I had to fly to Los Angeles last week, and as I sat on the airplane wondering what I would say tonight, the flight crew came down the aisle with several huge plastic bags. In those bags were tiny single-serving bags of pretzels. They gave a bag to everyone. Pretty soon the only sound I could hear above the engines was munching, as almost everyone dug into their little foil bags. The entire plane was eating what it was told, when it was told. But I didn't want pretzels. I didn't want them, but there wasn't anything else to eat.

Which made me think about how Behrman House is different. And that brings me to the reason I'm so pleased to be here—to tell you a little bit about what I think makes Behrman House special. And to acknowledge and introduce to you the people without whom Behrman House could not exist.

I think the educators in the audience will know best what I'm talking about: what's different about Behrman House is that in a world that often offers us pretzels, we work to bring you choices. Choices that allow you to develop the curriculum you want. Choices that allow you to provide the learning you need in the class hours you have available. Choices that work with teachers of varying experience levels. Choices that allow you to create the educational outcomes that you want.

So, the question is: what makes Behrman House different? How is it that we consistently offer such choices? What has made it possible for the firm to grow from a bookstore started in 1921 into the firm that it is today?

The answer lies in two partnerships that have endured for decades, partnerships that are essential to our success. The first is our partnership with you, the educators. Whenever we meet at times like this, we're reminded of the reason we're in business— what a consultant would call our "mission." It is to support you, and your school's educational program, as you educate the children of our community.

As educators, you change the landscape of your students' lives. Every day, in many different ways, usually bit by bit. You mold their ethics, their values, and their behavior. Sometimes, you even reach their parents as well. Our job is to help you, whenever we can, in whatever way we can. We help with books, software, and other materials which are rich in content, engaging, and dare I say even fun to use.

And so, as we hear what you have to say, and apply our expertise and our passion to the enterprise of the school, we and you become partners in the education of our children.

That, in the end, is what gives our work meaning.

The second partnership is the one that exists within Behrman House. It is an intellectual and workplace partnership of a group of people whose commitment to Jewish education, and to the highest standards, is difficult to describe. It’s a team that works together in every facet of the business.

It's what has enabled us to produce a consistent stream of innovative works, from books by authors such as Abba Eban, Lucy Dawidowicz, Robert Alter, and Mordecai Kaplan. It's what has enabled us to produce such innovations as the first color textbook, the first programmed Hebrew instructional book, and the first instructional software for the Jewish classroom.

This commitment and teamwork, in the end, is what makes it possible for us to do what we do.

And that's the reason I'm pleased and proud to be here. To introduce you to the people who make this happen every day.

So let me say some thank you's. First, let me thank the JEA for this wonderful honor. And, let me thank Eddie Edelstein and Lonna Picker for organizing a fantastic conference. Let me thank Vicki Weber, my wife, and our children Rebecca, Joel, and Benjamin, for being who they are, for creating a home, and for being the place I go for groundedness. Let me thank my sister Rachel, who is an equal shareholder in our firm, for being the supportive shareholder that she is. And let me thank my father Jacob, for creating such a robust firm, for building high standards into the DNA of Behrman House, for being there with advice and counsel when we need it, and for knowing when it was time to let go, so that the children could take their turn. As every parent knows, it's this last step that can be the hardest.

These are the people you talk to each day. And, they're one of the most important reasons it's so much fun for us to come to conferences like this—we get to hear terrific stories about how helpful our staff is. Just a few hours ago an educator came up to us and said "I have you on speed dial." Our Customer Support team is the reason why.

I'd also like to introduce to you Shawn Campbell, our Director of Operations. When you call us Tuesday morning, for one book or a hundred, and we ship in the afternoon and you receive the books the next day, that's Shawn acting as the conductor, making things work the way they should, and coordinating the activities of our Customer Support, Warehouse, and Editorial teams.

Vicki Weber is our Production Manager and a member of our Editorial Team. She stepped in a few years ago to take over the production of our over 630 titles. She saved our institutional lives, making sure that each title is available to you, in sufficient numbers for the children in your classrooms. She has also developed a number of editorial projects, both for children and adults.

Everybody knows Terry Kaye. Terry is our Vice President & Director of Educational Services. In addition to having the longest title in the company, she has the broadest set of responsibilities. She's responsible for making sure we serve the educational community, which includes helping to figure out what you need. She's also intimately involved in developing our Hebrew materials, most notably the Hineni series.

Gila Gevirtz is our Executive Editor. She's wildly creative, with a core Jewish knowledge and passion that is unequalled in the field. Take a look at just about any of the products we've come out with in the last eight years; Gila's fingerprints are all over them.

And Jeremy Poisson, our eMedia Editor. Jeremy is the creative genius behind our software. So, when you encounter Prof. Marvin Gimmelstein on your PC, or his sister Dr. Gila Gimmelstein, or the Professor's evil twin brother, and when your students go home and practice their Hebrew because the Gimmelstein family makes it fun, that's Jeremy’s creativity and skill at work.

And now, we look to the future. We don't know exactly where it will take us. But we do know that we will continue our tradition of service, creativity, and innovation in partnership with all of you, as we seek to educate the children of our community.

Thank you.