To contact any of our committee chairpeople, please link here and put the Committee name in the subject line.

Membership Committee: Bruce Edleson, Chairman

What is our Temple without its members? In order to remain a vital congregation, we must always add new people with new ideas to the mix. We must also meet the needs of people in all different phases of life from young singles to empty nesters. The Membership Committee is charged with facilitating growth and retention. If you are up for the challenge, please email Brenda.

Caring Committee: open

From time to time our members have emergency situations where they need assistance on a short- or long-term basis. If you can help, please complete a Volunteer Sheet which you can download here. You may contact Anne to lend a hand.

The Social Action Committee: open

We work with a child abuse prevention agency in Danbury as well as a Women's Shelter in New York. These agencies funnel requests for items needed by their clients, and we publicize these needs via the Temple newsletter, the weekly announcement and the school news. People who are able to donate needed items then contact our Social Action Chairs to arrange a time for meeting to donate the items. The items are then delivered to the agency. A van, truck or large vehicle will be helpful for delivering larger items. The Social Action Coordinator facilitates this task.

College Committee: Cindy Battreall

Our college students and young people serving our country are blessed with an active and caring committee of parents who want them to know their family at Temple Beth Elohim misses them. The committee personally contacts the parents of these young adults in order to compile a database of their school addresses. If you have not yet shared your child's mailing and email addresses with the office, please send the information to the committee so he or she will receive periodic notes and goodies from their spiritual home as well as invitations to gatherings with the Rabbi.

Judaica Shop: Denise Tredwell

You need look no further than the lobby for the most beautiful selection of Judaica in the area. Denise Tredwell manages the Gift Shop with the help of many other temple members. Denise does a wonderful job of collecting items for your gift giving, Bar/Bat Mitzvah and Judaica needs. The Shop has an inventory of beautiful and unique items. They can help with Tallit, yarmulkes, mezuzahs, and lots of other items.

We are looking for people to commit to helping out for a set number of hours once a month, twice a month, weekly, however you can do it, from September through June while school is in session. If you can work in the Judaica Shop, please contact Denise Tredwell via the Temple.

Publicity/Marketing: Tania Frey, Evelyn Jenkinson, Irene Sweet, Janet Mauro

The Publicity Committee needs your help. We have the resources and contacts to publicize information about Temple Beth Elohim and our members to our communities. If you have any suggestions or requests for publicity, please contact us.

We can advertise future events, past events, B'nei Mitzvah projects, and meetings. We arrange for a photographer and/or reporter to attend a function. If you have a picture and would like to write an article about any function, past or future, we can forward the information to the media. Let's inform those around us about all the great things that are happening at Temple Beth Elohim.

Human Resources: Michelle Gulkis

If you have any experience in Human Resources you might be just the person we need to work on the Temple's Human Resources Committee. As our Temple grows, the need for firmer policies and procedures increases.

Senior Youth Group Chairman: Larry Hepner Advisors: Denise Goldstein and Ron Stewart Junior Youth Group: open

We want to encourage our children to form friendships with each other by providing them with an opportunity to socialize and perform mitzvot together. We are fortunate to have dedicated people chairing our Junior and Senior Youth Groups. We want to encourage and nourish the friendships our children develop in Religious School by providing activities, generated by the young people, for them.

Fund Raising Committee: Nicole Franklin

Organize and coordinate Fund Raising activities for the General Fund and Building Fund. Recruit in conjunction with Rabbi and President additional members to the Fund Raising committee. Consult with Budget & Finance committee on goals. Make monthly report to Board of Directors.

Substitute Teacher Pool

As we begin the new school year, we need a roster of people who can be called with some or no notice (depending on situation.) Most often, teachers leave lesson plans for their classes. Occasionally there is an emergency when an imaginative person is needed to fill in. Please contact the Temple by phone or e-mail if you can be a substitute teacher.

Cemetery Committee: Jeff Heymann

Although we don't like to think about it, planning for the future is always a smart thing to do. Several years ago our Temple purchased several cemetery plots at The King David Memorial Gardens Jewish Cemetery in Putnam Valley, New York for use by our members. The cemetery is well cared for and the area mentioned is located on a nice hillside setting.
For information about this Temple service please us via e-mail.

Library: Eileen Mendelsohn

We have a small collection of books that are available for loan to our membership. As we move into our new building the library will be more accessible for congregants and school children. Volunteers are needed to help check out books and suggestions for titles we should own are always welcomed.