This time it will be different. We promise.
In fact, we’ve already begun the process and made strides…but now we need your guidance and input on Sunday morning, January 8, through two different sessions. They will be interesting and fun (and we will have food, of course). We need you there.
Consider these facts:
• Temple Beth El will be 70 years old in 2013. It’s time to stop and look at where we are and where we are going.
• We have a brand new building. As part of that building process, we did a lot of excellent planning and research. We need to put that work into a document that will guide us;
• We have access to a grant from the Federation to help us do this plan. Through them, we have engaged The Lee Institute, the premier strategic planning agency for non-profits in Charlotte;
• Other agencies on Shalom Park are doing the same thing with The Lee Institute, so together, we will have the collective wisdom to call upon;
• And, the Union for Reform Judaism, our parent organization, is lending us their top strategic planner for our effort…so we are also getting the wisdom and guidance of the Reform Movement.
We are calling this planning initiative “Chazon Beth El – The Vision for Beth El” to anticipate the Temple’s needs and ensure its future. “Chazon” is the Hebrew word for vision.
We are not just going through the motions. This is real and very important. With the opening of the new building and the expansion of our community, we have accomplished a great deal in the recent past, but we cannot take for granted our future. A blueprint will ensure we are doing the right things in terms of membership, leadership, programming, infrastructure, and financial resources. This also won’t be the last time you hear from us. We will keep you updated on our progress, and recommendations will be presented at the Annual Meeting in May 2012, months, not years, from now.

We’ve assembled a talented team to work on the strategic planning effort, but they cannot do it alone. Congregational input and opinions are critical to building our future together. The next step occurs on January 8th with multiple, simultaneous focus groups facilitated by the Lee Institute, board members, and planning committee members. Please attend and help shape our dreams. Click here and register to let us know which session you can attend.

You are an integral part of this warm and welcoming congregation. Thank you for your continuing support of your Temple home; your generosity and commitment ensure our ability to serve the congregation with outstanding clergy, diverse programs and services, and so much more. As you review your year, we are doing the same.

With the halfway point of our fiscal year fast approaching, we are writing with an update on the state of Temple’s financial affairs, and to ask for your help.

Income to date from annual membership pledges is $1.34 million or 92% of the budgeted goal. Although not unusual to have uncollected pledges going into the end of the calendar year, a deficit of 8%, representing $122,000, is troubling. The shortfall also reflects some congregants making smaller commitments than in previous years, no doubt a reaction to their struggles with the ongoing troubled economy.

There has been incremental progress in addressing the challenge of those who make no membership commitment or pay below the expected amount, currently estimated at near half of the congregation. Now in its second year, Temple policy is for staff to screen each abatement request and refer congregants to Jewish Family Services for a confidential consultation where appropriate.

On the positive note, income from religious school tuition and High Holiday Days ticket sales have already met or exceeded budgeted amount, and facility rentals are on track to meet or exceed projections.

Temple is holding the line on expenses with two major exceptions. The first High Holy Days season in the new building was a tremendous success with virtually no logistical hitches and minimal complaints. However, there were unanticipated expenses such as extra security and transportation needs that, while well received and appreciated, put us $25,000 over budget. Most of that budgeting was not under our control. We also continue to wrestle with pegging precise utility and other costs to operate the new building. Estimates are good and experience will be our final guide.

In summary, Temple is in generally solid financial shape but faces a significant projected deficit if current revenue trends continue. The major fundraiser of the year, Casino Night which will take place in March 2012, will help, but by itself will not be enough. If you are able, please consider making an additional, tax-deductible contribution to Temple to help us bridge the gap before December 31 or after. We believe our High Holidays investments were the right answers. We also hope that pledge income will begin to right itself as the year continues. But we do not want to be caught short.

As Hanukkah and the secular New Year begin, we ask your help and your generosity. As always, we welcome your questions or comments. Thank you for your continued support.

And it is my absolute joy and privilege to be the President who welcomes each and every one of you home to our own Sanctuary for the holidays!

