Sisterhood
On November 5th, Sisterhood held its annual membership dinner. It was a wonderful evening—about 100 of us were there, and we were treated to delicious food from Elegant Eating Caterers, the piano stylings of Rob Fishman, and a fashion show with fashions from Francine’s Fashion Boutique in Huntington, modeled by Sisterhood members. You can see the models in their beautiful dresses in the photo below. We all had a lot of fun.
In a bizarre twist of fate, Marian Bartels, third model from the right, went to work Friday morning, suffered a massive stroke, and never woke up. She was 57. Her funeral is Monday.
We are all sad, shocked, hugging our husbands and children, updating our wills. Marian was healthy, happy, physically fit, feeling great. She looked so great in the clothes that she bought her casual outfit and was trying to figure out where she could wear the dressy one. She looked fabulous in it.
We all feel a little more mortal today.
Sisterhood models (from left to right):
Debbie Jarmon, Cora Brettler, Sue Seiler, Tes Silverman, Marian Bartels, Lauren Postyn and Lisa Fishman
Sisterhood President Nanci Weber and VP Membership Joy Moss at the Sisterhood Membership dinner on November 5th
Proposed Charter of Financial Secretary's Committee
We’ve come to realize that the position of Financial Secretary has to be re-worked to make it manageable, and to get helpers working on the committee. This will ultimately result in a proposed by-laws change. Here’s what we’ve got so far:
Proposed Charter
Temple Beth El Financial Secretary’s Committee
Purpose
The purpose of the Financial Secretary’s Committee is to oversee collection of all dues and fees from the congregation.
Charge of Committee
The Financial Secretary’s committee is charged with collecting dues and fees from congregants, evaluating and granting special arrangement requests and reporting to the Executive Committee regarding special arrangements and collections status.
Membership
The Financial Secretary will chair the Financial Secretary’s Committee. It will consist of the Treasurer, Budget Chair, and two other members chosen by the Board members on the committee and approved by the president. The Financial Secretary’s Committee will report to the President.
Meetings
The Financial Secretary’s Committee will meet quarterly and as needed and will keep written records of its proceedings. The minutes of the Financial Secretary’s Committee will be confidential as they regard temple members’ finances.
Duties
The Financial Secretary’s Committee manages Special Arrangements for those who may not be able to afford membership, and tracks the dues collection of members. Special Arrangements amounting to 50% abatement or greater must be approved by a majority of the Financial Secretary’s committee.
Current by-laws language—Financial Secretary
The Financial Secretary shall supervise and be responsible for the rendering of all bills and statements, and the collection of the income of the congregation. He/She shall also supervise and be responsible for the issuance of receipts for all monies collected and keep accurate records of all monies received. He/She shall also notify the Board of Trustees of members in arrears. The Financial Secretary will provide information to the chairperson of the Nominating Committee on whether or not nominees for Officer or Trustee positions are current in their financial obligations.
The Financial Secretary shall also chair a Financial Secretary’s committee, consisting of him-/herself and up to four (4) additional members in good financial standing, reporting to the President. The committee members are to be appointed at the option of the President and may not be members of the Board of Trustees. The duties of this committee shall be to recommend to the Executive Committee special arrangements for members for the payment of dues, pledges, assessments, charges and other obligations, to establish procedures for granting such arrangements and to assist the Financial Secretary in the duties described above.
Proposed by-laws language—Financial Secretary
The Financial Secretary shall supervise and be responsible for the rendering of all bills and statements, and the collection of the income of the congregation. He/She shall also supervise and be responsible for the issuance of receipts for all monies collected and keep accurate records of all monies received. The Financial Secretary will provide information to the chairperson of the Nominating Committee on whether or not nominees for Officer or Trustee positions are current in their financial obligations.
The Financial Secretary shall chair the Financial Secretary’s committee, as described in the committee’s charter. The Financial Secretary’s committee is charged with collecting dues and fees from congregants, evaluating and granting special arrangement requests and reporting to the Executive Committee regarding special arrangements and collections status.
e come to realize that the position of Financial Secretary is unwieldy and unmanageable, and with no other Board members on the committee, it has been difficult to get the work done. So we are working on re-chartering the committee, which will ultimately result in a proposed by-laws change. The proposal is:
Leadership Group Projects
As part of our Leadership Development Program that we are doing with Bob Leventhal of the Alban Institute, we identified four areas in which we wanted to place our energy. At last night’s Board meeting, we divided into 4 groups, each headed by a VP, and each group came up with at least one project they would commit to completing this year to achieve the stated goals.
Our overall goals are:
- Grow new leaders
- Nurture each other
- Committee participation
- Define process and track
- Values and trends
- Attract- recruit
- Model behavior
- Be creative- evolve- grow in understanding for each other- build a foundation of respect
1. Chavurot Sue Seiler, VP
Goal: Help people build relationships around their interests.
