Minutes of Vaad Menahel meeting
08.06.09
Present: Miriam Fine,
Noomi Stahl (co-chairpersons), Kobi Ableman, Penina Arbit, Esther Edell, Donna
Goldberg, Daniel Rohrlich, Michael Stahl
Carol Fuchs,
Debbie Greiniman (Vaadat Bikoret)
Philip Yakar (administrator)
- Minutes of the previous meeting
Were approved and signed.
- Tisha
B'Av
Chaim Goldgraber,
in consultation with Debbie Weisman,
will be taking care of finding speakers for events in the future, including the
shiur on Tisha B'Av.
Penina will be in touch with the Gabbaim
about readers of Echa.
- Review of Shavuot
Both the adult's and kid's 11:00 shiurim were not so well
attended. About 25 people were at the 12:00
shiur and smaller groups at 2:00
and 3:00.
Yossi Bloch's
shiur, in English, was well attended. The dinner attendance was down on last
year. For next year Danielle Bernstein
has agreed to help with the planning of the Tikkun.
- Non-Member B'nei
Mitzvah and Part-Year Memberships
(Eudice Harris and Dov Cooper took part
in this discussion.)
The issues of people joining just for
S'machot and part-year dues were raised. It was not felt appropriate that
people be permitted to become members in order to enjoy a lower price (or no
payment at all) for a bar/bat-mitzvah.
At present the non-member fee for making
a bar/bat mitzvah is 1000 NIS.
Suggestions were made as follows (not
agreed upon by the vaad):
-
single-parent families pay 500 NIS
-
there be a sliding fee, but no membership
dues paid
-
a person be appointed to meet with
potential members
-
potential
celebrants must attend every Shabbat for at least a month before their reading.
Agreed:
The existing instruction sheet will be expanded to
include decorum issues. Kobi agreed to contact Itim
and other organizations to see if they have such a sheet.
-
There will be no part year memberships.
People can make donations and wait for the following year to become members.
-
The fee for bar/bat-mitzvah for
non-members will be 1000 NIS.
Requests for reductions will be referred to the chairpersons for their
decision.
- Checklist for Events
Miriam proposed that a form be developed
so that things did not 'fall between the cracks' and get forgotten.
Esther reminded the Vaad that she had
prepared a budget request form for events several months ago and that items
could be added to it for the proposed use.
Debbie
Greiniman asked if the programme planner was also responsible for logistics
(e.g. cold drinks on Shavuot, transport for speakers on Yom Hashoah).
Miriam stressed that, in the short-term,
an arrangement is needed for coordination, and she will prepare the check-list.
- Annual Meeting (A.G.M.)
Because of the late receipt of the
auditor's report for 2008 it was agreed to postpone the AGM until 23rd
June. A number of members were suggested as potential Vaad members and Noomi
agreed to ask if they are interested; Bob Carroll,
Alyssa Moss-Rabinovitz, Yehuda Mandlebom,
Sara Kass, Tehilah Nachlon, Martin Binnes, Ofir
& Sara Yarden.
Chaim Goldgraber will be asked to find a speaker for
the meeting and Gil Troy's name was suggested.
- Kenes
Kolech
A volunteer from Yedidya is being sought
to be on the Steering Committee.
Noomi will ask Danielle
Bernstein and Meesh
Hammer-Kossoy if they are
interested.
- Kolech
Beit Midrash
A meeting took place between Kolech representatives and ourselves, but they have yet to
get back to us, so there is nothing new to report at the moment.
9. Honouring High School Graduates
This will take place this Shabbat. There will be a special Kiddush and
the graduates (some 15) will receive honours and lead
prayers. Eudice and Donna are working on this together.
- Recent Programmes
- About 30 people attended Yael Unterman's presentation on Nechama
Leibowitz.
- Metuna – 100
plus attendance.
- 'High School Musical' was very
successful; both performances were full. The contribution to the Kupat
Tzedaka is not yet known.
- Basement Progress
Yuval Baer
and Shoshana Baumgarten
constitute the design committee and are looking for more people to join them.
Donna is interested.
- Finance
- Following the recommendation of the
Finance Committee it was agreed to work with Isracard,
who accept Visa and Isracards, for dues,
Building Fund and other donations. Since only 12 payments are available
through Isracard, donors to the Building Fund
(three years) will be asked to sign a commitment in advance. People may
still pay by check
- Dues will be raised by 2% to cover the
credit card charge with a reduction of 2% available if payments are made
by checks. Noomi will advise Warren
on the changes needed for the dues, calculated by Esther.
- The transfer of 245,054 NIS (rate on
25.05.09) from U-bank to the Bank Hapoalim was approved. Kobi pointed out
that U-bank may be able to match Bank Hapoalim's
interest. Esther will speak to both banks about the interest the bank
will give on this sum and decide according to the information received.
- Given that U-bank does not charge a
Dollar to Shekel conversion charge it was decided not to put General Fund
dollars in Bank Hapoalim.
- Miscellaneous
- The Barbara Wachs Memorial Evening will
take place at yedidya on 21st July, main speaker Rabbi David Golinkin.
- David Amit
has agreed to guide a visit to the Temple
model at the Israel
Museum on 28th
July.
- 30 Keren Hebrew-English siddurim will be purchased for the Shul and members
will be offered the chance to buy more. Carol agreed to write something
for Yediot. Those who wish can dedicate siddurim
for the shul.
- Date of next meeting
Monday 6th
July at 20:00.