It’s also my privilege to thank those who are making these Days of Awe sacred and special:
- The Temple Beth El staff and Clergy
- Our lay leadership team, especially the Board of Directors and Jonathan Howard
- Our volunteers
- Incredible ushers
- All of our musicians, choir director and soloist Dr. John Blizzard, Bill Ward (organ sounds great!)
Thank you to all! Your hard work is making these holidays special.

I want to use our time together to tell you how far we have come, look at our shared vision for the future, the State of Temple Beth El, our finances and ways you can help and get involved.

We passed a balanced budget. It is aggressive and challenging, but it has new stress on it, with the unexpected costs of executing the High Holiday services here. As a team, we are committed to do what it takes to meet it.

I want to remind you that during the renovation, we built for flexibility. We never planned to build for the High Holidays. Building to accommodate the entire congregation for 4 days would have been impractical at best; irresponsible at worst.

We built for the other 361 days…and have an outstanding plan for using our flexible space to accommodate our congregation for the High Holidays. I’m pleased with this plan, and hope you are, too.

Here’s a snapshot of Temple Beth El:
- 1,160 families…about 34-hundred people.
- Welcomed about 62 new families since June…that’s a net gain of 72 since last year…but we don’t expect skyrocketing growth.
- Religious School: 480 students…up 10 from last year.
- Charlotte Jewish Preschool is finally a standalone 501(c) 3 and going strong
- We have the largest Confirmation class in Temple Beth El history with 30 students
- Youth programs are robust
– 65 will become Bar or Bat Mitzvah this year

THAT’S when we see this building work as it should. We often see 2 Kiddush luncheons or B’Nei Mitzvah parties going on at the same time. We are marketing the space and producing income.

- 80 Madrachim…teen tutors who stay connected, post B’nei mitzvah.
- More than 200 in our youth groups (70 more than last year)
- 20′s and 30′s through Next DOR.
– Their Facebook group has 177 members and their Vodka Latkes Chanukah Party drew more than 100, so it’s a vibrant group…that knows how to party.
- We have 360 Senior families or individuals…close to half belong to “SPICE”.
- Awesome Tot Shabbat program learning that coming to Temple is fun!

Temple Beth El cares about our community…here are just a few headlines:
- 465 participated in Mitzvah Day 2011
- We led the creation of the Shalom Park Freedom School
- We will host this year’s Interfaith Thanksgiving Day Service
- Judy took same-sex couples to Washington, DC for weddings

And so many more. Our values are reflected in all this vibrant congregation does. We have fun, we laugh, we care and we keep people connected across all age ranges. That rocks.

This year, we will capture all of that with a 3-year Strategic Plan. It is supported through Federation, URJ and the Lee Institute. I will call on many of you for input. By Spring, we will have a road map and framework for future budgeting, staffing and programs.

We are also looking ahead to our 70th Anniversary in 2013. We are planning to observe this milestone in a number of ways…including:
- Community-wide celebrations to focus on history
- Creation of a robust endowment campaign to secure our future
More on that later in the year.

Last year, I asked your help in a few targeted areas. Let me tell you a story about how you responded.

Sara took a call this year, before the Confirmation class trip to Washington. A congregant told Sara she had been blessed and wanted to do something specific for a family who was in need. Sara said one family couldn’t afford the trip to Washington and would the donor consider a scholarship so that the teen could be with her class and have that Jewish experience.

Done.

Mom was moved by the kindness and wrote a lovely thank-you note…delivered by Sara, anonymously. Came Hanukah and the congregant donor decided she wanted to help that same family again, so she sent a check of “gelt”, through Sara, as another anonymous gift.

Mom said…oh no, it’s too much kindness. We’re OK…I know there are others who need help more than we do. Please give to them.

So Sara paid the kindness forward and another family benefitted. These are the kind of congregants we have. This is the result of personal gifts and personal philanthropy.

You can:
- send a child on a confirmation trip who can’t afford it
- pay for a scholarship to provide a child with a Jewish education from preschool through high school
- help finish the repair and restoration of our precious Torahs
- You can even help offset HHD expenses with the help of a matching grant from lifetime President Norm Levin…thank you Norm…

It’s all important and all here. If you are so moved – you help create a richer experience for your fellow congregants.

