VAAD MEETING - February 11, 2003

Present: Neil Pearlman (Co-chair), Pamela Pearlman (Co-Chair), Kobi Ableman, Penina Arbit, Tzvi Ariel, Warren Burstein, Dov Cooper, Yoni Hammer-Kossoy. Guests: Eliezer Finer, Yehudit Weiner-Harris, and Carole Rosenthal.

Reports

Financial

Dov presented an update on the current financial status of the kehilla bank accounts. Discussion focused on:

  • Determining the availability of necessary funds to cover anticipated expenses until June 2003.
  • Whether funds in one of our two bank accounts (building / day-to day) should be used for offsetting deficits in the other.

Dov agreed to prepare a cash flow report for the next Vaad meeting.

Building progress

Tzvi reported that several unresolved issues remain before the approval of 2nd phase work order can be finalized. A decision is expected by next week.

Halacha/Minhag committee

Minutes for distribution will be ready in the near future. The committee will address the issue of microphone use during kriyat megillat Esther later this week.

Review of recent events

The Annual General Meeting was poorly attended.

Future Events

Shabbaton

It was agreed to ask Arnie to prepare an announcement in Hebrew and to have the organizers check the effect of Daylight Saving Time on davening and meal times.

Purim

It was agreed that arrangements for guard duty for all Purim activities be made.

Mishloach manot

Penina reported that the three organizers have met and expect to finalize the price structure and supplies question by the end of the week. Penina will also contact the Kuppat Tzedakah to determine if participation fulfills the requirements of matanot l’evyonim.

It was agreed that NIS 3,000 be allocated to the committee to purchase supplies and that all proceeds be divided equally between the Kuppat Tzedakah and general kehilla fund.

Kriyot megilla

Times for the megilla readings — the two evening and two morning readings — will be distributed. The Gabbaim will be responsible for tefillot, and coordinate with Penina regarding the readings.

Machazit Hashekel

It is important that someone from the Kuppat Tzedakah committee take responsibility for the cheques, loose notes and coins that are collected for “Machazit Hashekel

Seuda

The seuda will take place as usual at the Efrata School, as we are not able to use the new building because of insurance problems. Randi Garber is once again coordinating the organizing committee.

Yom Haatzmaut

Kobi would invite Rabbi Melchior to deliver the address, and his Bet Boyer kehilla to join our special chag tefilla.

Shabbat HaGadol

Etti Ashkenazi will be asked to start arranging a “Shabbat iyyun” speaker.

Reports of working groups for organizing activities in the new building

Reports were received from Eliezer Finer (Maintenance), Yehudit Harris (Kitchen), Carole Rosenthal (Dedication ceremony) and Nava Zohar-Sykes (uses of building).

Asher Green is voluntarily conducting a market study of communal demands

A tentative program for the dedication ceremony has been developed. The date of Erev Shavuot, Thursday June 6th. was suggested and tentatively agreed by the vaad. A final decision depended on whether major participants, such as Mr. Rennert, would be able to attend.

The efforts of the working group members were much appreciated. All groups were asked to provide the Vaad with their recommendations for the organization of their particular activity presenting a series of option and their estimated costs.

An internal web forum will be created, at which each group can post notes of their meetings, to allow each group to learn about the plans of others. An additional group to organize the planning of finances is being set up.

Other Issues

Administrative services

As the capital campaign was coming to an end, and the campaign committee was reviewing their activities, it had been decided that they no longer needed the services provided over recent years by our administrator, Arnie Draiman, whose 20 hours of weekly work for the kehilla was split evenly between the capital campaign and “routine” shul business.

Neil and Tzvi met with Arnie about this and Arnie felt that he would be unable to continue working for the kehilla if only 10 hours of work a week could be guaranteed.

In order to assist the kehilla in getting through the busy period of moving into the new building, and in order to provide Arnie with an additional period of working 20 hours a week, an agreement had been reached whereby Arnie’s hours would remain at 20 a week until the end of April. The kehilla would need to define the services required for the new building and look for a new member of staff for the period immediately following.

A formal letter detailing this agreement had been sent to our legal adviser for approval.

Bookkeeping

Tzvi presented a report on the shul’s bookkeeping requirements.

Until recently all bookkeeping had been carried out by Yisrael Boukovza, who is paid (on receipt of a bi-monthly bill) NIS 932 per month. Problems had been experienced this year especially in producing the figures required for the 2001 Financial Report.

In addition, the capital campaign has recently employed a professional bookkeeper, Perla Applebaum, for a limited period.

In the light of the above, the question of whether to combine the 2 bookkeeping posts into one had been raised.

The following was agreed:

  • No decision will be taken at present
  • A meeting between Yisrael and Neil will be arranged.
  • The final decision will be left to the newly proposed Financial Planning committee.
  • The Capital Campaign committee should prepare an outline of the functions of their bookkeeper for Vaad approval. Her status will be as an independent contractor (payment against submission of invoices for services rendered).

Next meeting

Next meeting scheduled for Monday, 3 March 2003 at 19:30 at Warren Burstein’s.

Meeting adjourned at 22:50.


More minutes