Scott Alter Blue, Amy Schonfeld Black
We read that in Jerusalem on Yom Kippur, the High Priest had the responsibility to ask forgiveness for the Jewish People. But before he could do that, he had to first ask for forgiveness for himself, then for his family, then for the Levites, and finally for the entire Jewish community. I used to think that he first had to come before God to remind him, in a humble way, why God should consider his request to help the community thrive. But now I know better. I now know that the High Priest was terrified of making a High Holiday appeal before the congregation. So first he practiced by himself and he practiced in front of his family. And he valiantly looked to convey the reasons that the congregation should act on what he was about to say.
So in that same vein, we begin not just before God, but before you. My name is Scott Alter, and this is Amy Schonfeld. We are the Co-Presidents – the PROUD co-presidents - of the East Brunswick Jewish Center, a 50-year old vibrant, thriving and growing Conservative Synagogue in Central New Jersey.
We took on this job because we have collectively been members of the East Brunswick Jewish Center for over 40 years. Our families have raised 7 children who have developed strong Jewish souls, largely because of being members of the EBJC Community. We have established friendships at EBJC that mean the world to us. EBJC is woven into the fabric of our lives.
It is because of this passion that we are up here tonight to raise funds to make sure EBJC continues its holy work – not just for ourselves, but on behalf of our community. That is why we want to take this opportunity, on this holiest of nights, to present you with our State of the Shul address. We come before you, humbly for a few minutes, to summarize some the amazing things that have been accomplished here since last Yom Kippur so that you understand what your monies are used for and you have confidence that we, in conjunction with our Executive Board and Board of Directors, are doing everything we can to maximize the power of your investment. We ask you to take to heart what a wonderful community we are part of and the strides we are making. And we will ask you to help us continue the growth, by supporting us emotionally, physically, and yes, financially.
About two weeks ago, Scott and I hosted a gathering for the congregation that we billed as “Sweet Beginnings”. After several tumultuous years, we wanted to just stop and savor this sweet moment in EBJC’s history. I’m sure you can relate in your personal lives – the AHHH moment you can forget about all the stress and details that went into planning the wedding, when the guests are finally arriving and the bride looks radiant or the moment when you forget about the tears, the tests and the drama and the graduate is about to receive that long-awaited diploma. Well, that’s what this moment is like for us and let’s all enjoy it together.
The most obvious milestone is having Rabbi Benson here for his first High Holidays with us. Many of you have gotten to know him since he arrived to take the helm at EBJC – and Rabbi Benson has certainly made it his priority to get to know us. With enthusiasm, insight, expertise, and humor, he has led services, shared our life cycle events, learned our personal histories, visited those who are ill, and taught children and adults. We are proud to see our Jewish Jimmy Stewart look-alike making his mark on the greater Jewish community or the local non-Jewish communities, including his recent induction as the first Jewish chaplain of the NJ office of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – representing us as the influential Jewish community that we are. As a bonus, we have benefited from his wife Isabel Smith’s association with the Israel advocacy group CAMERA, who has already arranged excellent speakers for us as well as the recent screening of the Dershowitz movie A Case for Israel. Of course, we also enjoy seeing Monte looking so spiffy in his sport jackets and bow ties!
A second milestone is the arrival of a new Director of Education and Lifelong Learning Mallory Probert, who is replacing our long-time Educational Director, Steve Solomon. We thank Steve for his years of dedication and service to the youth of EBJC, and wish him much happiness and success in the years ahead.
Before I tell you more about Mallory, I want to acknowledge the admirable team who participated in the Educational Director search process. Let this be one illustration of democracy at EBJC. The search process was thoroughly conducted over a period of months by volunteers from the Board of Education and Executive Board, who reviewed the applications of dozens of candidates, spoke with them by phone, checked references and conducted on-site interviews. It was done professionally, knowledgably, and objectively. We were so fortunate to have several worthy candidates. The committee made the final decision, choosing the candidate who best met their goals.
Their choice, Mallory Probert, is a dynamo. In just a few short weeks, she has worked in conjunction with our teachers to upgrade Hebrew School with new curricula emphasizing the M & Ms of mitzvoth (good deeds) and Midot (values and ethics), introduced a new Toddler and Me program – which already has 8 enrollees – and set into motion a Hebrew language OOLPAN class for adults. Her goal is to make Hebrew school fun, by infusing this year with an Israeli theme. In partnership with Rabbi Benson, there is renewed emphasis on attracting teens to our Hebrew High School with innovative programming. We are sure you agree that it is crucial that we are directing much of our energies and dollars toward providing top-notch educational programming for preschoolers up through adulthood.