I am SO proud to be President of Temple Beth El. This Congregation leads the way in so many areas. We are thought leaders in the Reform movement. We lead the way in Music and Worship innovation. We are leaders in the region, the Charlotte community and here in Shalom Park. This is a vibrant, growing and engaged congregation led by incredible Clergy and staff.

I value your thoughts and your commitment, at whatever level you make it. Commitment brings enrichment, I promise. Join me for this continuing journey. Leave your comments here of send a private message to moiraqklein@aol.com. L’ Shana Tova. May your year be a sweet one.

While we are saddened to have lost Rabbi Micah and his family to his own congregation in Canada, we are overjoyed to welcome Rabbi Jonathan Freirich, his wife (and ketubah artist) Ginny and son Jude. We have also welcomed home Cantor Mary Thomas on a part-time basis. Mary, her husband Matt and daughter Johannah are now settled in. Our Clergy team and staff are strong, diverse and dedicated.

Our programs have never been better. Mitzvah Day was wildly successful. We are breaking ground nationally by creating the first Jewish Freedom School with a coalition of eight Jewish entities. And this Spring, we hosted the largest Kallah in the history of our region in NFTY. More than 250 teens came to Temple Beth El for a weekend to learn, to laugh, to pray and to play. It was a blessing. We are continually welcoming new members. This Temple is healthy and strong.

And believe it or not, we have another Simcha in our near future: in 2013, we’ll celebrate our 70th Anniversary. More coming on that soon.

While we celebrate our accomplishments and milestones, we still have a few miles to go to finish our journey. There are still some items to be completed in the new building and those are on the list. We are still working on the Capital Campaign Endowment; many thanks to all who are investing in the long-term future and stability of Temple Beth El. We need everyone to stay with us on this journey.

The greatest joy from our renovation this year will be that we’ll be celebrating the High Holidays in our Temple home. It has been years since we have been able to congregate in our sanctuary for the Holidays. But that joy means we will have to be both adaptable and disciplined. We will spilt our congregation evenly to accommodate our numbers, for both morning and evening services. Please pay special attention to those instructions as you sign up for the services. There are not enough parking spaces at Temple and Shalom Park for all of us (including Temple Israel)…although all will be accommodated with remote parking and shuttle buses. Take note…those who renew their Temple pledges at the higher “Sustainer” levels in their categories will have first choice for the coveted reserved parking spaces for the High Holiday services.

Also, please note one other new item on your pledge form. This year, we are trying a new approach for Brotherhood and Women of Reform Judaism (Sisterhood). The membership dues are listed in your renewal. You have the choice to “opt out” of membership if you like. Both organizations are vital to the support of our religious school, teen programs, and the overall vitality of this Temple. I hope you will stay members of both organizations.

Last year, I talked about K’hilah K’doshah, or holy community. We continue to aspire to this goal. Integral to this process are congregants, each of whom has a covenantal relationship with Temple that comprises an ongoing, mutual commitment to every other member of our community as well as to the community as a whole. The Temple has a responsibility to support and care for the congregation; and the congregation also has a responsibility to support and care for the Temple.

As has become our practice, membership dues will increase in all categories to cover higher operational costs from inflation and other factors. Our annual budget is $2.3 million dollars this year. Approximately 65% of that comes from membership dues. That is lower than the average Reform congregation of our size. Also, our operating expenses and dues are comparable to or lower than other Reform congregations of our size.

However, as this fiscal year begins, we continue to face difficult realities. Nearly half of Temple Beth El’s 1,100 congregant families annually pledge less than the designated amount for their membership category, resulting in more than $500,000 in lost revenue for the Temple last year. There are always those in the congregation who are under distress and cannot fully meet their financial obligations. Even though the economy is beginning to turn around, this continues to be…and will always be…a reality and one we understand. We welcome all, regardless of ability to meet their financial commitment.

However, our board has the responsibility to address this ongoing shortfall that challenges our congregation’s long-term wellbeing. We pledge to you to do the following:

1. Make sure the 2011/2012 budget is as lean as possible. Temple staff, the board and finance committee have spent countless hours finding ways to trim. The budget is balanced.

2. Continue the graduated dues structure for those age 32 and under. We realize young people who are beginning families and careers cannot afford full dues. This dues rate structure helps remove this obstacle and encourage them become full members of the congregation. It has been well received.

