Temple Beth Israel
Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes
January 10, 2018
Members, Staff and Guests Present:
Michelle Agrest, Scott Berman, James Bernstein, Dale Cone, Jeff Dorfman, Adam Eisenberg, Jeff Fagel,Laura Ferrigno, Mark Fine,Lorri Fishman, Cindy Franklin, Steven Franklin,Karen Gray-Keeler, Adam Greenblatt, Neal Gussis, David Henry,Nir Lehrer, Helene Levine, David Levinson, Bill Levy, Morris Levy, Michael Lorge, Joanne Merritt, Cyndy Novak, Linda Perlin, Terry Rieger, Sheila Rosenfeld, Lori Sagarin, Mark Samberg, Jon Schneider, Ronda Shaykin, David Spector, Debra Spiegel, Allison Tesnar, Sharrel Titlebaum, Rabbi Michael Weinberg, Amber Wood
Members Absent:
Carol Barrington, Bill Belkov, Dan Berman, Florence Berman, James Cohn,Laura Finkel,Clarisse Irwin, Janet Jablon, Barry Lewison, Eudice Lorge, Lorence Merritt,Marc Raven,Richard Rotberg,Barbara Seaver, Mike Witt
Call to Order/Opening Prayer: Jon Schneider
Jon welcomed everyone and called the meeting to order at8:10PM.
Approval of December2017 Meeting Minutes: Debra Spiegel
Motion to approve December 2017 Board meeting minutes – so moved and seconded.
Correspondence: Debra Spiegel
Anne Richtman Kaplan sent a thank you note for the generous Hanukkah gift.
Eunice Burns sent a thank you for her generous Hanukkah gift.
The Guerin Prep Honors Senior Theology Class of 2018 sent a thank you note for their experience learning about Judaism from Rabbi and Lori.
Kathy Rabin sent a thank you for her generous Hanukkah gift.
Anne sent an email on December 21 regarding a phone call that came into TBI after Channel 7 aired the Herzl piece last night.A man called to say that he saw the story about Herzl and he wanted us to know that what we did was a beautiful thing. Anne asked him if he was a parent of a Herzl family and he said no, he just wanted to tell us that what we did was a beautiful thing.
Barbara Seaver wantedto remind everyone thatJanuary 10this the deadline for the February bulletin. By the time thismeetingis over, Barbara will be greetingThursday, the 11th.
100th Birthday Party: Cyndy Novak
Cyndy reminded everyone that on January 31st from 6-8pm, Temple Beth Israel will celebrate its 100th Birthday. Please RSVP. Dinner/dessert will be catered by Real Urban BBQ and for the Mitzvah Project, they are collecting for donations for Birthday in a Box – a philanthropy that gives a child in need everything needed to celebrate their birthday. Requests for what to bring are organized by last name, and collections should be placed in the blue box in the foyer.
Centennial Art Project: Michael Lorge
Michael explained that along with the Temple’s 100th birthday, there is an opportunity to reflect aspirational thoughts for the future of the Temple and its continuing work in the community in an art form.
In the past, aspects of congregational life were depicted in different art forms in the Sanctuary. The Ben Shahn, for example, was a donation when the congregation knew that the Temple would be moving, so they chose a portable art installation. Another artist commemorated the 75thbirthday.
Art is a part of the culture of our Temple life, so for the 100th, it should look forward and focus on our aspirations.
Michael had an idea, as he worked with Naomi Baer and others, to develop a concept for a piece of art. The background will be a flat piece and a jumble of the Hebrew alphabet, recalling the story of small child inspired by prayer, who recited the aleph bet, because although he did not know the format of the prayers, he knew God would put the letters of his heart into a meaningful prayer.
Out of the letters, words and text pieces in Hebrew, and maybe some English, will reflect our Temple’s communal and aspirational life. Michael explained that they will reach out to the Board and membership to get suggestions for the words and text.
This text will come out of a casting or another material, like metal. It will be able to explain our congregation’s values to the future generations.
Michael also reported on the Endowment Committee’s project of developing a Centennial Kiddush Cup. The stem of the cup is inspired by candlesticks made for Rabbi Lorgez”l by former inmates of a concentration camp. We plan to commission a larger scale Centennial Kiddush Cup to use on the bimah, and produce them on a smaller scale for the congregants to purchase.