But before I turn the podium over to Scott, I want to briefly highlight 3 initiatives that really reflect not only EBJC’s healthy recovery but reflect principles that are being established to guide us as we move forward toward a proud future.
CONSISTENCY: The first is the reinvigoration of the Special Circumstances Committee. We know this is a very sensitive issue. In part because in the past few years other issues took priority and in part because the Committee felt somewhat powerless, the Special Circumstances committee had become dormant. The Board of Directors realized that we had inherited a membership dues system that was at times haphazard and inconsistent. There were rumors of unfairness, and this was demoralizing the community. To find out the truth, we decided to empower the Special Circumstances Committee to reassess the situations of those who pay less than full dues. Four congregants assumed this very difficult and time-consuming job, and worked diligently, confidentially and sensitively. The result was that in most cases, members were paying the proper amounts. In some cases, for whatever reasons including our bookkeeping mistakes, members were being charged the wrong amounts. For some, this resulted in an increase in dues and, believe it or not, others had their dues lowered. In the last few weeks, some of the people who received dues increases have come to us quite upset (to date, no one who had dues lowered has complained!). We have tried to explain that it is crucial for our synagogue’s morale that, as we move forward, a fair, consistent and equitable system is in place.
INCLUSIVENESS: The second is Explorations, a series of talks and discussion session that Rabbi Benson organized on gender roles at EBJC. No matter where you stand on the issue, please understand what a fantastically healthy sign it is for us as a community to address, question, and debate issues that are central to our Jewish souls. This community-wide learning process could not have taken place even two or three years ago.
TRANSPARENCY: A third sign of EBJC’s renewal is the recent release of our aptly-named directory, The Connection, which was last published 5 years ago. This is not just a list of our members, but an essential way that we stay connected with one another. There is nothing to hide, it’s right here, you can count it up: more than 625 families call EBJC their spiritual home. The Connection is another sign that EBJC is a community, whose members are here to support and nurture and educate one another.
So now lets talk about the financial health of EBJC, and our efforts to reduce expenses, maximize revenue, and minimize waste.
No new borrowing. This can’t be overemphasized, because for you to be comfortable about contributing to EBJC, you need to be convinced that the shul is being properly managed. Over the past 3+ years, EBJC has engaged in no new bank borrowing. All of this while we have been paying down our debts. In the 12 months since last Yom Kippur, we have paid down over $126,000.00 in PRINCIPAL against our long term debt.
Reduced expenses. Over the past 5 years, we have reduced salaries an astonishing $500,000 per year. We did this by revamping our maintenance operation, reducing the number of clergy, having a part-time hazzan, modifying salaries, and streamlining the office staff. We realize there is, of course, a downside to these reductions: for instance, our new dynamic rabbi operates as the only clergy to 625 families. But staff reductions were a necessary cost-cutting step.
Reduced utilities - Through hard work, this aging facility has moved into the 21st century. New timed thermostats are installed in the building. Everyone is conscious of keeping lights off, heat low, and air conditioning at a minimum.
Reduced postage by going paperless. Sending out the Recorder and other mailings electronically will save us several thousands of dollars in postage, labor, and supplies – and is environmentally friendly. We realize that this is an inconvenience to some people, but we see this as a cost-cutting necessity.
We have been incredibly fortunate that volunteers have stepped up to the plate, mowing the lawn, beautifully landscaping the grounds, renovating our houses, upgrading the playground, and maintaining the pool. Our religious committee did an outstanding job getting us through times of rabbinic transition or absence.
Schechter agreement. Through a negotiating process that took almost a year, we arrived at an agreement with the Solomon Schecter Day School of Raritan Valley for a new 5-year lease. We are very happy about this. We have an increase in rent for the first time in 15 years, and their rooms and our Hebrew School rooms have been consolidated to allow us to close down one classroom wing that is in disrepair. Closing the rug wing means reductions in heating and electricity costs, reductions in maintenance costs and allowed us to postpone some expensive repairs.
Maximizing facility rentals. In the past year, volunteers have maximized rental income of the facility, including the gym, Shabbat houses, classrooms and ballroom. Let me take this opportunity to say we are looking for a tenant for this recently vacated wing, so if you have a suggestion, please let Adrian Kroll know.