3. Offer Budget 101 Sessions this summer. We want all to understand how the budget of this Temple works and how our resources are invested in programs and the future of our Jewish families. Sessions were well attended in June; another session will be offered after HHD’s.

4. Ask those who can to meet their full financial responsibilities to do so. This commitment is critical to the covenantal relationship each of us has to help Temple meet its ongoing operational needs. We thank you for doing so.

5. Work closely with those in need. With the help of Jewish Family Services (JFS), we will expand this process for screening requests for abatements on annual membership pledges, religious school registration or bar/bat mitzvah fees. If you need financial relief of any kind, we will ask you to provide an explanation and may ask you to meet with a JFS counselor. The process will be discreet, professional and highly confidential. Please talk to us about this. We want this process to streamline the road to membership.

Your leadership team at Temple Beth El is working hard to make sure this remains a warm and welcoming place. We believe that each person is created B’tzelem Elohim, in the image of God; to be treated with respect and understanding; and capable of making a unique contribution to the whole. We need your engagement as a congregant and volunteer.

If you have any questions or comments about anything in this post or otherwise, please contact me or our Executive Director, Sara Schreibman. On behalf of the entire Board of Directors, thank you for your continued support and the privilege of serving your family’s spiritual and religious needs.

Sincerely,
Moira Quinn Klein
President

Last summer, we began the process of redesigning our logo by soliciting from the leadership reflections on the qualities, strengths and personality of our congregational community. Over the coming months, you will see our logo more and more as it is rolled out on the printed and digital materials of our congregation along with being placed on signage.

At an event last Thursday, Rabbi Schindler captured well the meaning behind our Beth El logo. Here are her words:

“There is no place like home. There is no place like our home. Our Beth El building exceeds the expectations of everyone who enters. It is clearly a place that none of us could have built alone. We needed one another to achieve this goal. We needed all of you.

This home of ours exemplifies the three homes a synagogue is meant to be. We are a Beit Knesset – a house of gathering as we have awe-filled and outstanding gathering spaces that have already been filled with celebrations. We are a Beit Midrash – a house of study. Already we have had an abundance of Bnei Mitzvah students and adult learners engaged in study in conversion classes, in Torah study, and in Intro to Judaism classes. Our Beth El University will begin next week. We are a Beit Tefillah – a house of prayer with spectacular sacred space. We have arks with stained glass that inspire and sacred spaces that in three weeks time have already been filled with passionate prayer, thoughtful preaching, and the music of choirs: adult choirs, youth choirs, and the choir of Johnson C. Smith University for MLK Shabbat. Our building connects us to our home of Israel as three shipments from Jerusalem brought over our magnificent stone.

May Beth El always be our bayit, our home to which we are drawn… in good times, in hard times, in all time.”

As always, Rabbi Schindler has captured the spirit and the reasons behind our new look and new logo. It represents the best of who and what we are at Temple Beth El. I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

Our intent was to create a weekend that embraces the entire community, speaks to different parts of our congregation, offers multiple opportunities for everyone to attend at least one major celebration that is absolutely free…and provides one major fundraising opportunity for the Temple. We hope everyone will join us Friday night as we celebrate on Shabbat with worship, song and a spectacular Oneg Shabbat. This is our chance to be together as one community and one congregation, to rejoice with the greater community as well. It is our central celebration.

While we would never want any Beth El member to feel excluded, we must have a fundraiser to remain good stewards of our Temple and we hope as many of you as possible will come. The party will be spectacular and the need for our Temple is great. So, here is the roundup of the weekend activities, and the thought behind each:

1. Friday is the primary celebration. It is Shabbat with a “Grand Oneg Shabbat” as a major party! It is open to all. It is free. Our service will include former clergy, current members, benefactors, clergy from our partner Christian and Islamic congregations in Charlotte and VIP’s from the community. This Shabbat evening will be the centerpiece of our Dedication Weekend.
2. Saturday morning will be the “L’dor V’dor Shabbat Morning Service – An Intergenerational Community Celebration” led by LIBERTY, our Senior Youth Group. That will also be an open and inclusive celebration of the community we are. Everyone is invited.
3. Sunday morning is a great celebration for families and our Religious School, although all are invited to come and watch the fun. The families will have a “scavenger hunt” to find the features of our new building and get to know our new congregational home in a celebratory way. This is also absolutely free and event you should really attend.

