As a member of the Board and the Ways and Means Committee at Temple Beth Elohim, I have been closely involved with the efforts to initiate and implement our capital campaign. At this time, when construction of the new Temple is progressing, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank every member who has made this possible by making a pledge, attending fundraising events, dedicating time and energy to planning these events and hosting parlor meetings. Due to your generosity and commitment and the continuing efforts of our many volunteers including the entire Ways and Means Committee, our capital campaign continues to move in a positive direction.

In my position, I have also received much feedback regarding the membership's reaction to the capital campaign and the seemingly endless references to the financial needs of the overall project. In response, I must point out that although many of our fellow Temple members have responded quickly and generously enabling us to move forward with the project, there remains a large contingent that has not yet responded. Our Temple leadership has directed the Ways and Means Committee to approach each member to determine their particular level of participation, if any. After all, this project is equally for the benefit of all members and each member should be given an opportunity to participate in a manner that is appropriate in relation to their individual financial ability. It is only fair that the many members who have already made a responsible pledge are secure in the knowledge that the entire congregation has participated to the extent they are financially capable.

I must point out that a lack of consideration being offered to the many volunteers involved in trying to communicate directly with members to discuss their possible participation level for the building project is a significant factor that has led to the longevity of this fundraising process and everyone's frustration. While I don't think anyone is acting inconsiderately or in any malicious manner, I would like to point out how some actions have put an undue burden on volunteers while, at the same time, a lack of financial information, makes it impossible to make final decisions regarding the interior construction and design that could eventually slow down the building process.

Committee volunteers have been calling fellow congregants to set up a personal meeting date or a time for a phone conversation regarding the member's specific pledge, time frame for payment and, perhaps, related naming opportunities that may require a discussion. This, by it's very nature, is awkward for all parties, but to make matters worse, it is almost always put off with a response like “we haven't yet decided,” “I need to discuss this with my spouse” or “we don't need to meet…I will contact you at a later date.” Often a message is left requesting a return call and no return call is made or those members who needed to speak with their spouse or haven't yet decided, do not respond. This makes for the additional burden of continually pursuing each member in this manner and since the Ways and Means Committee has been directed to get a response from every member, the process lingers.

It should be noted that we will also be contacting some members who have already participated but may not have had the opportunity to discuss their pledge with a Committee member. By not communicating with a Committee member when the pledge was made, the member may be unaware of the possible time frame during which pledges can be paid and possible naming opportunities that may be appealing to them or possibly, their relatives.

Until recently, parlor meetings had been arranged to offer an update of the project to attending members and to open the floor to questions that would enable each member to be informed about the project so that they had all the facts before making a decision about their participation, if any, in the fund raising process. Due to a lack of attendance, parlor meetings are no longer being planned but if any member should have questions regarding any aspect of the project, please call the office and a Committee member will contact you.

There are many busy members who volunteer their precious free time to service the many needs of our cherished organization. The many volunteers who previously served on the old Fundraising Committee and currently serve on the Ways and Means Committee have been involved in this process for nearly three years. The frustration has been building over this long time period primarily due to those members who refuse to address this issue directly and responsibly. It is important that you understand that you are not being asked to burden yourself or your family. If you are not able to participate because of financial limitations or some other reason, simply communicate your reason to the person who will contact you from the Committee and you will not be approached again. You are not being asked to pledge an amount in excess of what you can afford. You are simply being asked to seriously and responsibly respond to the question of your specific financial participation in the project. Just accept that call from a member of the respond to the question of your specific financial participation in the project. Just accept that call from a member of the Committee and discuss your decision, the time frame and any naming opportunities. We only ask that, when you make your decision, you remain responsible to yourself, your family and our Temple. If you do that, we can all move forward with the knowledge that each member participated to the extent they could and we could end this long tedious and awkward process.

If I may, I would like to make an additional request on behalf of myself and the entire Ways and Means Committee. Please don't be upset or anxious about this process and understand that this is the only fair way to ensure that each member has been informed and has communicated their decision regarding participation. We also ask you to be proactive and responsibly consider your pledge and contact a Committee member to discuss your participation. If you are uncomfortable speaking to a member of the Committee, please call the office and arrange to speak with Rabbi Acrish. But, please respond promptly!

I would like to take this opportunity to remind you that each and every member of Temple Beth Elohim has an ownership interest in this project. The congregation unanimously voted to purchase the land. Now, when the dream is within reach, the commitment must be shared by each member just as the facilities will be made available to each member. As stated previously, until this fundraising process is completed, we will not have the ability to make certain interior project decisions and this may delay the project. At this time we are hopeful that we can continue construction throughout the winter months and into the spring with our ultimate goal of having our new home available for the High Holidays next year. We must better define our financial capabilities as soon as possible to have any hope to maintain that optimistic timetable. Because the Temple leadership has mandated that the Committee obtain a direct response from each membership unit, the process will not be complete until each of you seriously considers your participation level and communicates with a member of the Ways and Means Committee. Only then can we all be assured that each owner has made an appropriate commitment to our new home.

B'Shalom
Gary Lerman

It's October. Summer is in our rear view. Fall is ahead. We are moving forward.

