Va’ad Menahel Minutes, 4.5.2011
In attendance:
J Rosenberg (chair), Donna Goldberg, Kobi Abelman, Miriam Fine, David Gleicher, Pnina Arbit, Noomi Stahl, Daniel Rohrlich, Linda Gradstein, Gary Heller.
Non Vaad-members: Dov Cooper, Eudice Weiner, Marc Render, Mordechai Beck
Va’ad Bikoret: Carole Fuchs, Debbie Greniman
Apologies: Esther Edell, Deborah Kalker
Linda said that we will always have disagreements but it is important to be mindful of how we speak to each other, especially in email discourse and meetings of the vaad menahel, which should be a model for how community discourse takes place
Yom Haatzmaut has been taken care of in bits & pieces: kids will need a barco neither Eudice nor J are available to operate it. Miriam–the more things there are to take on, the more problematic it becomes. Someone from Vaad needs to take responsibility
- Gaby raised the issue of larger picture & of the structure of committees programming & hierarchy
- Miriam raised the immediate need for bottom up action of taking responsibility for smooth running of programmes which may end up creating a process of restructuring.
- Pnina highlighted the need to ensure indivuduals who have most experience of events taking responsibility to make sure things are happening (while not being responsible for organizing the event themselves)
- Gary H. agreed to learn how to use the barco equipment etc
- Linda took on responsibility for Yom Hazikaron/Haatzmaut tekes, as Eudice & J will both be away.
- Issue of volunteering info on database was raised
- Gaby pointed out that it is not database usable as separate catagories are used & in proposed redesign of form & database this is one of the issues to be tackled.
- Donna volunteered to help redesign the database
- Kobi suggested that the database be made open to the membership and constantly directly updatable online by individual members
- Suggestions for database/mem form comitte incl Pnina Warren Donna Eudice
David G.: Shavuot – current committee of Renee Atlas, Miriam & Debbie Greniman
Title 70 faces multiple truths
There is one confirmed speaker Avinoam Rosenak
Debbie Weissman in English or Hebrew on multiple truths
Eitan Kadden & Nava for the kids not yet answered
- question of potluck or catered supper
involvement of beit midrash – will be followed up with Itai: Kobi will contact him
AGM: starting the process
- Miriam: Only around 50 people attend, so having it before summer may not be essential
- Donna: how could we make it more attractive & bring in more people eg not just a speaker
- Dov – AGM has other components to it like elections to Vaad,
- Date depends on the accountant – he has to bring draft report & give dates when available to come to AGM
- Donna taking responsibility for overseeing organization of AGM
- Kobi: many other events: family events, Shavuot & school graduations etc taking place in June
Marc – referred to the general subject of basement use; Shortly after the opening there was discussion about what should take place in basement – one of these being location of the office
Other possiblee activities = children's services, Beit Midrash, youngest playgroup – parents & toddlers (bookshelves will eventually be installed)
The original plan for the basement space by the ramp entrance was undefined & then developed & planned into an office space/machsan, and as a result we invested in phone line/intercom line etc
The original intention was that the current shared playroom/office space upstairs in the Mamad upstairs would serve as a full time playroom (as was the original clear dedication by the Kranz family for that particular purpose)
The question was raised as to where that activity should be -
Is it a problem that some kids activities are in the basement & others are on the ground floor?
Miriam, (who originally initiated the question as to whether the office should be moved downstairs or not) - the upstairs is the centre of shul, has close access to street & main door –if this is our face to the community; then the staff has to be as accessible to main door as possible The ramp is unpleasant , not welcoming & enters a space that does not feel like shul space. It was suggested that we create wall unit divider & maintain the current arrangement of the MaMaD room serving both purposes. One of the questions in Miriam’s survey is whether parents & nursing of babies & toddlers want to be on the same level. Dov's input as a parent of under 7's is that they need to be on the same floor.
Linda pointed out that the natural congregation point is on ground level so people with babies may not want to be relegated to childrens activities downstairs
Dov from greeter experience – most families with kids come later
Storage of baby carriages
Question of operating floor & supervision, now open when activities start & closed when finished, if we want to make the space available earlier then someone would have to open & formally supervise from earlier on.
Noomi: maybe we should ask Gaby, as our staff member who actually uses the office; perhaps we can get more out of our staff if we have an appropriate office space for our needs
Gaby: if you want to promote professionalism, and a suitable business atmosphere, probably get more out of our staff if the office space is more appropriate for our needs
- Eudice :design for multiple use of space as we have with the rest of the building eg partition wall unit
It is unsafe to leave basement unattended, so current policy is only opening for activities, also it’s too much to ask greeters to take the time needed to empty out the building. The basement was not intended to be a free- for- all space. As a learning centre ideal – intended office could be in that space
J: The current office space is not really an office space and this is distracting
Ramp is not so welcoming
Current office can’t be locked – could be solved with partition wall?
Gaby: intercom
Professional atmosphere for outsiders & for professional work environment
Necessary delineation beween admin & programming
Donna: issue of babies being on same floor, if Gaby in office where could we put the playroom
Kobi – multi use – make office space that could be used for small shiurim also
Rather than lock up office computer why not lock up kids stuff
Marc unless major issue current space needs to be a children’s playspace (but can also be an office)
So the question is should it be a combined space or not?
While avoiding investing in new furniture for now – is it possible to try it out before investing in major furnishings?