This leaves Saturday night. In order to meet this year’s budget, last year’s Board set an aggressive fundraising goal. Since we do not have a One For All Ball this year, Saturday night’s event will be our primary Temple fundraiser. In strategically planning this event, we determined that the Temple Rededication Weekend was the best time for drawing congregants and members of the broader community to a fundraiser.

The renovation project is coming in on-time (OK, a couple of weeks later than we wish) and on-budget. To be on-budget, we have “value engineered” and very responsibly cut some “wish we had’s”. We owe Jonathan Howard, Ben Benson, Sara and the entire Building Committee a huge debt of gratitude. They have been incredibly responsible and careful stewards to allow us to finish the project inside of our budget. However, we are still going to be missing some things you might expect to see…again, making an aggressive fundraiser all the more necessary. We will add those “wish we had’s” as we can.

There are many events we plan, such as the Purim Dance shortly and the April event to celebrate Susan Jacobs’ 10th Anniversary (with guest musician, Debbie Friedman) that are fun and open to all with very low ticket prices. Those events are NOT intended to raise money…they are intended to raise spirit.

Our Friday night, Saturday morning and Sunday morning events are also to raise spirit and community. We have a different mission with the Saturday event. It is our “One For All Ball” opportunity this year.

We know that the Dedication Weekend will be a positive and memorable event for all and appreciate all you’d done to make it happen. If you have any further concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact either Rabbi Schindler or me.

We needed a practice service before the MLK Shabbat. A surprising 550 people came to that service. Wow. Thank you for your willingness to be flexible as we figured out what worked and what didn’t! We punted with a temporary sound system, no stained glass in the ark…we punted, but it was our Temple home and our community. What a great spirit in the building; and how we have missed being there!!! We have been living in the building for a few weeks and have learned a few things.

Most comments have been so favorable…however, some comments made me realize I need to remind everyone what we did…and didn’t do…with the renovation.

We did not change the size of the sanctuary itself…but we did make it possible to expand the sanctuary size in increments. These changes will make our Temple home more flexible and will make it feel at times larger and at other times more intimate. These are the changes we made:

1. We made the sanctuary more flexible for different kinds of worship services we have…casual worship, Tot Shabbat, Teen Band and chorus and the more formal services including guest choirs and groups we will host including MLK Shabbat.
2. Added air walls to allow the sanctuary to be enlarged by stages, while keeping the social halls intact for parties or Onegs. You saw that Friday…although they can break down pretty quickly to accommodate bigger crowds.
3. Added a second social hall with a brand new kitchen for events and parties and to enlarge the sanctuary by opening the air walls and adding chairs.
4. We made the Bima accessible to all…the elderly and those who are infirm or in wheelchairs…now all can have honors.
5. We tremendously enlarged the community gathering space in the main foyer so we can gather as a community before and after services.
6. Added a second foyer near the education building for the same reason.
7. We added a new gift shop that will make great strides in funding our Religious School scholarships.
8. We built a new chapel.
9. We turned the old chapel into a Beit Midrash or a study hall for the B’Nei Mitzvah students and for Torah Study.
10. We built a wing for new offices for administrative staff.
11. We changed the offices and enlarged that wing for the clergy.
12. We added a wonderful room for families of the bereaved or for brides…either way…a family room.
13. We built outside spaces…gardens and great spaces in the front and back to create outside worship and event spaces.

We have a new sound system coming…the stained glass is in and is gorgeous. A LOT of things are being added every week. Every time you come, something new will be there. Take a look and let me know what you think.

They say a pessimist sees a glass of water as being half empty;

They say an optimist sees the same glass as half full.

The rest of the saying goes: But a giving person sees a glass of water and starts looking for someone who might be thirsty.

I would change that to say: A leader sees a glass of water and starts figuring out how to top it off, put a system in place to get that water to people who might be thirsty and develop a campaign to make sure everyone who’s thirsty has access to clean water when they need it.