We start each fall with such hope and promise. School begins, and we see old friends again. Time spent apart rejoins with time anew. We come back to Sunday School and pick up our lessons where we stopped. We refocus on our work, having our vacations and breaks as our energy to move us into the new day. We look at the calendar, and make plans to participate in groups and events that will help to carry us through the year. Another year has dawned.

Perhaps there is good reason that we celebrate the new year in the fall with our beloved holiday of Rosh Hashanah. A new year. A good year. A new beginning. A time to give thanks. A chance to make a change; to make a difference. We'll do it better this year. We celebrate the opportunities that we envision.

We look back. We think of the things that we didn't do; of the things we didn't say; of the things that missed the mark. Yom Kippur allows us to reflect; to repent; to change. We remember what happened during the year. What our actions were; what we meant to do. What happened that we observed, or what happened that we allowed. How did we make a difference? What will we vow to do better? We look forward.

Events around us change our focus. World events either generate our passion to learn, or experience, or to help. Disaster strikes and changes all in mere moments. What did we do to make life better for others that were hurt? Did we help? It seemed so overwhelming, and yet was so far away. We gave up land in settlements in order to have peace. We lost a city in a storm. How were we moved?

We have a mission of Tikkun Olam. To heal the world. To make things better. How can we help to fulfill our mission? Agencies have established programs to get the aid to those in need. We open our hearts and help as we can. The URJ appeal for Katrina; the American Red Cross; the Salvation Army. We can help to heal the world if we but look around. We start by participating; by being involved.

How will we make a difference?

L'Shanah Tovah Tikatevu

Temple Beth Elohim hosted the Israeli Tzofim Scout Caravan on the weekend of June 3, 2005. There were 10 Scouts and 2 leaders as part of this friendship delegation. The Caravan has been coming to the United States for 30 years, bringing young Israeli Scouts to share their lives, and love of Israel. The Caravan travels 3000 miles in the 8 weeks that they are in the United States. There are 3 Caravans each year.

We started our weekend with the Scouts with a Shabbat dinner, hosted by the Temple Board of Directors, and with our invited host families. The Scouts shared our Family Shabbat Service with us, and then spent time during the Oneg Shabbat meeting our Temple families. Saturday morning, the Scouts spent time with several of our congregation, sharing their scrapbooks of their lives in Israel. Each Scout compiles a photographic scrapbook of their family, their town in Israel, and their lives in the Tzofim. After lunch, the Scouts went to the Chuang Yen Monastery in Kent to see the largest Buddha in the Western Hemisphere, and to gain an appreciation of this religion. Some of the Scouts went ice skating at the Brewster Ice Arena.

Our weekend was highlighted with a Havdalah service, then a spectacular and energetic performance by the Scouts at the Temple. They danced, they sang, and they shared their joy of their lives with us, and made the many Temple families that attended feel a little closer to Israel. The sanctuary was filled with joy and song. It was a most memorable time.

The Scouts were sent on their way Sunday morning, with tears in our eyes, as we had to part company. Many thanks to the host families of our Temple, who gave of their time and energy to schlep the Scouts from place to place, and gave them a nice break from their hectic schedule. Thank you to the Pakula's; the Levy's; the Greenfield's; the Jenkinson's; the Faulk's; and the Eppinger's for their hospitality.

*Mitnadev is the Hebrew word for volunteer

March 2005
Ava Saperstein
Ritual Committee Chair, Financial Secretary

Sing Unto God……….

I was in my car yesterday listening to the radio, tuned to a station that had an all Beatles weekend. They were playing songs I hadn't heard for many years and yet I remembered all the words. When I have days that I can't remember what I walked into a room to find, I thought, “Isn't it amazing that I remember the music?” Music is very powerful.

Many of you may have noticed that there has been more music added to the Friday night service. From ancient times to the present, music has played an important role in Jewish worship. Sacred music facilitates our prayers and our involvement in the liturgy. Sometimes words alone do not suffice and music enables us reach deeper within ourselves and to express emotions. As with the Beatle's music it touches areas of our collective memory.

Music also facilitates a feeling of community within the congregation. The addition of new music is meant to offer the congregation a way to participate more fully in worship, touching on that vital part of the soul. To assist in congregational participation, we plan on providing lyrics and transliterations for the new music introduced at services. The inclusion of dramatic and moving solo pieces is also meant to add to the spirituality of the worship experience.

At the 65th General Assembly on 12/18/1999 Rabbi Eric Yoffie said, “Music converts the ordinary into the miraculous, and individuals into a community of prayer. And music enables overly intellectual Jews to rest their minds and open their hearts. ……The music of prayer has become what it was never meant to be; a spectator sport. That is why our cantors, soloists, and choirs are working so hard to sing with us, and not for us.”

Come sing with us.

B'Shalom,
Ava Saperstein
Ritual Committee Chair
We welcome your input. Please e-mail us at ritual@templebethelohim.org.

