Temple Beth Elohim - News From the Board of Directors Archive 2003

December 2003
Gary Lerman, 2nd Vice-President

A Time for Reflection / A Time for Action

During this year, we continue to celebrate the remarkable achievements realized by Temple Beth Elohim during the past 50 years. However, we must consider that this actually represents the accomplishments of groups of individuals during this 50 year period. The name Temple Beth Elohim gives the group a banner under which to work toward the goals established for the good of the targeted individual or community.

I would like you to consider just some of the everyday goals and targeted individuals or communities to which I am referring.

Education of youth
Food for the hungry
Fundraising for those in need
Gifts for less fortunate children
Helping hands support for those in immediate need
Spiritual guidance for all

This represents a list of just a few ordinary everyday goals which are regularly transformed into accomplishments. Now imagine the enormity of these accomplishments over a 50 year period and how this has impacted the lives of the targeted individuals and communities affected. Just take a moment to think about this!

These achievements only happen because of the unwavering contributions made by Temple staff and membership volunteers working together as representatives of Temple Beth Elohim. These are our Temple family members working hard to pursue the long-standing goal of making the world a better place, Tikkun Olam. This is what we are and what we want our children to become!

Taking an active part in Temple life has enhanced my life socially and spiritually. Contributing some small amounts of spare time and assets has enabled me to become a better role model for my daughter and has given me a great sense of gratification. Isn't it worth some small amount of time to try for yourself and your family? Come to Friday night services or a planned social or discussion event. Contact our President or myself and ask about the committees which are the lifeblood of our Temple. Make certain that you have done your share, to the extent you feel comfortable and participate in the capital campaign to build our new building. Your participation is what makes Temple Beth Elohim a family. It is what makes us what we are and will be for the years to come.

Shalom,
Gary Lerman

As you all know, it's 5764 and we mark the 50th year of Temple Beth Elohim. That is a milestone in anyone's book

We'll celebrate throughout the year with many events sponsored by our various groups and committees and I invite you all to join in.

But the 50th year is most significant for another reason. After several years of searching we are all pleased that last year we purchased a piece of land on which to build our new home! And oh, what a piece of land it is. Those of you who joined us for the first service on our property know first hand how beautiful it is. As you stand on Mt. Ebo Road to enter our lot, the vista unfolds literally for miles.

We are a Temple family. The Rabbi has told you that. We don't auction off aliyahs and honors for High Holy Days. The Rabbi has told you that. In order to build our new home, we will all have to pitch in as a family.

I'd like to bring you up to date and tell you where we stand. We have a building design. We are actively interviewing for construction managers. We are learning that we can control our costs of construction. With what we expect to be pledged, with what our current building can sell for and with what we can do to control our costs, we are coming closer to realizing our dream of a new home for Temple Beth Elohim. But we're not there yet.

Over the last 6 months or so, we have been engaged in a capital campaign to get our members to make a monetary pledge to the building fund. We can't get to our new home if we don't have a pledge from all of our Temple family.

We were counting on an average pledge of $8,500* per member family paid over 5 years. That is average mind you. Currently 41% of our member families have pledged to the building fund. We still have a way to go.

If you have already made your pledge, I thank you, the Rabbi thanks you, the Board of Directors and your Temple family thank you.

If you have not yet made a pledge, please call me, Bruce Edleson or Rose Aglieco. They are our fund raising coordinators. We need your help. Don't wait for us to come to you. Step up to the plate! We need everyone's help. The sooner we are all on board, the sooner we will be in our new home.

Yes, the Rabbi told you we are a family. There is another thing a family does and that is pitch in with the work that makes a family thrive.

There are many committees, activities, and involvements that you can participate in at the Temple. All I ask is for you to give an hour a week of your time in some activity of the Temple. Call me and ask the question, "What can I do to help?" It will be music to my ears.

Our projects are ambitious and our needs are many. You, each individual member, can make a difference, a big difference.

As I said, standing at the entrance to our land, the view stretches for miles. This vista is like our future. The possibilities stretch out endlessly before us.

How we shape that future depends on how the members of our Temple family . . that's each and every one of you . . . make a personal claim to that future.