THAT’S leadership!

We are blessed with five classes of leadership from the Farber Leadership Initiative. People who have, through the years, stood up and said, put me in coach, I am ready to put on the mantle of leadership and put my hand on the rudder of this ship we call Temple Beth El.

Temple Beth El is a special place, full of people with the ability, willingness and vision to lead.

But a Synagogue is an interesting entity. It’s a place where people come to be nurtured…for life cycle…for warmth and for help and hope. A synagogue like Temple Beth El is a place of caring that is as far from “business” as you can get.

BUT

On the other side of the coin…it IS a small business, with a mortgage, utility bills, personnel costs and issues and risk management…insurance, contracts and a budget. It’s a business with a renovation project, a capital campaign with contractors to be paid, projections to be met and expectations that money pledged will be wisely invested spent as outlined. Believe me, it’s a business.

It is an interesting hybrid. It’s a place for which people feel a sense of ownership. “This is MY Temple!” We value that sense of ownership and passion and count on it. It’s a place where we care about Social Action and Justice, Domestic Violence issues, Affordable Housing, Youth, Inclusiveness, education and more.

Temple Beth El is a place that needs cool heads and the wisdom of Solomon to operate. And we haven’t even BEGUN talking about the Reform movement…we’re just talking about our small corner of the world.

So in 2005, my dear friend Larry Farber, who is one of those cool heads, realized that we had plenty of people who had the ability and the interest in leadership…we just needed a process to give them the tools to understand this interesting hybrid called Temple Beth El. He began this Farber Leadership Initiative in memory of his dear sister Robyn…and with Rick Glaser, Cary Bernstein, Sara Schreibman and others, the first class was formed, a curriculum developed and we were off and running.

Friday, Sara and I pulled out the list of Farber graduates. The names are current and former Board members, committee leaders and community leaders. It is a system that works.

I came across a really interesting quote the other day…by Antoine de Saint-Exupery. He’s the author who wrote The Little Prince”.

He said “If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people together to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.”

What he means is, it’s not enough to create a spreadsheet with the list of tasks needed to create a plan to make something happen. You can do that, and often, you need to do that. You can TELL people what to do.

But that’s not enough.

How much more satisfying is it, especially when we have a complicated place like Temple Beth El, to create a clear vision, articulate that vision clearly and ask others to joins us on the journey and make that vision their own?

That is leadership.

And as Farber Leadership has evolved, we have begun to weave in more “leadership” training…not just “how does the place run” which is essential. But we are now incorporating, “what is leadership?” “How can we spell out the vision and encourage others to come with us because we are on the same path?” We are teaching people to yearn for the immensity of the sea of knowledge, of Torah, Mitvzot and Tzedakah.

Believe it of not, Muhammad Ali also has one of my favorite quotes: “Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth.”

I believe that sincerely. Everyone who volunteers for a Temple Beth El committee, who serves in leadership, who has donated to the capital campaign, who supports the work of Social Action and Justice or who has participated in Mitzvah Day or any project at the Temple that makes a difference in our world serves and continues to serve.

I leave you with a reminder from Lily Tomlin, of all people. She said “I always wondered why somebody didn’t do something about that. Then I realized I was somebody.”

We are ALL the “somebody’s” who must do something at Temple Beth El and in our community. This holiday season and beyond, please join us on this journey of servant leadership. I am grateful for each and every one of you.

And if you want to be one of those who raise your hand to lead, and join a Farber Leadership class, please contact Sara Schreibman at the Temple office at (704) 366-1948 or sschreibman@beth-el.com.

On April 6, 2010, the Temple Beth El Board approved a resolution authorizing the Temple to advocate for issues of affordable housing in the Charlotte community, stating in part:
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that Temple Beth El, its leaders and its members advocate achieving better results by addressing underlying causes of homelessness rather than only treating its symptoms.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Temple Beth El, its leadership and its members help the community by speaking out in public forums and supporting local housing policies that appropriately address the need for affordable housing throughout our community.

Click here for the full text of the TBE resolution.