Daniel: is there no area downstairs that could be dedicated as playroom for Krantzes
Yes – the proposed office
J: can we go with marcs proposal of moving spaces with little investment & trying it out temporarily - ie office downstairs ?
Carole raised that security cameras aewimportant: marc raised that decision was nixed by committee based on budgetary resptrictions
Gaby requested that buzzer should buzz uptairs as well, not just signage
Sign will have to be very clear & with office hours otherwise call
Try it out – if we decide that we need a security camera or people cant find office
Dov: discussion re supervision of children in unstructured time & space
If activity taking place upstairs e.g. brit, event.
Debbie Greniman: Sign needs to also be at entrance to ramp & at entrance by kitchen
J presented Deb K's concern regarding the security of the building with the office downstairs.
Dov raised the question of the timeline of the trial
Marc: will only start when phone line ready - proposed trial til after chagim
Until playroom upgraded don’t think will be significant more use of playroom
Approved by concensus to move office downstairs on provisional tria -l to be reviewed in November.
Marc: Kehilla issue: abundantly clear with addition of basement space that volunteer supervision is not sufficient & an av bayit needed for core responsibility for maintenance of building. Will be discussed in personnel committee tomorrow. This is primarily a budget issue. Marc feels that it is part of the essential cost of running the building. Need someone responsible therefore not suitable for a student
We do an amazing amount on a very low budget but there is a minimum outlay that is essential
Dov also raised that event rental fee will partly cover the expense of the Av Bayit
Agreement in principle to hire, personnel committee will investigate issue & bring proposal to board
Miriam met with Bruce & Mindy to prepare a multiple survey, first part should be about childrens supervision in lager building, questions being vetted by committee etc, location of activities etc.
CONCLUSIONS:
Dedication event by & large a successful event - final summary positive
Without pointing the finger at any particular person, there were things that could clearly have been done better & responsibility for this fell all over the place not on one particular person - starting with the Vaad Menhael. Critique of ad hoc coming together of committee, no forethought or process. Nobody comes out clean.
More forethought & planning from the top will produce more successful planning in future. Decision making process of when, what & how
VM response that this was discuseed
DG : no committee was appointed
Daniel R: the spirit of discussion was that it was an internal Yedidya event (emails inside community) and it was unclear who it was addressed to
-Kobi feels very good report as opposed to early discussions.
-What VM is supposed to do versus notion of committee being appointed to handled it
DG: firstly have to appoint & conceptualize committee's mandate and then delegate Committee should be
Noomi doesn’t see how different from any other event. Our committees come together & come up with ideas. Example of how we do business, art exhibit –a e com in charge and do what they do, on budgetary issues they stray beyond budgets.
Dov led to believe that this was an important event in the life of the community
No buzz like there was at opening of building – one of the ways of creating that buzz is to mandate that committee to enlist people who are not involved in inner circle
Was opportunity for example of how we would like community to operate.
Didn’t happen
Committees need to be empowered to do things but needs to be oversight as to what the committees are doing
Talking now about Yom Haatzmaut that will take place in a week
Marc agrees with what noomi had to say about how things happen in shul in an ad hoc way.An important difference was the effort to have Gaby be an essential figure in carrying out the activity. Event was designed with Gaby as a committee decision. That process (as children's committee are doing & have decided they need there own person) was a new process and
Overall looked & was very good even though many things last minute
Need appreciation for people who actually organize things
Noomi : after initial meeting gaby sent out protocol of vision & what was being planned to VM
Why weren’t more volunteers recruited ?(between purim & pesach)
Paid staff recruiting volunteers. By its nature this needs to be done by other volunteers
8) MISC:
Shiva chairs – No chairs yet boughtBudget for 5 chairs at 100 nis each
Gaby very frustrating to have to find gemach to bring you chairs
Dov said would donate in memory of dad
Debbie – why 5
Kobi usually only 1 or 2 mourners
Issue of lending them out
Clothing bazaar –nir asked for budget to print posters , already made flyers. Noomi doesn’t think its necessary
Gaby brought up issue of publicity & lists now organized through office
SHAVUOT: MIRIAM; Ad needs to be in tomorrow. Debbie needs content
Noomi: regular greeter said that when come in for duty & others are sitting there anyway, feel like can go daven & its annoying that had to come in specially
Gary: difference between greeter & security – often police ask that there is additional security sec committee bob & Gary. Noomi not critiquing the shmoozers & non shmoozers but maybe greeters should be informed that there are different people there & what their roles are
Dov – thinks greeters don’t have to come to open up because there is early minyan
Important that greeter be there when tfilot start ie 8:30 instead of 8:20
Mordechai Beck: shiva chairs – levaya etc experience of watzman shiva – it was out of the hands of the Haredim – wants to bring up idea of having own chevra kadisha
Arrangements for pesach/sedarim – was breakdown of communicaton –unfortunately 2 non Jews that wanted to be hosted were not hosted –
Mordechai organized Shabbat Iyun with Rachel Azaria – impression that successful meeting. Recently received request for support for her candidacy for Mayor. Is it legitimate to post this on Deot? Miriam sees no problem with member eg mordechi sending out deot message –for community's interest this is happening – if anyone interested here are the details – individual bringing awareness of info of endorsing an individual is legitimate.
Donna: yedidya community listserve for information (not baka/janglo list – internal request to my community: yedidya janglo – so set up a yedidya google group – need someone who knows how to set it up & can moderate it
DONM: Wed June 1st