ĺňă îđäě ôâéůúFEBRUARY 2ND 2010áń''ă
MINUTES:
In attendance: Noomi Stahl (co-Chair), Miriam Fine (co- chair) Kobi Ableman, Pnina Arbit, Bob Carroll, David Gleicher, Gary Heller,), Eudice Harris, Daniel Rohrlich
Debbie Greinerman, Carol Fuchs (Vaad Bikoret)
Gaby Shine Markowitz (Staff)
Apologies: Esther Edell, Michael Stahl, Randi Garber
The minutes were approved
The following proposal was received for Bonkers Bagels to be Yedidya’s in-house caterer for mutual benefit:
· Bonkers would take over all the external event bookings for Yedidya & Bonkers would bring in their own events.
· Alternative caterers can be used. (They would not force anyone to use them as their caterer)
· No events would take place that clash with regular, scheduled Yedidya events e.g. Tuesdays (shiur) & Thursdays (Beit Midrash) or one motzash a month (Shai Agnon shiur).
· In addition there would be blackout dates for Chagim, special events etc.
· Friday events would finish early in winter to enable sufficient cleaning time before Shabbat.
Pnina sent the proposal to the BUC. No decision has been made yet but their recommendation to the Vaad would probably be against and they are looking to the Vaad for a final decision.
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
ISSUES:
Bonkers are very eager to get the business that comes to Yedidya e.g. Holy Bagel’s business
The Iriya did not give us a license to run a catering hall, only a Beit Knesset.
Nitzanim’s hall is rented out to Quiche caterers and they have got around the legal issues although the neighbours are not happy.
DECISION: The Vaad decided we are not yet ready for this arrangement
Kobi is concerned about assumptions of how the building will function once the basement level is completed and suggests pre-planned coordination, which was lacking in the main building process. An example would be avoiding an assumption that the Shacharit weekday minyan could move to the basement so that caterers can arrive earlier.
Noomi suggested to put “guidelines for building space use” on the agenda for after Pesach.
Eudice & Gary are sponsoring a Rosh Hodesh Adar extravaganza Movie Night of Matt Kalman’s and David ? documentary movie on Yisrael Campbell, “Circumcise Me”.
It was originally intended as a fundraiser for the Kupat Tzedaka but they were anxious about cutting into the Purim intake. However it will still be a fundraiser for the kehilla in accordance with the director’s wishes.
The directors will be paid $150 for rental of the movie.
Entrance is 30 NIS for members & 20 NIS for non members with a 5 NIS discount for pre reservation
Eudice & Tom attended the fourth attempted installation of the hearing loop which has now finally been successfully installed. Gary tested it and reported that it is not consistent, being louder in some places then others, but it is working.
Carol pointed out that Gary tested it in an empty room and that it should be tested when there is background noise.
It could also have worked better if it had been installed at the level of the panel. However the workers refused, citing lack of appropriate materials for the white channel. There is some concern about curious children possibly receiving electric shocks at the splice area (around the half way point of the bench).
Tzomet are expected to come and inspect it. The microphone is not yet installed and Eudice did not agree to making a hole in the readers table. The only microphone that Tzomet approves has a head that is too large to be hidden, so a way needs to be found to install it without damaging the table. It is possible to disconnect it so that people are not at risk of tripping over it (e.g. on Purim)
5. VAAD MINHAG REPORT
a) Last meeting summary
Pnina reported that they met before the last Vaad Menahel meeting & are waiting for the meeting summary.
b) Simchat Torah
Pnina reported that the open meeting for members was attended by 8 people, mainly ”refugees” from the early minyan (who were in favour of an early minyan!) A questionnaire has been put together in Hebrew & English regarding Simchat Torah preferences and will be distributed in this week’s Yediot Yedidya. It was queried as to whether this is the best method of distribution for this questionnaire. Individual emails will also be sent out & calls made to encourage people to fill in the questionnaire. The hope is that this early start will mean we will have a conclusion by the summer.
c) Shabbat Drashot
Noomi was approached by Zvi Schreiber with a concern regarding disorganization. He had not been informed that there was a Shabbat Iyun, had therefore asked someone from outside the kehilla to give a Drasha and had then had to turn him down. The Vaad response was that in such an unfortunate case both the Dvar Torah & the Shabbat Iyun Drasha should have gone ahead. A recommendation was made to give Zvi access to the Shabbat calendar. Zvi will now have access to the master Google calander. Debbie suggested that he should be asked to enter the names of the darshanim and we can ask him to let a speaker continue anyway if there is ever a clash by mistake. Noomi has asked him to continue organizing the Drashot & we will work at improvement.