A year has gone by, and once again we are preparing for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

The High Holy Days are a time to reflect on the past and look to our future. What could be a more perfect time for us as a congregation beginning our 50th year to look back at where we have been, where we are today and where we are going. In September 2003 we will begin the celebration of our 50th anniversary with the first service at our new property followed by dinner and an evening celebrating the Temple's past, present and future. There will be other events during the coming year, including a concert and a gala dinner dance. This wonderful celebration will take place as we look to build our new Temple.

The past year has been very exciting; next year will be even more exciting. We now own the land that will be the site of our new home. Most of you have seen architect's sketches of the proposed building. Our dreams are becoming reality, but all of these plans do not happen in a vacuum. You have given the Board of Directors your support in purchasing the land, and we continue to need your help and your input. As you reflect on the past year and look to the future, please reexamine your commitment to our Temple. How much did you do last year? How much more can you do this year? Consider joining a committee and donating your time.

You will find that the more you get involved the more you will feel at home at Temple Beth Elohim. There are great rewards in getting involved. As we look to the future who we will become depends on you. We all need to have ownership in our new home - building our future together.

From myself and my family to you and yours, L'shana Tovah Tikatevu - May you be inscribed for a good year.

Mazal Tov to our Temple Family - We did it!!! On Thursday, June 11, 2003 we became owners of 7.25 acres of land located on Mt. Ebo Road North. Or next step will be the final design and financing of a building that will enable us to better serve the needs of our membership as well as the greater community.

From Generation to Generation
As we Celebrate 50 years. . .
Building our Future Together
Join your Temple Beth Elohim family for a nostalgic journey through 50 years of Temple history. Enjoy a Havdallah Service at the future site of the Sanctuary of our new building followed by a dinner of celebration of our past and future in the Sanctuary of our current building.
Saturday, September 13, 2003
Havdallah Service at 5:30 pm
Dinner at 7 pm
Watch for further information
Ava Saperstein and Illana Johnston, co-chairs.

For information on how to participate in our Capital Campaign please contact Rose Agleico or Bruce Edleson via e-mail.

I am pleased to inform you that after years of searching, planning and hoping, we are close to realizing our dream of a new spiritual home. By the time you read this, we will have closed on the purchase of 7.25 acres of land on Mt. Ebo Road North in Brewster. How exciting that as we prepare to celebrate the 50th anniversary of our Temple Beth Elohim, we stand on the threshold of a new time of growth.

For years we have been hoping to build an edifice where we can all worship together during the High Holydays and on Shabbat, a building where all our children and our adults could come together to learn about our traditions and our history, a place where we could offer enrichment programs and activities for the entire community.

Our aspirations for a new home are closer to becoming a reality, but we still have a long way to go before we can worship in our new sanctuary. We CAN make it happen with your help and God's blessings.

When a member of the Volunteer Development Committee contacts you, I hope your response will be positive.

On April 28, 2003, we received final site plan approval from the Planning Board of the Town of Southeast. This is what we've been working towards over the past 8 years! After searching and researching properties all over the southeast section of Putnam County, we finally have found a piece of property able to have a Synagogue built upon it. By the time you read this, we will own the property! But the task isn't over…

There are still engineering details to work out - what the experts call site work. There are still many architectural details to be determined over the coming months (not years). At High Holy Days and at parlor meetings, you've seen the sketches of the floor plans and sketches of the outside of the building, but we haven't gotten into the fine details - what is the bemah going to look like, on which walls are the blackboards going to be located in the classrooms, what type of wood will be used for the shelves in the library, etc. These questions and others will be decided by the Building Committee and Architects over the summer while the property is being prepared to receive the building. But there's more…

We still have to raise the funds to pay for the building. The banks will loan us the money while we await payment of pledges over the next five years. But they will loan us the money based not only on the amount pledged, but more importantly on the number of pledges. The Fund Raising Committee has been placed in high gear to try to reach out to all of you. We need a high percentage of you to pledge to support our new Temple. The banks need to see that the vast majority of us want this building and are willing to support it. But it's up to you…

I've personally spoken to most of you about this over the years. Many said to me, “Once we own the land I'll make a pledge.” Well the time has arrived! We own the land, 100% of your Temple Board of Directors has already pledged, we're preparing to put the shovel (backhoe/bulldozer) into the property, we are ready to tell the architects give us the construction documents, we are ready to go to the banks for short term construction loans. WE ARE READY. WE NEED YOU! When a member of the Fund Raising Committee calls, please be receptive, welcoming, and generous.