Helene Levine asked what the timeline is for the project. Michael said it should be completed by June.
E-bulletin Update: Michael Lorge
The Communications Committee has worked to transform and update the website. There was also a feeling that the E-bulletin needed to evolve. Communications used to require a lot of information, but as we moved through the website creation, the E-blast began to feel like too much narrative. Since 65% of Bulletins are being read on phones, by scaling it down to a list of topics with links, congregants can move through it more quickly. It’s now clean, crisp, and easy to read. The same events are included, but now you can link to additional information. Since the changes were made, the open rate is up 12%.
Michael also asked people to spend some time on the website and with the E-bulletin. In March or April, the Communications Committee will look for feedback.
Also, the committee is encouraging people to write reviews on sites such as Google and Yelp. Alison Tesnar and Adam Greenblatt mentioned not do it all at once, or the algorithms will flag it.
Helene Levine asked if for payment through the website, we can customize the line for where it’s going. Michael explained that using PayPal, there’s no way to add in a customization. However, you can write, “This is a donation in honor of” in the information box.
Amber Wood noted that the online donations came out strong, and some people are actively using it, but it’s definitely not widespread yet.
Bill Levy suggested that payments could also go through a credit card to reduce fees.
Adam Greenblatt asked if there was a fee on the PayPal and there is.
Mark Samberg asked about how we’re managing our online image. In his experience with reviews, this is an area we need to think about and not something we can ignore.
David Henry noted that on the website, there is section titled Torah in Action. As David explained a few Board Meetings ago, a lot of the stuff we’re doing, and have done, and even things from the larger community are highlighted there. Please share any events or programs that fulfill Torah in Action with David. Using the website, he can easily share links, like Bar or Bat Mitzvah projects that need more publicity, etc.
Jon asked Lori to speak about the Herzl project. Lori expressed how proud she was to engage the congregation in this meaningful work. ABC News and the Times of Israel reported on TBI’s donations to Herzl students. David Matlow in Toronto is funding a field trip for the upper grades of TBI, Am Shalom, and Lakeside to go to Herzl on Friday, March 23 to have a guided tour of Jewish heritage of North Lawndale. There will be a catered lunch and educational program, focusing on Theodore Herzl and Martin Luther King Jr. It is the last day of school before Spring Break, but Lori hopes that parents will see what a valuable experience it will be. ABC 7 will be back to report on the students’ experience.
Endowment Campaign Update: Steve Franklin/Rabbi Weinberg
Steve Franklin shared that in the early months of Temple Beth Israel’s Fund for the Future campaign, we have received 36 leadership commitments totaling more than $520,000. Individual gifts to the endowment fund range from $100 to $72,000. Each commitment is special, and each commitment is valued.
Steve clarified the definition of a leadership commitment, which in a fundraising campaign is one that typically is early and that is made at least partially in hopes of inspiring and encouraging others. In our campaign, as we’ve heard, a leadership commitment may be of any amount. What’s important is that it comes from the heart and is meaningful to the donor.
Some of the people who are making leadership commitments have been part of the congregation for many years. We’ve seen children and grandchildren educated here, we’ve developed deep friendships here, and we’ve found the quality of our lives immeasurably enriched Jewishly and more broadly by what we have learned and come to understand here. We are proudly and appreciatively making leadership commitments that pay forward some portion of what we personally have gained here.
At the same time, many of the people making leadership commitments are younger and more recent members, often with young families and no shortage of obligations, who may even be on reduced dues. Though their capacity today may be limited, their hearts are here. In coming years, as these younger members step up, it is they who will shape and draw form the enhanced programs the endowment is intended to make possible.
Accepting that TBI’s membership is about 400 households, we can see that very generous leader commitments on the part of 10% of the congregation have already covered more than 50% of our $1,000,000 objective. With expanded participation, that $1,000,000 goal is eminently attainable.
Every person at this table is a leader, and before we can directly approach the congregation at large, it’s essential that we have participation in the campaign by every officer and every trustee. The level of your commitment is entirely up to you. If you haven’t already made your commitment, please come on board as soon as possible by speaking with a member of the Endowment Committee. Committee members include Rabbi Weinberg, Jon Schneider, Bill Levy, Gail and Jason Weiss, Wendy and Warren Arnold, Cindy Franklin, and Steve Franklin. Together we are seeking to fill that Kiddush cup hanging in the foyer, and we are very grateful for your help making it happen.
