BETH EL CONGREGATION, INC.

CONSTITUTION

ARTICLE I

NAME

The name of this Congregation shall be "BETH EL CONGREGATION, INC."

ARTICLE II

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this Congregation shall be to establish and maintain a Synagogue with such educational, religious, social and recreational activities as will help further the cause and goals of traditional Judaism.

ARTICLE III

AFFILIATION

This Congregation shall be affiliated with the United Synagogue of America. The affiliation of this Congregation with any organization may be changed at any time by a majority vote of the Congregation present at a meeting called for this purpose. Notice of this meeting shall be given in accordance with Article XV.

ARTICLE IV

MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Any person of the Jewish faith, eighteen (18) years of age or older, of good moral character, shall be eligible for membership.

Section 2. There shall be four types of memberships;

  1. Family Membership. Such membership shall be extended to married couples regardless of age and shall entitle husbands and wives to all membership privileges except as hereinafter modified. Each couple shall be entitled to only one vote. Such membership shall also include all single, dependent children of said couple who reside in their household. Any requests for additional inclusions in a family membership shall be left to the discretion of the Board of Trustees. A family membership shall also be extended to single parents with dependent children who reside in their household.
  1. Individual Membership. Such membership shall be extended to unmarried persons or persons living alone.
  1. Non-resident Membership. Such membership shall be extended to those persons who were members in good standing before leaving the community.
  1. Mixed-Marriage Membership. In cases of mixed marriages, the Jewish spouse is entitled to membership with voting privileges. Any children of the marriage shall be entitled to all educational privileges of Family Membership. The Jewish members of the family shall be entitled to cemetery privileges upon the Written consent of the Non-Jewish spouse. Religious privileges shall be granted in accordance with Jewish Law. The dissolution of such a marriage by death or divorce shall not affect rights otherwise assertable under this subsection.

Section 3. Applications for membership shall be made to the Membership Committee in writing. The Membership Committee shall report on each application to the Board of Trustees for appropriate action.

Section 4. A majority vote of the members present at a regular or special meeting of the Board of Trustees shall be required to elect an applicant to membership.

Section 5. The Board of Trustees shall prescribe such rules and regulations governing the expulsion or suspension of members as it may deem advisable on condition, however, that no member shall be suspended or expelled unless by a two-thirds vote of the Board of Trustee members present at a regular or special meeting and that notice of an adverse decision be promptly sent to the affected member by certified mail.

ARTICLE V

DUES

All members shall pay such dues as shall be determined from time to time by the Board of Trustees.

ARTICLE VI

PRIVILEGES OF MEMBERSHIP

Members in good standing shall enjoy the following privileges:

  1. To attend all meetings of the Congregation and the Board of Trustees.
  2. To have a voice and a vote at all Congregational meetings.
  3. To participate in divine worship and all religious services in the Synagogue, subject to rules and regulations that may be established by the Board of Trustees.
  4. To enroll their children in the schools of the Congregation, subject to rules and regulations that may be established by the Board of Trustees.
  5. To have cemetery privileges, subject to Jewish law and the traditions of the cemetery.
  6. To hold office and to serve on committees in the Congregation.
  7. To participate in any social event or program sponsored by the Congregation, subject to rules and regulations that may be established by the Board of Trustees.
  8. To receive the professional services of the Rabbi and the Chevra Kadisha, subject to rules and regulations that may be established by the Board of Trustees.

ARTICLE VII

MEETINGS

Section l. The annual meeting of the Congregation shall be held on the first Thursday of May of each year. In cases of conflict with religious holidays or other major occasions, the president shall have the right to call said meeting at a date within two weeks of the annual meeting date. Notice of the annual meeting shall be given by the Corresponding Secretary of the Congregation in writing, by mail, to all members of the Congregation, in accordance with Article XV.

Section 2. Special meetings of the Congregation may be called by the President whenever, in his discretion, he deems it necessary, and must be called by him at the written request of fifteen (15) members of the Congregation in good standing, or of five (5) members of the Board of Trustees. Said request shall state the reason for and the purpose of the meeting. In the event that the President falls to issue a call for the special meeting within five (5) days after being requested to do so, any other officer may issue such call. No business shall be transacted at a special meeting except for the purpose stated in the call. Notice of such special meeting shall be given by the Corresponding Secretary of the Congregation in accordance with Article XV.

Section 3. At all meetings of the Congregation. regular and special, a quorum to decide any motion on the floor, except a motion to adjourn, shall consist of twenty-five percent (25%) of voting members of the Congregation. A lesser number may adjourn the meeting to some future time, not less than six (6) days nor more than twenty (20) days from the date thereof, and the Corresponding Secretary shall thereupon give at least three (3) days notice of such adjourned meeting to all members of the Congregation in accordance with Article XV.

Section 4. Voting. No vote by proxy shall be allowed at any meeting of the Congregation. A family membership is entitled to one vote. In the event both husband and wife are present, and so wish, the vote may be split into halves, with each casting one-half vote.

Section 5. All elections for the Board of Trustees shall be by full ballot only. Those ballots containing more or less than the number of names of those vacancies available shall not be counted.

ARTICLE VIII

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Section 1. The management and administration of the affairs of the Congregation shall be vested in a Board of Trustees of twelve (12) members in addition to the officers and the specially designated organizational representatives. Each Trustee shall be elected for a term of two (2) years, with terms overlapping in such a manner that each year the term of office of six (6) members shall expire. The election of the members of the Board of Trustees shall take place at the annual meeting of the Congregation.