May 2003
Rose Z. Aglieco, Campaign Chair
DON'T MISS YOUR CHANCE - COME TO A PARLOR MEETING AND FIND OUT:

If you want the answers to these questions and more, or if you have questions of your own, you are invited to an informal session we are calling a “Parlor Meeting”.

Parlor Meetings are Temple Beth Elohim's “road show”, complete with building plans and site plans, with the purpose of providing members with answers to all your questions and concerns about this exciting project. Hosted by member families in their homes, the Parlor Meeting provides a chance to convene with other Temple members, enjoy coffee and goodies, and sit back to listen and learn. There is usually one presenter, a member of the Building Committee. Sometimes there is a member of the Finance Committee who can help with questions about the costs.

“I am so glad I had the chance to hear for myself what the new building is going to have. Seeing the actual drawings with a “show and tell” approach really makes it believable!”

“Thank you for having this type of forum. I feel like the new building has come from being a pipe dream to a reality.”

One frequently asked question is, “If I make a donation, can it be used for a family naming opportunity?” The answer is YES! What a wonderful way to honor the memory of a loved one or associate your family's name and legacy with a room, an area, or some part of the Temple's new home.

My thanks to the Temple members who have hosted Parlor Meetings to date: Anne and Henry Chodosh, Cynthia and Reuben Wind, Harriet Susnitzky, Hollis and Brian Wilson, Naomi and Harold Mazin, Ava Saperstein and Art Triggs, and Mary and Bruce Edleson. The Committee members who attended were Joe Greenfield, Tara Goldberg, Bruce Edleson, Jeff Heymann and Larry Hepner.

Upcoming meetings are planned at the home of Sharon and Steve Malits, Rita and Joe Rosen, and Cindy and Scott Battreall. We are eager to have Parlor Meetings in each community where our Temple members live. Please let me know if you wish to attend a meeting, or, even better, if you wish to host one.

Thank you to all who have joined me in this major undertaking. Together we will “Celebrate 50 years . . . Building Our Future Together”. A Zissen Pesach with hopes of peace for all.

Building and Capital Campaign Update - April 2003
Rose Z. Aglieco, Campaign Chair
Joe Greenfield, Building Committee Chair

We are pleased to inform you that we have all of the necessary permission from the various government agencies to build our beautiful new Temple on the 7.25 acres of land we have contracted for located on Mt. Ebo Road except from the New York City Department of Environmental Protection. Once the paperwork is received from the DEP all that is necessary to complete the transaction is to set a closing date on the property.

We have met with many synagogue members and have garnered generous interest in and support for our building campaign. Recently several campaign committees have been formed and have begun working diligently towards our goal. Our Marketing/PR Committee has met and has efficiently completed and updated a compelling and graphic Case for Support. (You will all get to read the Case for Support at the parlor meetings.) Working with all of the volunteer committees is our spiritual leader, Rabbi Acrish, without whom we could not have reached this point in our quest for a new home.

The Events/Parlor Committee has begun the task of planning and implementing informational meetings at homes in various targeted geographic locations. Detailed plans will be presented and all questions will be answered at these parlor meetings. Please respond affirmatively upon receipt of the invitations that are being sent during the next three months. Parlor meetings, as of the writing of this article, will be at the homes of Anne and Henry Chodosh, Cynthia and Ruben Wind, Janet and Joseph Mauro, Harriet Susnitzky, Hollis and Brian Wilson, Naomi and Harold Mazin, Ava Saperstein and Art Triggs, Mary and Bruce Edleson and Sharon and Steven Malits. We thank them for hosting the first round of parlor meetings. Additional parlor meetings are being planned for other geographic locations. The parlor meetings will help to ensure that our vision becomes a reality; a goal that we all share.

As we approach Temple Beth Elohim's 50th anniversary, we begin to plan for that milestone celebration. Alice Gish and Naomi Mazin are coordinating the numerous activities, and you will read more about that in my next update.

A very diverse group of professionals have augmented our Building Committee chaired by the unflappable Joe Greenfield. Members of the Building Committee include: Janet Mauro, Tara Goldberg, Jeff Heymann, Shelly Steinmetz, Marty Zubatkin, Brad Goldstein, Michael Goldstein, Jan Stark, Marla Teplensky, Larry Hepner, Ava Saperstein, Rebecca Wittenberg and Ira Allen. The new and improved building design received from the architects was unveiled at the February 26th Building Committee meeting. The committee is already hard at work implementing cost saving ideas and procedures.