6. ôĺřéí
Kobi will give us the schedule and send it to Gaby who will update the google calander.
Noomi reported that the procedure is the same as last year.
Google document of Minhagim:
Debbie noted that she had created a dummy google document of our minhagim and sent it out but had received no response. The google document is useful for the purpose of feedback and additions and everyone can go in & make changes. Noomi suggested that the process necessitates supervision and suggested that Debbie do that. Miriam clarified that its original intent was to be the beginning of a guidebook. The 5 existing contributors would put their information in and then someone can be chosen to edit it. Debbie suggested setting up a Yedidya gmail address for this purpose so as to limit access to the document.
Noomi emphasized the need for someone to be in control of the process & deadlines. Debbie is willing to set it up and then hand it over to someone to supervise and run.
Seuda & Mishloach Manot:
Pnina suggested asking Bruce to run it again or asking someone to work with Bruce.
Mishloach Manot letters were made available at the Tu Bishvat Seder and there will be a link in Yediot available on line as well as hard copies available in Shul for the technically challenged.
We need to look for new recruits to help with Purim as Pnina will be tied up with a family simcha.
A request will be placed in Yediot.
We are hosting a group from Keshet at the later minyan (around 8pm) as the early minyan is very packed.
7. ôńç
Kobi raised the two issues involved in Shabbat Hagadol: the Drasha & the Meal
MEAL: We have turned down an outside Simcha to allow the possibility of a community meal. Originally catered meals were discussed. Carol volunteered to work with someone on it. Deborah Kalker organized last year which was catered by Marvad.
DRASHA: Nothing has yet been organized for the Drasha. Various suggestions were discussed. Kobi will ask Itay Marienberg for an appropriate teacher for the event.
There is a Bar Mitzvah Chol Hamoed Pesach for Roi Nuriel Porat. The Bar Mitzva is reading a few chapters of Shir Hashirim and the rest is open to the Kehilla.
8. PROGRAMMING:
Gaby is still tied up setting up bureaucracy but we want her (& she is eager) to start programming initiatives ASAP.
We were underwhelmed with responses to our notice regarding suggestions & feedback for programming in Yediot.
Kobi suggests we invite certain people to a meeting for adult programming including Itay, Haim, Haim Goldgraber & the educationally involved people such as Zvi Schreiber, Etti Ashkenazi & some younger representatives.
Noomi explained that Gaby & Noomi had planned to have such a brainstorming meeting, plus brainstorming meetings for separate categories e.g. kids, culture, adults etc
Kobi suggested additional catagories & individuals e.g. Gita Melchior for Green issues and the Education System/setting up a school/ improving the school system etc
Gaby should be collecting these people & ideas & anything new should be channeled & encouraged.
Debbie suggested programming aimed at specific social group e.g. singles young couple with no children or a golden age programming group
Gaby had suggested prioritizing the post barmitzva population and that the seeds of new programming initiatives should be sown with the new potential programming space in mind.
9. HELENA
A discussion took place between the Vaad & the Vaad Tzedaka regarding Helena’s continued employment.We currently do not have 6 hours of work a week for her to do but can offer her 3 hours a week. It was suggested to split the cost of retaining her between the Vaad Tzedaka & the general operating budget on a trial basis for 6 months.
This was accepted by the Vaad Tzedaka.
Daniel suggested that the salary structure should come exclusively from the Yedidya budget & not from the Vaad Tzedaka. Since it is to our benefit there is a formal value in not paying a salary from the Vaad Tzedaka. Noomi responded that the arrangement is only because of Helena’s special needs & formally it is coming out of the operations budget as the Vaad Tzedaka cannot contribute to the Shul , so the funds will be received in another way e.g. michezit hashekel etc. Gary agreed with Daniel citing the surplus in our budget. Since we can afford it we do not need to use the Tzedaka fund for which there is great need & limited resources. Noomi suggested leaving the arrangement as is as a pilot & deciding after 6 months whether we want to take it upon ourselves to continue Helena’s employment.
The Vaad accepted this arrangement.
10. MISCELLANEOUS:
· Bob re-raised the spitting issue, pointing out that we have a potential role, as the existing organizations are not dealing with it since they are overwhelmed. Andi Katz & Ron Kronish have had a conversation with the archbishop and we will be updated as to the next step.
· Prof Eli Schwartz, who davens with us periodically, returned from Haiti last week & is willing to give a presentation on the Israeli medical team’s work in Haiti. This will take place Motzash Feb 20th. . Kobi pointed out that we should be sure to invite all the Kehillot to such events, as some get left out on Tu Bishvat
Next meeting WED MARCH 3RD 2010 8PM