Minutes of open vaad meeting - May 17, 2004
Present: Neil, Pam, Tzvi, Kobi, Warren, Randi, Penina, Dov, Philip,
Ruth Wahrman-Schreiber, Tzvi Schreiber, Marc Render, Deborah Greniman,
Deborah Lustig, Elyssa Moss Rabinowitz, Nadia Kahan, Eudice Winer
Shabbat tefillot
Despite the many activities taking place in the new building,
attendance at tefillot has been down, especially on Erev Shabbat.
The following aspects/suggestions were discussed:
- move prayers downstairs (noise from children would be a problem)
- reduce upstairs space with old mechitzot, to make a cosy atmosphere
- put out less chairs at night
- start earlier during the summer
- ask people why they don't come
- eliminate/shorten Dvar Halacha
- have a single and excellent speaker give the Dvar Halacha for a
number of consecutive weeks
- ask people who enjoy singing to sit close to the Shliach Tzibur,
to provide a "core" of singing.
- because of the lack of a gabbai or previously arranged Shliach
Tzibur , and the fact that people take longer to get inside, (dawdling
in entrance or on ramp) we start later than we have to.
- start on time so people will arrive on time
- have an advance sign up for kids to sing Yigdal, which at least
will bring their parents to shul and also enable new children to do it.
- when there is a group more members attend in order to pick up guests
- organise a meeting for Shlichei Tzibur to introduce new tunes
Agreed to put the following into operation:
- start on time
- reinforce that the Dvar Halacha is not a dvar Torah, but a short "wort" of maximum 3 minutes duration.
- set up less chairs, so people sit in a closer knit group
- send out an appropriately worded questionnaire with membership forms.
- be more active in welcoming new intakes at Pardes and Ulpan
Etzion. Dov and Debbie Grenaman will work on a flyer in appropriate
languages, Pam will coordinate.
- vaad will consider starting earlier during the summer
- Eudice, Randi, Debbie Grenaman , will organise a system for kids
to sign up for Yigdal and Anim Zemirot, in liason with Warren
Kids' Behaviour
The problem was how to remain child friendly and inviting but
maintain some limits on inappropriately wild behaviour. It was agreed
that we need rules (We have been successful in excluding scooters).
A meeting will be held after kiddush on June 5th, and both parents
and children will be encouraged to attend.
The purpose of the meeting will be: to agree on rules, and to
suggest positive ways of how children may be further involved in what
is going on inside the shul hall during tefilla. Among ideas suggested
were:
- suggesting certain times when children should sit next to parents
in shul when there is no children's activity going on. (Make sure
the message is child friendly.)
- Have children follow the Torah around when it is taken out of the
ark, carrying small Torahs, which may encourage them to stay for the
reading.
- have a children's choir perform at times like Kabbalat Shabbat, if
we fix the next week's Shilach Tzibur in advance, they can learn the
tunes and practice the previous Shabbat during the children's activities.
Finances
A report on costs was not ready in time for the meeting; it will be
discussed at the next finance committee meeting and vaad minahel
meeting and the next open meeting.
Use of Building
Outside events are being held 2 or 3 times a month, mostly to
celebrate britot mila and smachot lebanot, as the space is too small
for weddings and large bar/bat mitzvahs, although smaller bar/bat
mitzvahs work fine. Members were asked how they could help in
expanding this income generating activity
Suggestions:
- Make an arrangement with a caterer
- Publicize prices
- Ask members to promote to their friends
The general question of whether it would be unsuitable to hire out the
facilities for certain organisations was raised. It was felt that it
was not possible to establish a general policy in advance on this, and
that in the event of a problem the vaad should determine as they see
fit.
Miscellaneous
A request was made for a Yom Yerushalayim program next year,
something like Maariv and a pot luck dinner.
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