The Finance Committee, guided under the leadership of committee chairman Gary Lerman, continues to keep us fiscally sound and planning for our fiscal future. An expanded Campaign Finance Committee will meet shortly after the end of the current tax season. The Solicitation Committee co-chaired by Bruce Edelson and myself continues to make appointments to encourage active participation for the future expansion of our Congregation. WE NEED YOUR PARTICIPATION. Our fund raising consultant, Richard Enslein, continues to make this a fun experience and to help us feel really good about giving on whatever level is comfortable for each individual.

If you are interested in serving on any of the aforementioned committees, please call me, or the appropriate committee chairperson.

B'Shalom,
Rose Z. Aglieco, Campaign Chair
Joe Greenfield, Building Committee Chair

We have many varied activities beginning this Spring. We hope to see you at many of them.
Please visit the Events page and our Celebrate our 50th Anniversary page for more.

Come meet with a small panel of members of the Board of Directors. We will be there to listen to any concerns, needs or suggestions you have regarding any facet of Temple life. If we can respond immediately we will, but be assured that your concern will be addressed at the next Board of Directors meeting in a discreet manner and a Board member will get back to you personally.

Please join us for a Shabbat Service and then stay and meet with members of the Board after the Oneg Shabbat. Representatives from Sisterhood, Men's Club, Religious School and other committees will also be available to answer any questions you may have about becoming a part of the Temple Beth Elohim family.

“More than Israel has kept the Shabbat, has the Shabbat kept Israel.” - February 2003
Ava Saperstein
Ritual Committee Chairperson

What is Shabbat? Shabbat is a reminder that we were freed from slavery in Egypt. A slave in ancient times did not own his body and therefore could not rest at will. Today no one owns our bodies but some of us are slaves to work and we do not own our time. Taking time back by celebrating Shabbat frees us. Shabbat can be a time of tranquility and joy.

Harold Kushner writes, “This is the paradox of the Sabbath. There is nothing holy about the day itself unless we pause to sanctify it. But when we do, we who are lacking in holiness in our own lives find that the Sabbath somehow reflects holiness back into our lives and homes. I find it miraculous that, to a world burdened by modern plagues of the tyranny of the clock and the office and by the decline of the family bond this four-thousand-year old tradition offers the best cure.”

Please join our congregation on March 7, 2003 for a spiritual journey, which can bring us closer to God, and to one another. As has become our annual tradition, Temple Beth Elohim will participate in Shabbat Across America/Canada sponsored by the National Jewish Outreach Program. The evening will begin with Shabbat Services at 6:30 P.M. followed by a Shabbat dinner. As a Temple family we will share food, song and fellowship along with Jews all across America and Canada. Together we can discover and rediscover the beauty of Shabbat.

From Rabbi Acrish - January 2003
Dear Congregants:
I am sorry to report to you the recent resignation of Rabbi Frankle as our Education Coordinator. Rabbi Frankle felt that she needed to pursue other interests at the present time. We are going to miss her and wish her good luck in her future endeavors.

From the Board - January 2003
Consecration 2002
M'Dor, L'Dor, From Generation to Generation
Janet Mauro, 1st Vice President

This year at religious school, we tried something new for Consecration. We decided that the perfect time to dedicate our newest students to the study of Torah and Tikkun Olam was at the holiday of Hanukkah, the time when we mark the rededication of the Temple after the Maccabees miraculous defeat of the Syrians. The theme of the Consecration ceremony was M'Dor, L'Dor, From Generation to Generation.

The evening was met with great anticipation. In order to prepare our new students for this ceremony, they met one Sunday morning with our “old” students, the Confirmation classes. Together they created a beautiful Chuppah that was used during the ceremony. To further demonstrate the importance of learning, our “First Generation”, our members who have been at Temple Beth Elohim from the beginning, also took part in the ceremony. They imparted both words of wisdom and welcome to these children.

As the ceremony began, the Confirmation students brought the 10 foot long Chuppah down the center aisle of the sanctuary. Then the new students entered the sanctuary and stood under the canopy and listened intently to the words of the “First Generation” and Rabbi Acrish. Their parents and the congregation also recited special prayers and blessings created by Rabbi Acrish for this day. The children then received their precious gifts: their own little Torah scrolls.

What a memorable occasion, one that is sure to become a new tradition at Temple Beth Elohim.