It started out with the Rabbi's request that we ask one of our Temple members who is in the carpet business what it would cost to replace the carpet on the bimah. Lots of grape juice had fallen on that bedraggled flooring, and the Rabbi thought it would give the sanctuary a lift to replace it. Jack Lens sent someone to measure the bimah, and while the gentleman was in the building I asked him to measure my office (what a mess that carpet was!) While he was measuring, I asked him to measure the Rabbi's office too.

Shortly thereafter, the Lens family told me that they decided to donate the carpet for all three areas, and I was asked to select the carpet at Northeast Interiors in New Milford, CT. Well, having absolutely no confidence in my decorating ability, I begged Benay Lerman to accompany me on this task. Benay's ideas were so different from mine, and, being somewhat intelligent, I immediately deferred to her taste. Benay selected a deepish blue with mauvish colors running through it. However, she informed me that if we were to replace the carpet without painting the offices, the old paint job would look just awful. We could have a paint party!!

Well, the paint party never happened, but Benay picked out the paint color and Jan Stark, our House & Grounds Chair, stepped in and made arrangements for the painting. I liked his suggestions to paint the molding white and do the hall molding, too. In the meantime I put out a call to our college students to help schlep stuff out of both offices and back in. Everything had to be scheduled for when the nursery school was not in session - we needed their classroom to lock up the office stuff in.

Andrew from Northeast Interiors in New Milford, CT could not have been nicer (yes, this is a plug for their business). He had told me that he would be happy to arrange to have the carpet done at our convenience, and that is just what he did. It was hard to coordinate the taking down of the offices, the painting, the carpet installation, then the putting everything back, but it all went like clockwork. Kudos to the installers as well as to Antonio DaSilva's painting crew.

So many people helped: the entire Greenfield family, Jan and his little Starks, the Schiff kids, Logan Hepner, Jillian Mauro, Allison Lerman, Traci Sandler, Sharon Mauro, and Nick Coulter. I love these kids! They are so wonderful and willing to help. Jacob Tepp and Aaron Leibowitz also offered to help, but I couldn't get through to them - I got sick in the middle of everything. But they meant their offers, and we thank them too. And thank you to Roberta Mandel for hanging out all day while the carpet was being laid and all her help and moral support. She even took pictures to email to the Rabbi in Florida. Also special thanks to Joe Greenfield and Jan Stark for their efforts to reconnect all our technology after the project was completed. I am in such awe of all these wonderful people who make our Temple the place it is.

The next time you are in the building, I invite you for a guided tour of the Rabbi's office. He can now have meetings in his office and feel comfortable about it. Of course, the couch is a little faded, but . . .

The Survey Says…

To thank all the members of the congregation who took the time to answer the Temple survey last summer, the Board decided to share the results with everyone in the congregation.

A total of 98 congregants responded to the survey online or through the mail. Overall, the results were positive. The Rabbi received the strongest satisfaction rating, with 95% of the congregation satisfied with the Rabbi. This was followed by 92% who were satisfied with the Shabbat Service and 86% who were satisfied with the High Holy Days services. A sizable majority were satisfied with the family service (70%) but the family service was not rated as highly as the Shabbat Service.

A large majority of the congregation were satisfied with the friendliness of the congregation (77%), the board and officers of the Temple (72%), and the plans for the new building (72%).

The areas of greatest dissatisfaction were the progress that has been made on the new building (21%) and the fundraising efforts for the new building (16%). A large majority (77%) want to be informed about the progress of the new building through the Menorah.

The highest ranking reasons for being a member of Temple Beth Elohim was “giving my children a religious education” (71%). “Finding spiritual and community support for my lifecycle events” was important to 63% of the congregation and around half of the congregation (51%) indicated that attending religious services was important to them.

Aside from Sisterhood and Men's Club, a number of social activities were popular with the respondents. Over half (52%) were interested in Jewish Holiday Socials such as the Purim Ball. Over a third of the respondents were interested in a monthly Shabbat dinner at the Temple (34%) and in the Great Debates (34%). Almost a third were interested in the Book Club (29%) and the Couples Club (28%). While interest in the Book Club has fizzled out in the past, perhaps it is time to start another Book Club. All we need is someone to organize it.

Some respondents were interested in changes or enhancements to the Temple. A majority (71%) were interested in having a professional directory established through the Temple so that they could select professional services from the directory.

Over a third of respondents (36%) were interested in “having booklets that transliterate all the Hebrew prayers and songs in the service”. Almost a third of the respondents were interested in having vegetarian or fish items at Temple dinners (29%) and having Yizkor services in the evening (27%). The Board and the Rabbi have heard these suggestions and will try to accommodate them when possible, including those changes that were only of interest to a minority of the respondents.

The congregants who responded to the survey seem to be fairly representative of the congregation as a whole. 34% of respondents have been members for less than 5 years. All age ranges were represented, but the majority of respondents (66%) were between 36 and 55 years old. The majority (64%) live 20 minutes or less from the Temple and the respondents came from a variety of religious backgrounds. 40% of the respondents only attend services occasionally or less.

We hope to conduct another survey at a future date. The Board is aware that surveys need to include the right questions to be of value. Please forward any suggestions that you have for the next survey to me. I hope that next time we have an even greater number of respondents.

Shalom,
Linda