Other information sources on the proposed bond issue include:
Charlotte Observer 8/27/2010 (www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/08/27/1646045/debt-worries-may-hurt-bond-votes.html)
Charlotte Business Journal 6/4/2010 (charlotte.bizjournals.com/charlotte/stories/2010/06/07/story13.html)
Charlotte Post 5/27/2010 (www.thecharlottepost.com/index.php?src=news&srctype=detail&category=News&refno=2656)
Channel 14 5/27/2010 (charlotte.news14.com/content/local_news/charlotte/626356/homeless-advocates-push-for-more-money-for-housing)
Chamber of Commerce (www.voteyesforbonds.com)

To volunteer on the Temple’s affordable housing committee, please contact Judy Seldin-Cohen at judyseldin@yahoo.com.

Please comment on this issue to help us understand what you think. Social Action and Social Justice are foundational values at Temple Beth El. We want to hear from you as we continue to stay engaged in these important issues.

I want to share the State of Temple Beth El. I’m pleased to tell you that it is sound.

Here’s a quick snapshot of Temple Beth El…by the numbers.
- We are currently a congregation of about 1,100 families.
- We welcomed 40 new families in the last 6 months …however, the explosive growth we experienced a few years ago has leveled out. We have held steady at close to 1,100 families for the last five years and expect to remain in that ballpark for the foreseeable future.
o Part of the reason for this strategic assumption of stability is the thriving Reform congregation in Lake Norman and a congregation that formed in the Rock Hill/Ft. Mill area.
- In the Religious School, we’re expecting about 470 students…so far, there are 36 new students…22 of those are in kindergarten…taught by 27 excellent teachers.
- The B’Nei Mitzvah program is robust – 61 children will become Bar or Bat Mitzvah this year.
- There are 145 Madrachim…student tutors.
- We have 134 in our youth groups from the youngest through Liberty.
- Now, it’s hard to count the number of young adults in our NextDor program for 20’s and 30’s, but we have 150 members on our Facebook page, so there you go. We are engaging these young Jews in creative and meaningful ways…and clearly getting the hang of Social Media as a way of communication with them.
- We have 350 Senior families or individuals in our membership…close to half belong to our Seniors group called “SPICE”. That’s Special Programs of Interest and Concern to Everyone, (so long as you’re over 50). In fact, 39 SPICE members are traveling with Rabbi Judy to Israel in February…that’s the largest group ever from Temple Beth El.
- Temple Beth El cares about our community.
o 465 congregants participated in Mitzvah Day last May.
o Our congregation leads the way in the Jewish community and in our City in the areas of Social Action and Social Justice.
o Our initiatives on Domestic Violence, Affordable Housing and the Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness are models for congregations here and nationally.
- Inclusiveness is one of the foundations upon which Temple Beth El stands.
o We welcome LGBTQ participants and congregants.
o We have multiple programs for interfaith couples…providing the warmest welcome and the tools to create Jewish homes.
- And in 4 short months, we will cease our wandering…as the work of renovating our Temple home ends and we make our way to the “promised land” of our renovated Temple home!

We thank those who gave gifts of any size to the campaign. And every contribution of time, volunteer hours and patience during this transition was incredibly valuable. Thank you.

A few deserve special thanks: Jonathan Howard and Ben Benson, Larry Polsky, Fred Dumas (who had the dream in the beginning), Adam Bernstein, who led us during the tough years of wandering; and especially our Temple Beth El staff who have tirelessly, Shabbat after Shabbat, created sacred space where there is just an empty room. Please thank them.

If all goes according to plan, work will be complete in late November…and we’ll get the keys…champagne MAY be involved. We’re shooting for the first services in the building on January 7 (that may change-you’ll get communication on that, so stay tuned).

And our official celebration and rededication weekend will be February 11…mark your calendars. Rabbi Bennett (our former Senior Rabbi, now at Congregation Shaare Emeth in St. Louis) will deliver the sermon at that Shabbat. Let’s all start praying now for “no winter weather”!

The building will have spaces we need to accommodate the congregation we are today and will be for the foreseeable future…spaces to study and to gather as a community that we haven’t had before. If you haven’t taken a tour, you can get a sneak peek on the website with videos and photos!

