burson (formerly BSG), to conduct this research. While this text-based approach is standard in research, we understand it may have raised questions, especially in an era of frequent scams. If you choose to participate, please know your responses are confidential and analyzed in aggregate. No personal information is shared with us. Of course, anyone can opt out by replying 'STOP' to the text messages. We are excited to be part of this effort and encourage you to share your thoughts through the survey.  The more we hear from our community, the better we can shape a Jewish future based in the real needs, hopes, and experiences of those who live it every day. Thank you for your thoughtfulness and everything you do to strengthen Jewish life here in the Upstate. Warmly, ~ Courtney Tessler, CEO