Tifereth Israel Congregation

Presidentially Speaking

By Susan Catler

 

I Need Your Help – Join a Committee

 

I thank the Congregation for giving me the opportunity to serve as President.  And I thank my predecessor, Howard Gleckman, and the outgoing Board, for tackling and completing so many important projects for the Synagogue.  In the last two years the Ark has been renovated, the kitchen rebuilt, the governance structure revamped and a Lifelong Learning Taskforce has produced a report to implement.

 

Because of these accomplishments, in the coming year we can focus on people and membership – serving our current members and those we would like to attract. I hope that we will view and review all of our activities as opportunities to reach out to potential members AND to reach in to satisfy the needs and desires of our current members.

 

I need your help.  Our new governance structure depends on active committees and subcommittees.  The new, smaller Board will focus on strategic planning while committees run and oversee the plethora of programs at TI.  To make this work I need you to volunteer for at least one committee or subcommittee.

 

The following is a partial list of committees and subcommittees that are seeking new members.  Please look over the list and e-mail me at TIPresident@tifereth-israel.org  to volunteer and with your questions.  I will then match new volunteers with committees.  The sooner we get volunteers, especially for new committees, the sooner we can get to work!

 

 

Communications has three subcommittees:  The Menorah, which produces our monthly magazine; the Electronic Media Subcommittee, which works on updating and improving our website and other electronic methods of communication; and the Public Relations Subcommittee, which generates publicity about TI programs and activities both within the Congregation and in the larger communities.

 

Development has three subcommittees.  One is responsible for planning and running our regular Fundraising Events, including the Annual Appeal and the Spring Fling.  The second focuses on Development of new sources of funds for the Congregation.  The third, the Kitchen Fundraising Committee, will disband as soon as we retire the remaining debt from the Kitchen renovation.

 

The Finance Committee is seeking two to three additional members.  It prepares the annual budget for the TI Board, reviews the synagogue’s financial performance and forecasts monthly, develops proposals for midyear budget corrections, reports on finances to the Board periodically and reviews and presents the annual audit to the Board.

 

The Governance Committee is brand new, so it will be developing its role in the coming months.  Among other things it will review the functioning of the Board and other committees and recommend improvements.

 

The House Committee plans, implements and coordinates maintenance of TI’s physical plant and grounds, and short- and long-term capital improvements.  It also fixes things, working with the TI staff, other committees and the Building Preservation Fund Trustees.  Committee members will help set priorities, learn how TI’s building works and may get to use tools.

 

Lifelong Learning covers education and programming for children, youth, families and adults.  It has several subcommittees and a task force seeking members:

 

The Adult Education and Programming Subcommittee plans and coordinates TI’s educational  programs for adults

 

The School Subcommittee focuses on the Himmelfarb Religious School and the Chai School. Parents of current students are especially encouraged to join.

 

The Shabbat Morning Subcommittee works with the staff to make TI’s Shabbat morning children’s programming stronger and more participatory and engaging.

 

The Early Childhood Subcommittee covers educational and programming activities for our youngest members.

 

The Youth Groups Subcommittee works with the staff to improve TI youth programs.

 

Finally, a Curriculum Revision Task Force is forming. Including the Director of Lifelong Learning,  Rabbi, members, parents and teachers,  it will produce a revised curriculum for the Himmelfarb School .

 

The Membership Committee is the friendly, welcoming face of TI, helping prospective members feel welcome and integrating new and not so new members into the T.I. community so they will feel comfortable and become more active.   It is seeking new  ideas and  volunteers to welcome potential and new members, plan programs, and make telephone calls.

 

For the first time the Recording Secretary will have a committee whose members will help design and implement an official archives.   The Committee will integrate additional material  into what  already exists and  help develop an automated and searchable "system" for storing board minutes and actions.

 

The Ritual Committee always welcomes congregants to its meetings concerning religious matters at Tifereth Israel.

 

The Social Action Committee sponsors a great variety of projects and programs.  Its members help run new and ongoing activities.

 

The Gemilut Chesed Committee helps TI members who are injured, elderly, and new parents, providing meals and  transportation to appointments and doing errands.  Volunteers coordinate requests and offers of assistance.

 

The Environmental Committee is focused on "greening" TI's infrastructure and member practices.  It sponsors a CSA (Consumer Supported Agriculture), “green” Shabbatot, speakers, movies and discussions, and recommends environmental improvements in the way TI does things.

 

Our pioneering Funeral Practices Committee helps members cope with the emotional and financial burdens resulting from the death of a loved one.  Under a low-cost contract with a local funeral home, the committee   makes funeral arrangements for the bereaved, assists at the funeral service, and arranges Shiva minyanim .  

 

The Israel Activities Committee is very informal, but very active.  It focuses on cultural programming related to Israel, not political issues.  It sponsors Israeli dance nights, periodic Cafe Israel movie nights and a monthly "Dovrei Ivrit" table at Kiddush for people to practice Hebrew.  More participation is ABSOLUTELY welcome!