We hope, hope, hope…that we can bring High Holy Day services back to the Temple without relying on the kindness of Forest Hill, Myers Park Baptist and St. Matthew Catholic Churches. Imagine staying “home for the holidays” next year…what a blessing that will be!!!

Now, one question I often get is, can our budget sustain this new facility? The answer is “yes”…in fact, the new building offers opportunities for revenue that we lost when we moved out.

Our budget for this fiscal year is incredibly lean. Just like every family in this room, we tightened our belts and cut.

To get a balanced budget, we scaled some things back…I think it’s OK. Onegs are simpler…you get a Voice one month and a smaller no-frills “Whisper” the next…more communication is electronic…no robes for the choir this year (I actually had to think about what to wear to services…bummer).

And, there are many bright spots regarding the budget. For example: thanks to an unexpected gift from the estate of Michael Miselman, we retired our retained debt. For the first time in years, Temple Beth El’s operating accounts are debt-free. That’s news worthy of celebrating.

But because our budget cutting knife was so sharp, each of you has an opportunity to step in…and step up… in very targeted ways. Here are some examples:

We know we will not have enough money to accommodate all requests for religious school financial assistance this year. That money comes from sales from the Gift Shop through the hard work of our Sisterhood. Without our building, the gift shop has lost the volume of walk-in traffic. The gift shop is still open in the lobby of the Blumenthal entrance to the JCC…and it’s always open on line. We engaged the professionals at Jewish Family Services to help us evaluate requests for financial assistance this year and make sure those MOST in need get the limited resources. We also held two Town Halls to solicit feedback on this process and got excellent ideas. But the bottom line is, that budget line is short. This year, you can be a hero and help send a child to Hebrew School or Hebrew High.

We also have a reduced budget line for financial assistance for Youth Camps. Brotherhood is pitching in here, but you can also contribute to help. It’s particularly rewarding to send ONE specific child to Camp.

And our Torahs…Torah expert Rabbi Druin visited Temple Beth El this summer to examine the Temple’s Torahs and to teach volunteers – called our “Holy Rollers” — how to care for them. All of our Torahs require repair, including our Holocaust Torah. The total bill is just under $30,000. Our Torahs are more valuable than we knew and need additional insurance.

The Board of Directors took immediate action. Part of the Meiselman gift will be used to make the most pressing repairs and the increased insurance is in place.

But more is needed. Because our Torahs are the center of our congregation…our trees of life, I hope many of you will be willing to step in to help supplement this very specific, unbudgeted need. If you can give, please contact Rabbi Judy or Sara.

Also, don’t forget to link your Harris Teeter VIC card to the Temple Beth El Religious School…number 3611.

My good friend and mentor, Jonathan Howard, reminded me to use this time to set my agenda for this year. My agenda is simple…get back into the building on time, on budget with few problems and as much joy as possible. I want our young adults as members and to provide engagement opportunities for them. And I want to create an open atmosphere of listening when all opinions are valued.

I want to look strategically at our future, and we’re doing that in multiple ways.
- We are beginning a strategic 3-5 year plan.
- My predecessor, Adam Bernstein, turned to our Past Presidents for help in evaluating and enhancing the Temple’s funding model.
- And we’ve begun to ask you to think about Planned Giving and include Temple Beth El as part of your estate planning. My husband Robert and I are including Temple in our estate planning as are Adam and his spouse Tammy and our next President, Rick Glaser and his wife, Ellen. Our Endowment Committee will reach out to each of us.

If we accomplish those goals, we’re golden.

Finally, having said all of this, I want to remind all of you that we are a covenant community. As a Jewish people, we know covenants. A covenant is a promise…with responsibilities…a vow. The Temple vows to ALWAYS be there for you and your family…to be the circle of community when you need it…especially now, when the world around us seems awash in conflict.

But a covenant carries responsibility in return. Temple Beth El needs you. Please know that each of you is valued for the special gifts you bring. We value your commitment, at YOUR level. We promise your experience will be more enriching if you have a commitment.

I promise that I…and the rest of your lay leadership team…are committed to you, available for discussion, compliments or complaints as warranted. Call or email me. My contact information is available on the website or through the Temple office, or just grab any of us when you see us.

It’s going to be a GREAT year!!! Join us for the journey and the celebrations.