ועד מנהל   פגישתAPRIL 6TH 2010בס''ד

MINUTES:

In attendance:                    Noomi Stahl (co-Chair), Jay Rosenberg (Acting co Chair), Kobi Ableman, Randi Garber,

David Gleicher, Daniel Rohrlich, Pnina Arbit, Esther Edell

Debbie Greinemann (Vaad Bikoret), Carol Fuchs (Vaad Bikoret)

Gaby Shine Markowitz (Staff)

Apologies:                          Miriam Fine (former co- Chair), Michael Stahl, Bob Carroll, Gary Heller

1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF LAST MEETING

        The minutes were approved.

2. SHABBAT HAGADOL & PESACH

· The Shabbat Hagadol meals were outstanding. Many thanks to Moshe Bar Zev for organizing. Profit was made that will be donated to tzedaka and in general all went well.

· Kobi asked whether we should have a second later minyan on Pesach when it might be appropriate e.g. on Erev Pesach to have a 06:15 Siyum followed by an additional later minyan for those that do not need to attend a Siyum. The same could apply regarding a later minyan Chol Hamoed for those who do not work. The vaad concluded that we enter it into a Google doc as a suggestion on the Pesach to do list for next year.

· There was a Bar Mitzvah on Shabbat Chol Hamoed. Normally the bar mitzvah gives a drasha before kriyat hatorah. However since there was a great deal happening due to Chag, the bar mitzvah prepared his Dvar Torah for Friday night instead, when Daniel Rohrlich had set up another speaker. There was therefore an uncomfortable and unfortunate misunderstanding. The speaker arranged by Daniel graciously stepped down and the Barmitzvah boy spoke. The Barmitzvah family understood that the barmitzva should speak Friday night from Kobi and Kobi had assumed they would check with those in charge of Smachot. Noomi expressed everyone’s regret that the misunderstanding occurred and emphasized the need for coordination so that it won't occur again and for everyone’s patience and understanding if such an error should occur again. There is a need for a Simcha coordinator with a checklist to make sure nothing falls through the cracks. Pnina said that there is a Simcha coordinator and a checklist but there is so much to do that things can still fall through the cracks. The remedy for this potential error has been added to the checklist. Pnina will send the checklist to Gaby for posting on Google docs. Daniel raised the issue of what happened on this occasion regarding the daytime Dvar Torah. Daniel had then requested that the Friday night speaker speak then instead but she was then dissuaded by another member of the Vaad, as we have a tradition of not having a Dvar Torah in the morning. Noomi noted that again this was an unfortunate clash and we hope for future flexibility in such situations. Esther suggested that the wronged party, who did not get to speak twice, should get a letter of apology from the shul. Noomi said she would take care of it.

· The issue of the Google calendar being made public on the website was raised & this is being worked on (so that only appropriate elements of the calendar become public). It was pointed out that all Vaad members should have access to the master Google calendar and Gaby will add those who do not yet have access. Kobi requested a weekly reminder to the baalei tafkidim by email. Gaby noted that this is a lot of duplicative work and the information is all already in the calendar. Noomi added that it will make those in charge less prone to take full responsibility

3. SHAVUOT:

There is a programming meeting tomorrow might. There will be report back at the next meeting.

Debbie asked whether there should be a pot luck communal meal on Shavuot evening. Kobi explained that the disadvantages are clean up and restricted spaces for Tikkun Layl use & a possible advantage is a  flow from the meal into learning (although not everyone attends the meal). Clean up is also additionally problematic this year as there is a bar mitzvah the next morning. The Vaad decided that there should not be a meal this year.

4. AGM

A date needs to be set ASAP and announced and the appropriate bureaucracy taken care of. Gaby will call Avi Farkash at Ziv Haft to find out when the annual report has to be ready so that we can work out when the AGM must be held (The report must first be published and passed to Vaad Bikoret for ratification – a process that takes approximately 2 weeks). Gaby will also check with David Bruce that all the 2009 data has been passed on to Avi Farkash. Noomi noted that it would be most appropriate to have the AGM in June, before the summer.

5. KEREN EZVONOT

Gaby explained that there was some confusion during chafifa regarding the deadlines for Keren Ezvonot.

She inherited 3 simultaneous situations to deal with:

1) Completing & dispatching the paperwork for the 2009 grant for which the deadline was March 31^st 2010.

2) Completing & dispatching the paperwork for the 2010 grant for which the deadline is March 31^st 2011.

3) Applying for the 2011 grant, for which the application forms only arrived mid Feb 2010.

Assuming that the first two items were a priority due to the imminent deadline of the first, the distant deadline of the second and the only recent receipt of the third, Gaby omitted to see that the deadline for the 2011 application was only two weeks after the forms had been received (March 1^st 2010). Even if she had been aware of this, since we have just changed bookkeepers, it would have been very unlikely that we would have been able to get all the elements of the documentation ready for the 2011 application by March 1^st 2010. She contacted the government office responsible for Keren Ezvonot by phone and email to explain the extenuating circumstances and ask for an extension to the application deadline but was unfortunately unsuccessful. Gaby takes full responsibility and sincerely apologized for the error and its implications and requests that the Vaad discuss possible requests for the 2012 grant application at the earliest possible opportunity so that we can be ready in good time for the next deadline (March 1^st 2012).