Steve thanked the Board for their commitments.
Member Services Report: Dale Cone
Dale was pleased to present three new member households:
Dorothy and Christopher Anderson
Gloria Gray-Weissman
Helena and Oren Sinai
A motion was made to accept the new members - so moved and seconded.
There are currently 396 member households.
Review of Financial Statement: Neal Gussis/David Levinson
David explained that they are in the budgeting process for the next fiscal year. They will meet on the January 24th and use the 6months of data to put together the budget for next year.
The budget is 50% through the year, and in Column G, the revenues and expenses are at 50%.
The overall picture of the month in column D shows a revenue of $132,565. He explained that it’s because of good participation in the Torah Fund, and they are hoping to still make progress on that.
David pointed to line 56, which had a negative number (-5,686), because of an expense that was reclassified related to the 100th Anniversary. The additional negative amount is due to the retreat.
On line 49, there is a revenue for $4,176, and there were two payments from T-Mobile. David explained that the amount may be for November and December, but he is looking into it further.
The Year to Date cash flow is positive - $126,354. In the School Fees, they’re still going through the billing, but will either use the computer or manual analysis to make sure that everyone was correctly billed. Some of the discrepancies might be a timing difference, since some people pay monthly, quarterly, etc.
The major difference in the budget from last year to this year is the school fees, the facilities line, because there is no tenant, and fundraising, because there was no major fundraising event due to the 100th birthday.
David Henry asked if people paid their obligations in advance, because of the new tax laws, and if we should expect a shortage in revenue if people are prepaying. Neal Gussis explained that there was about $20,000 in revenue from people who paid early.
David Spector asked if there was any fundraising and what the $5833 was from. Lorri Fishman explained that it reflects the Directory Ad Book, Big Card, and Education Fund Donations.
Neal noted that 41 families spent $1500 on the Big Card.
Amber added that when we are buying things for programs, we are buying supplies through the Big Card.
Congregational Report: Rabbi Weinberg
Mazel Tov
Lisa Wynn on the birth of her new grandson, Nathan Louis, son of Hanni Itah and Andrew Moses.
Fran and Allan Klenestky on the birth of their new grandson, son of Jody and Joshua Ehrenberg.
Hospitalizations/Get Wells
Elaine Morgan
Ina Hill
Deaths
Elmer Goldman
(Brother of Eudice Lorge)
Marjorie Goldzweig
(Sister of Phyllis Cantor)
Edward Keno
(Son of Lee Keno)
Roselin Rothman
(Mother of Judy Wenger)
Rabbi reminded everyone that Friday, January 12 at 6 pm, Shalom Shabbat will be in conjunction with PJ Library. It is a PJ party Shabbat. Also, National Executive Director of Reform Judaism, Rabbi Marla Feldman will speak at the 7:30 Service, as a part of our Centennial celebration, and at Tefillot Nashim on Saturday. Rabbi said it’s a feather in our cap and the Sisterhood’s, since it is their 100th Anniversary, as well.
On Saturday, January 13, Rabbi and Jody are going away until Monday, January 22th. They will travel to Athens, Greece and Israel with the Jewish Federation’s Rabbinic Mission.
Rabbi is going back to Israel in February, for the first 8 days of the month, for the Hartman Institute weeklong sessionThere is another session in July, February, and then graduation in summer 2019.
Unfinished Business: Jon Schneider
Sheila Rosenfeld hopes everyone comes to the Tefillot Nashim service and stays for the lunch Sisterhood is hosting. Also, Koleynu will be singing. Joanne Merritt added please come and bring your families.
New Business: Jon Schneider
Adam Eisenberg signed TBI up for the Skokie 4th of July parade. Please mark your calendar.
Acknowledgements: Jon Schneider
Jon thanked Bill Levy and Mark Samberg for the snacks.
Jeff Dorfman honored David Henry for chairing the Hanukkah dinner and service. Over 150 people attended.
Lori added that there are already over 100 people signed up for the birthday celebration on Wednesday, January 31st.
Closing Prayer/Adjournment: Jon Schneider
The closing prayer was read and the meeting was adjourned 9:15 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Debra Spiegel