Section 2. Additional members of the Board of Trustees with voting rights shall consist of the following:

  1. All duly elected officers of the Congregation.
  2. One representative designated annually by the Chevra Kadisha.
  3. One representative designated annually by the Beth El Sisterhood.

Section 3. The immediate Past President and all honorary officers elected by the Congregation shall be ex-officio members of the Board of Trustees with voting rights, The Rabbi shall be an ex-officio member of the Board of Trustees without voting rights.

Section 4. The Board of Trustees shall be charged with and assume control of all of the property of the Congregation; shall designate the bank or banks wherein the funds of the Congregation shall be deposited; shall be responsible for all expenditures; shall invest the funds of the Congregation in a reasonable and prudent manner; and shall have the power to amend the budget.

Section 5. The Board of Trustees shall make such rules and regulations, consistent with this Constitution, as it deems advisable for the proper conduct of its meetings and for the furtherance of the general purposes of this Congregation.

Section 6. The Board of Trustees shall meet on the last Wednesday of each month, except during the month of July, or on such a day as the President may determine. A quorum thereat shall be ten (10) voting members. No matter may be decided upon by the Board of Trustees except by a majority vote of the members present.

Section 7. Special meetings of the Board of Trustees may be called by the President at his discretion, and must be called by him at the written request of three (3) members of the Board. Said request shall state the reason for and the purpose of the meeting. In the event that the President falls to issue a call for a special meeting within live (5) days after being requested to do so, any three members of the Board of Trustees may issue such call.

Section 8. In the event of the death or resignation of a member of the Board of Trustees, a successor shall be elected by the Board within sixty (60) days to fill the office for the unexpired term.

Section 9. No vote by proxy shall be allowed at any meeting of the Board of Trustees.

Section 10. The actions of the Board of Trustees may be reviewed by the Congregation at any general meeting or at any special meeting called for that purpose.

ARTICLE IX

OFFICERS

Section 1. The officers of the Congregation shall be elected at the annual meeting of the Congregation and shall consist of the following:

  1. President
  2. Two Vice Presidents
  3. Recording Secretary
  4. Corresponding Secretary
  5. Financial Secretary
  6. Treasurer

Section 2. It shall be the function of the President to preside at all meetings of the Congregation and of the Board of Trustees, of which he shall be the chairman; to call all the meetings of the Congregation and of the Board of Trustees; to sign all agreements, contracts, deeds, and other documents for the Congregation pursuant to appropriate resolutions by the Congregation or the Board of Trustees; and to appoint all committees. He shall be an ex-officio member of all such committees without the right to vote.

Section 3. The Vice Presidents shall assist the President in the discharge of his duties as they may be called upon by the President. At the first regular meeting of the Board Of Trustees after the election of officers each year, the Board shall designate, by motion the order in which the two Vice Presidents shall issue the duties of the President in case of his absence, resignation, death, or disability.

Section 4. The Recording Secretary shall keep an accurate record of all the proceedings of the Congregation and of the Board of Trustees. He shall be custodian of the official copy of the Constitution and by-laws and shall be responsible for keeping them current.

Section 5. The Corresponding Secretary shall carry on all correspondence of the Congregation and of the Board of Trustees. He shall maintain and distribute, to all members by November 1st of every year, a current list of all members, their dependent children and their ages, and their addresses and the phone numbers.

Section 6. The Financial Secretary shall assist the Treasurer in preparing and mailing statements and in collecting dues and cemetery fees, He shall furnish the Treasurer with all the names of all persons who have become members of the Congregation.

Section 7. The Treasurer shall keep an accurate and correct record of the receipts and expenditures of the Congregation and of the accounts between the Congregation, its members and others, which records shall at all times be open for inspection by the Finance Committee; notify all members of the Congregation of their indebtedness to it; and receive all monies which shall, from time to time, be payable to the Congregation, giving his receipt therefor, and cause the same to be deposited or invested in the name of the Congregation as directed by Board of Trustees. He shall present to the Board of Trustees for approval all obligations prior to their payment, except as directed otherwise by the Board of Trustees, and such payments shall be made only by check. He shall render a written report of the finances of the Congregation, on a form approved by the Board of Trustees at all meetings of the Board, at the annual meeting of the Congregation, at such other meetings or occasions as he may be directed to do so by the Congregation or by the Board of Trustees. Said reports shall be affixed to the minutes of the meeting at which they are presented. All financial books and records of the Congregation shall be audited annually by such person or persons as may be selected by the Board of Trustees.

Section 8. The following designated officers shall be empowered to sign checks in behalf of the Congregation in payment of authorized and approved obligations of the Congregation, as referred to in Section 7 above:

President or Treasurer

Section 9. Officers shall be elected for terms of one year. The President will not be eligible for election to more than three consecutive terms.

Section 10. In the event of the death, resignation or incapacity of any officer, other than the President, a successor shall be elected within sixty (60) days by the Board of Trustees to fill the vacancy for the unexpired term.

ARTICLE X

PULPIT

Section 1. The Rabbi, Cantor or any other religious functionary, serving for more than six months, shall be elected by the Congregation at its annual or at a special meeting called for that purpose after considering the recommendation of the Board of Trustees.