Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of Kehillat Yedidya
(R.A.)
Held on Sunday, June 16, 2013
Agenda:
1.
Election of AGM chairperson and AGM secretary
2.
Presentation of the audited financial statements
for 2012 by the accountant
3.
Presentation of the Audit Committee report
4.
AGM approval of the audited financial statements
for 2012
5.
Election of accountant for 2013
6.
Proposed changes to the Kehillat Yedidya charter (takanon)
7.
Activity reports from various committees
8.
Election of the Executive Committee for 2013
9.
Election of the Audit Committee for 2013
10. Miscellaneous
1) Bruce
Rosen was nominated and elected as AGM chairperson.
Shai
Cohen was nominated and elected as AGM secretary.
2) Yedidya’s accountant, Avi Farkash of BDO,
presented the audited financial statements for 2012. He explained some of the items contained in
the statements, for example, that income of the Tzedaka Fund rose last year, as
did income from building use (which rose significantly), and that donations
remained steady. Regarding expenses, Avi
noted that they were much the same as the previous year, except for those due
to increased activity in the building.
Bruce thanks Avi Farkash for his work
and for coming to the meeting, and noted that next year the financial
statements should be ready at least two weeks in advance so that people could
look at them, raise questions and receive explanations before the AGM.
Afterwards,
J Rosenberg, Yedidya’s outgoing chairperson, gave an oral report on the
community’s activities during the past year.
He mentioned services on weekdays and Shabbat and holidays, classes,
activities for children and youth that include special prayer services for
these age groups, the evening Beit Midrash, hosting of individuals and groups,
charitable activities such as meals for members who are ill or in mourning, the
Tzedaka Fund, monthly meditation sessions, Shabbaton retreats, holiday events,
the clothing bazaar and many, many more.
He thanked each and every member who helped, worked and contributed
their time and energies so that the community could be so active in so many
spheres.
3) Josh Schoffman presented the report by
Yedidya’s Audit Committee.
He indicated that the Audit Committee
did not have much time to review the financial statements and the oral report
for the Associations Registrar (Rasham Ha’Amutot) due to last minute
corrections to the financial statements.
He met with Avi Farkash together with Gary Ginsberg (Yedidya’s
treasurer) in order to hear clarifications of all the questions that had come
up, and on behalf of the Audit Committee he recommended that the AGM approve
the financial statements and the oral report.
He also proposed that the accountant meet with the Kehillah’s office
staff in order to coordinate the budgetary classifications in our own records
and the financial statements so that in the future there would be no
misunderstandings.
He praised the way in which the
Kehilla had managed its budget and the building during the past year, and noted
that it was good that we were left with a financial reserve.
The Audit Committee attended most of
the Executive Committee meetings, and Josh noted that there was an improvement
in the way the EC was conducted. But he
also mentioned that most of the work was being done by a small number of
veteran members and that it was critical to recruit “new blood” and to increase
the number of volunteers, particularly for organizing holidays and other
events.
Josh stated the urgent need to record
procedures, as was indicated by the Audit Committee in 2012 and although there
was some progress, more is needed. He
called for better delineation of EC procedures and more active communication
with the operating committees.
Josh briefly spoke about the problem
of the falling bricks: This is a serious
problem with serious expenditures, but the issue is being handled by Marc
Render and Tzvi Ariel – and this is ongoing.
Josh thanked the chairpersons, the
Executive Committee and all the volunteers.
He then recommended, on behalf of the Audit Committee, that the AGM
approve the financial statements and the oral report.
4) A
vote was held to approve the financial statements – approved unanimously.
A
vote was held to approve the oral report – approved unanimously.
5) A
motion was made to approve that Avi Farkash continue as Yedidya’s accountant –
this was approved unanimously.
6) Josh Schoffman presented the proposed
amendments to the Kehillat Yedidya charter (takanon), and briefly
explained each change before it was voted on.
Amendment to Article 3 – This
article clarifies the conditions under which a community member who has not
paid membership dues ceases to be a member of the community (under the present
Charter only the AGM can decide to cancel the membership of someone who has not
paid dues) – the amendment passed.
Amendment to Article 10 – This
article would make the Executive Committee responsible for defining the voting
rules at the AGM, for example, whether elections for the EC would be via secret
ballot and the like – the amendment passed.
Amendment to Article 13 – This changes
the number of years that Executive Committee members serve on the EC, from one
year to two years; transitional provisions at the end of the Charter define the
method for instituting staggered terms for EC members so that only half of the
EC members change each year, which would help ensure continuity in the EC – the
amendment passed.
Amendment to Article 14 – This
clarifies the term of members appointed to serve on the Executive Committee to
replace a member who is no longer serving on the EC – the amendment passed.
Amendment to Article 14a – This
proposal defines the role of the chairperson of the Executive Committee, how he
is to be elected and what his duties are, and allows the EC to decide what
other authorities will be delegated to the chairperson – the amendment passed.
Amendment to Article 15 and Article
16 – This amendment makes it easier for the Executive Committee to make
decisions outside of its regular meetings, for example via telephone or e-mail,
if 2/3 of the EC members support the issue; on the other hand, if two EC
members feel the need to meet to discuss the matter then a face-to-face meeting
must be held – the amendment passed.
