How Do We Match Up Your Desire to Help with the Temple’s Need for Your Help?
by Nan Coulter
Temple Administrator

A few months ago I was meeting with a prospective member who was seriously considering leaving her current Temple and joining ours. "I offered to help, and they never called me or asked me. I have the time to give." I told her that if she decided to join our Temple I could guarantee that she would be called upon to help. I could see that she was hurt and understandably so. The conversation made me think about whether I’ve ever let someone down in that way. If so, I hereby apologize. Not to make excuses, but sometimes people approach me in the hallway on a Sunday morning or, even worse, at Friday night services and tell me something or make a request. They don’t realize that if I can’t write something down, there’s a fair chance that I won’t remember it! Well, I’m not such a kid anymore, and the old memory ain’t what it used to be.

Time and again people who have gotten involved say that they are enjoying their membership so much more. We need so much help at the Temple, that it is a terrible shame if you offer and we don’t take you up on it. Did you know that Illana Johnston is our official Volunteer Coordinator? If a committee needs more people power, the chair should contact Illana, and it is her job to try to find people to join the committee. How does she know what you want to do? Well, you can email her, or you can fill out the form by following this link. Illana will then have it handy for when there is a job that needs you. And committee chairs, please keep this little service in mind, too.

Well to get back to the story begun in the first paragraph of this little essay, the family met with Rabbi Acrish and decided to join our Temple. The woman’s skills are in an area where we desperately need help - marketing and publicizing our banquet hall, classrooms and general use of the building. She is now actively involved and seems to be enjoying it. She was thrown right into a very active committee and has bonded with lots of people already.

This kind of involvement is what we want for you. Please, if we ignored your offer to help, give us another chance. Fill out the volunteer profile form on the next page or take the survey on our website. Send me an email or phone to talk about it (845 279-4585 option 3). If you give me another chance, I promise to take you up on your offer asap if at all possible! Or, you can email our President, Gary Lerman.