6. CAMPAIGN AGAINST JEWS SPITTING ON CHRISTIANS

The meeting was unfortunately poorly attended by Yedidya members. Noomi noted her disappointment, especially considering that this is such a poignant issue for the community. The next event is planned for April 30^th and is a visit to the Armenian Quarter arranged in conjunction with Andi Katz, Debbie Wiseman, Ron Kronish from the ICCI etc. Noomi urges everyone to encourage attendance. Kobi suggested a sign up both to encourage Yedidya members to attend & give them preference and to ensure that it is not overcrowded.

7. NEW EXHIBIT, THE ART COMMITTEE & JACOBS LADDER

· Sharon Gershuni’s exhibit of manipulated photographs is ready to go up from now until Rosh Hashana: The "Jacobs's ladder" upstairs issue is a complicated one. Some members expressed the desire that it be a permanent fixture. The Art Committee had decided a while back that there should be no permanent exhibits & feel very strongly about it. It also creates a clash in the artistic space for new exhibitors. Esther raised that it is prohibitively expensive each time an exhibit has to be raised & taken down. Each piece of "Jacobs's ladder" is 4 meters long so it is very difficult to store & no solution has yet been found. Debbie noted that it is a beautiful & appropriate piece of synagogue art by Anne Kromer and many people feel that it is appropriate for our space. The artist does not have a place to store it until a buyer is found. The Vaad decided that this matter should be dealt with by the art committee and gives them the mandate to deal with this and finalize whatever needs to happen. Esther noted that dismantling must stay within the planned budget.

· Kobi reiterated a suggestion that there should be a Vaad member on every committee

8. GOOGLE DOCS

Gaby explained that Google docs for Yedidya can be posted in two ways:

1. by uploading them to Google docs and "sharing" with whoever you wish to have access, including the office email: [email protected]  (There is an option for enabling each invitee to "view only" or "edit & view")

2. by emailing them as an attachment to her at the office email to post, together with a list of who should have access.

It was suggested that vaad members should have "read only" access to all documents and can subsequently request edit access to specific documents, should they so desire.

Randi thinks all documents should be completely public except for very sensitive issues such as personnel.

The Vaad decided that first a request should be sent out for appropriate documents to be uploaded and then the decision can be made regarding who has access. Esther queried why the finance committee meeting minutes are not on the website. Noomi noted that she should be in touch with Eudice who is in charge of posting minutes on the website.

9. PROGRAMMING:

· Gaby reported on upcoming events and programming meetings (House to House film screening, upcoming Shavuot, Children's Programming & Beit Midrash meetings.) She intends to present a working document on Kehillat Yedidya programming before she goes on maternity leave b'shaa tova at the end of June.

· Randi will send Gaby a list of suggested people to be involved in a social action programming think tank

10. MISCELLANEOUS:

• YOM HASHOAH: The Yom Hashoah schedule has been sent out by Noomi via the facebook group, Janglo etc and will go out this week to Yediot.
• YOM HAAZTZMAUT: Elissa Moss Rabinowitz is attempting to arrange a children's choir that will sing during the transition from Yom Hazikaron to Yom Haatzmaut.
• DUES & MEMBERSHIP/FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING: Esther will recommend no change in dues. This will be discussed at the next meeting
• SIYUR KABLANIM: This took place a few weeks ago. The Iriya has applied to the Iriya (!) for a permit for the outside space (ramp area). Yuval Beer thinks the timeframe is between 2 weeks and  2 months for that permit to come through. We could start building before we have the permit and the building committee are working on the issue. A Kablan will be chosen picked shortly and a date set to start building. Ideally building should be completed by Rosh Hashana & should not effect what goes on on the upper two floors. Kobi recommends that maximum space should be made available for the Yamim Noraim & therefore building should start downstairs as soon as possible.
• SHABBATON: The Shabbaton (2^nd one) has been set for the last Shabbat in May in at the Beit Sefer Sade Har Tavor and is in the Google calendar.
• KUPAT TZEDAKA & RIVHIT: Gaby reported that the Kupat Tzedaka is now working through the office accounting system, Rivhit, as a separate and confidential account. It is set up and fully functioning.
• MATERNITY LEAVE: Gaby raised the issue of her replacement during maternity leave, B'shaa Tova over the summer months (July, August, September). She suggested that this may be ideal for a student, as it falls directly over university vacation, and the majority of the work over these months will be administrative (membership dues, seating for Yamim Noraim, supervising Smachot etc). It was debated whether this would be suitable for a "ben/bat meshek" due to the sensitivity of some of the member's financial information. It was decided that a job description must be compiled & a decision made as to how to appropriately deal with members dues and discounts until Gaby returns. One suggestion was to defer cheques involving discounts until Gaby returns.
• PESACH THANKS: Noomi omitted to express our thanks to all those who helped for Pesach in the post Musaf Chag announcements & would therefore like to officially thank them and others who have not yet officially been thanked for their great service to the community, such as Randi & Pnina, to whom she presented gifts. She also thanked Miriam Fine in her absence & has a gift to present to Miriam.
• AIR FLOW: Carol proposed that we obtain estimates for ceiling fans to enable air circulation in the sanctuary and not just air conditioning. She finds the heat unbearable in the sanctuary and Esther agreed.

11. DONM

               Next meeting: Tuesday May 4^th 2010, 8:00pm