During the discussions a motion was
made to enable the EC to appoint members up to the maximum number of 11, both
in cases where the AGM elects fewer than 11 members and in cases where a seat
is vacated during the year. The motion
was passed.
In addition, other suggestions
regarding implementation were made from the floor for subsequent consideration
by the EC.
7) Reports were given by representatives from
Yedidya’s various committees:
Report on the building status by
Marc Render – Attorney Yossi Avneri is representing Yedidya
vis-à-vis the various parties in order to settle the problem of the
falling stones. At a meeting held at the
shul on June 10, a representative from the Israel Standards Institute proved
that the problem with the stones was serious and that there was “zero adhesion”
of the stones to the wall, that the problem was with the entire surface and not
merely a few stones, and that we are not responsible. The attorney sent a letter to the architect
and is awaiting his reply. In the
meantime the architect has suggested that we negotiate in order to formulate a
proposal. The repairs, which involve
inserting reinforcing pins into each stone, will cost between NIS 150,000 and
NIS 200,000.
Report of the Youth Committee by
Jenny Bayer-Gamulka – She mentioned the four groups for Yedidya’s
youngsters – the small kids group run by JJ Marks, grades 1-3 which is run by
Yedidya’s youth, grades 4-6 and the youth group. Most of the activity takes place on Shabbat –
children’s prayer group, youth prayer, shared meals, discussions and
Kiddush. But there are also activities
relating to holidays, such as the children’s visits to the “Beit Moses” old age
home, where the children have a special relationship with the residents. She noted that JJ’s group was very popular
and that even families who are not Yedidya members come on Shabbat morning to
participate. She also mentioned and
praised the work being done by the youth coordinator, Elazar Waldman.
Report from the “greeters”
coordinator, Steven Edell – He mentioned that there has been a problem of
security recently, and that the greeters are trying to prevent suspicious
persons from entering the building. The
greeters are a very serious group and they are attempting to cope with matters
and keep our building safe.
Report on the Social Action Committee
by Randi Garber – Randi reported that the “Ma’aglei Tzedek” organization
was closing its operations and that “Tav Hevrati” was looking for new
supporters. The Committee is now looking
for a new local project that would not involve too many hours. Randi also mentioned the blood drives that
she and the Committee organize at Yedidya, which is an critical and highly successful
endeavor.
Report
from the Building Use Committee by Eudice Winer-Harris – Eudice reported
that Yedidya’s income from events this year was NIS 100,000 – britot and
other family celebrations, meetings and gatherings by non-profits and other
organizations – sometimes at a very reduced price, Rosh Hodesh prayers by
pupils from the Efrata school, the Beit Midrash program and other classes,
support groups, choir and cultural events.
We have good relations with our neighbors and people like coming to our
building.
8) Joshua
Schoffman and Eliezer Finer were nominated to continue serving on the Yedidya
Audit Committee. The AGM approved this
and they will continue serving for another year.
9) Ten people were nominated to serve on the
Executive Committee: Linda Gradstein
(who will continue to serve as Yedidya’s chairperson), Gary Ginsberg (who will
continue to serve as treasurer), David Gleicher, Donna Goldberg, Daniel
Rohrlich and Bruce Rosen, who will continue serving on the EC; Kobi Abelman
(who is returning to the EC following a one-year hiatus); Avital Ordan and
Adina Golombek (new EC members), and Josh Margo (a new Yedidya member). The AGM elected all ten candidates to serve
on the Executive Committee.
Debbie Greiniman mentioned that the
names of EC candidates should be announced in advance of the AGM, and if there
are positions available this should also be announced so that Yedidya members
could put forth their candidacy. In
addition, she reminded EC members that the agenda of the monthly EC meetings
should also be publicized in advance.
10) Miscellaneous
Meir Zalevsky raised the matter of the
shiur at seudah shlisheet on Shabbat afternoon, which at one time was
given in Hebrew but had slowly switched to being an English shiur and he wanted
to go back to the shiur being in Hebrew.
Kobi Abelman mentioned that although he usually insists on official
Yedidya events being in Hebrew, the shiur at seudah shlisheet was almost
always given in English.
Hadas Elroi feels that regular membership
dues (NIS 1260 after the first two years) are high compared with other
synagogues in the neighborhood, where dues range from about NIS 550 to NIS 800,
particularly for young families with children who do not earn large salaries
but who want to join Yedidya. It was
suggested that the Executive Committee clarify and discuss the matter.
Hadas also raised the issue of a rabbi
for the community, and that there should at least be someone that people could
turn to with halachic questions.
Debbie Greiniman explained that there was such a group, but apparently
it needed to be better advertised among the members.
Esther Edell noted that Eudice
Winer-Harris donates a great deal of her time for the community and puts in
many hours of work, and she thanked Eudice for all of her activity on behalf of
the community.
Linda
Gradstein concluded the meeting with a call for volunteers: Running the synagogue demands a great deal of
work by many volunteers. She thanked Shai
Cohen for his work in the office and also thanked the three Executive Committee
members who are leaving – J Rosenberg, Esther Edell and Penina Arbit, who made
tremendous contributions to the EC and the community. Linda asked that every member increase the
level of their volunteering. If we work
together it will be a success, otherwise the work falls on the shoulders of a
small number of people and they can’t do it all.
The 2013 Annual General Meeting of
Kehillat Yedidya was adjourned.
Recorded by: Penina Arbit