Will set up an introductory program in January to encourage small groups to form chavurot.
2. Leadership Sarah Lichtenstein, VP
Goal: Build on leadership strengths to create strong committees and goals-engage congregation.
Will set up committee templates to begin the process of developing committee charters.
3. Youth Mike Heiberger, VP
Goal: Engage our Youth in Jewish Life and TBE.
Will set up meetings with 7th grade families to assess willingness to stay connected to Temple Beth El and address concerns.
4. Membership Micah Silverman, VP
Goal: Incorporate a membership strategy in all activities ( recruitment and retention)
Will revive Buddy program.
Will begin Bulletin Membership column to be shared among committee members.
Kol Nidre Speech
Good evening. I’m Barbara Reiss Newman, temple president. I’m honored to be here tonight. It’s a tradition here that on this night the president asks all of you for a financial contribution in honor of Kol Nidre. And I bet some of you are thinking, boy, I wouldn’t want to be her right now, having to ask for money during these economic times.
But I don’t feel that way at all.
Because I’m here to talk to you about something very important.
Tonight we’re going to talk about the one investment we can each make that provides boundless returns with no downside risk.
What I’m here to talk to you about is the one thing that is unconditional and unchanging…
Love.
We need no reminder of the dramatic changes going on in the world. Every day we see wild swings in the financial markets. If you had recently gone to the floor of the stock exchange, or visited a real estate office, your head would be spinning.
But we are not on the floor of the stock exchange. We are in our sanctuary.
There is nothing that you came here for whose value has fallen.
In fact, the value of what we hold dear has held steady and is rising.
For in times of crisis and instability, in times of conflict and times of sadness, and when the world seems out of control, that which is most valuable can be found here.
Love.
This holy week is the week of repentance. This is the week of return…we return to emotions that connect us to each other…we choose love and kindness, generosity and forgiveness over materialism and personal gain.
It is here where, when we have prayed for all our sins to be forgiven, we are left with only love.
It is here, where we resolve to improve ourselves, where we commit to improve the lives of each other.
Like you, this community and the walls that house it, contain many of my best memories. The years when my daughter was going to religious school and singing in the children’s choir. Her Bat Mitzvah. It is where I have made my closest friends and met my husband, Harry. It is where we were married. My friends and I and my husband and I, only know each other because of our connection and commitment to, and our investment in Temple Beth El. And in all cases, our investment yields the love in our lives.
Where would you rather invest?
What brought us here, and what brings each of you here is love— of the rituals and values taught to us by parents and grandparents. What keeps us here are the connections we have each made out of our love of community.
What does that love feel like? It feels like the pride that rushes over us when we see our children and grandchildren carrying on our traditions. It feels like the joy of sharing our talents. It shows up on our faces, when we see each other during the High Holy Days. It’s in the hugs; it’s in the familiar sound of friendly conversations in the atrium…..eager chatting that the ushers have to hush so services can begin. Love.
Everywhere in our temple, we feel love. When we pass the Torah to our sons and daughters at their B’nei Mitzvah. When we come to study Torah on Shabbat morning. When we sing in the choir. When we help at our Thanksgiving dinners, participate in HIHI, and march in the Israel Day parade. When we serve on our Board of Trustees.
This year as part of the ongoing effort to build the leadership ability of our Board, we developed, with the help of Rabbi Clopper, the values by which we run the Temple: learning, leading and loving.
This synagogue exists, grows, and thrives on the generosity of its members, and on the gifts that come from love.
And so I have no hesitation in asking you for a Kol Nidre donation. Because I ask you lovingly and with gratitude for all that Temple Beth El has given me;
and certain in the knowledge that your contributions will provide you with the same investment return that I have gotten… each in your own way.
It is with that in mind that I ask you to reflect on what you get by giving.
Reflect on how your contribution becomes an investment with a guaranteed return.
Love grows where we sow it, and returns in measures beyond what we give.
Treat yourselves to the feelings of thanks - for being here among family and friends – the feeling of comfort of having this community share your triumphs and losses— and the feeling of hope that the coming year will be a good year for all of us —together. Realize that those gifts are the direct result of your generosity.
And those gifts…priceless.
The question tonight is - what do we want to create for ourselves here at Temple Beth El? How can we ensure that our visions are fulfilled?
The answer must come from all of us.
Look around, see and feel what brought you to temple tonight. Then look deep inside. Then give.
Give so that your giving is out of choice… rather than obligation.
Give …so that it’s what you did for love.
L’shana Tovah.
Our Board Values
L’dareich - to leadAhavah - to love
Lilmod - to learn