USCJ agreement. As a member of the United Synagogue for Conservative Judaism, we demonstrate our support of the greater the Conservative movement. They provide invaluable services to us, including USY for our youth, and search assistance for our new Rabbi and new Education Director. Through a year-long process, we successfully negotiated a reduction in our dues that has saved a total $25,000 over last year and this coming year.
Legacy Committee. This is a great example how members of EBJC, seeing a need, stepped up to the plate. The Legacy Committee was formed with the primary function of finding long term solutions to pay down our debt. The Legacy Committee’s recent golf outing netted over $20,000 and they are planning other events and programs – such as an e-bay store - that will speed us on our way to fiscal health.
And of course, we want to thank you all for purchasing your high holiday tickets this year. We know you have a choice in what synagogue you belong to – or even to belong to a synagogue – and we are so happy that you have chosen to be here tonight.
We have balanced the budget, but just barely. In August, our Treasurers produced a balanced budget, the earliest that this was possible in the past 3 years. However, a just balanced budget is not enough. There is no contingency for us to address the unexpected problems that we know will crop up. Monies from this Kol Nidre Appeal help us pay for expenses that are vital to the everyday functioning of the East Brunswick Jewish Center.
And the expenses keep coming. Looming on the horizon is a fire alarm for the entire building that is required by the township. This system will cost over $30,000. Other upcoming building expenses are fireproofing the curtains on the stage in the Chernow Activity Center, fixing parking lot holes, replacing windows, and keeping up with our large and leaky roof.
The Kol Nidre Appeal is the major way we raise money to cover our everyday operating expenses for salaries, utilities, and paying our vendors to keep our operations going. But I want to emphasize that EBJC is not and cannot be run strictly as a business, and we do not make decisions simply based on dollars and cents. When we create our balance sheets, our assets include:
gold – not bullion, but all those Golden Award winners who quietly volunteer their time and their expertise.
It includes silver: those Torah ornaments that shine, thanks to the efforts of a group who came in on a Saturday evening to polish them for the Holidays.
Our assets include gas and oil – the gallons used by members of the Mitzvah Corps, who drove to at least one shiva minyan on the average of 175 nights of the year. Unfortunately, this year alone the Mitzvah Corps responded to the requests of 40 congregants in their time of need.
We also are stocked in telecommunications: office volunteers who fold and staple mailings, cheerfully answer the phones, create the Recorder, and maintain the website.
Recreation and entertainment conglomerates? Sure, our gym is always busy, and we offer a steady stream of cooking demonstrations, dance classes, adult education, Purim festivities and Torahpallooza. Yes, we need your money to pay our bills, but we are grateful that EBJC is rich in so many ways.
Let’s also remember that EBJC is a hub for the greater local Jewish community. When Federation wants to have a pro-Israel rally, our doors are open. When Hadassah holds a leadership conference, our doors are open. When United Synagogue wants to hold a regional rabbis meeting, our doors are open. When Israel Bonds makes their annual drive, our doors are open. And when USY wants to host a regional convention, our doors are open.
I said at recent congregation budget meeting that Amy and I have made many promises that we are striving to keep:
§ We promise to keep our children safe while they are in this building.
§ We promise to pay our teacher for Jewishly educating our children.
§ We promise to pay the people who sell us food for kiddush, electricity for our lights, and all the things we need to provide you the Jewish Community you deserve.
When we leave office in June, I hope each one of you believes that we kept our promises to steer EBJC back on track toward a solid and bright future.
For you long-time veterans of the East Brunswick Jewish Center, we need you to promise to continue the long tradition of EBJC being the center of our Jewish Community. For you young families, we need you to promise to help us with a Kol Nidre pledge so your kids can have an excellent Jewish Education, so we can pay dedicated Kadimah and USY advisors, so we can maintain a gym where they will meet and maintain Jewish Friendships.
To do that, we ask you to make a promise. As fellow congregants and your representatives, we ask you for a pledge tonight, this holiest day of the year. We need you to reach down deep and make a pledge and make your commitment to EBJC. Please, take your Kol Nidre tickets and fold a tab down.
On behalf of my wife Sarah and our children, and on behalf of Amy, Steve and her family, on behalf of our wonderful Executive Board and Board of Directors, may you all be inscribed in the book of life for a healthy year. We wish you all an easy fast.
August 2009
Elections
The Proposed Slate was overwhelmingly endorsed by the attendees. The nominees were:
Scott Alter Co-President
Amy Schonfeld Co-President
Stacey Lampert Vice President
Jack Levitt Vice President
Robert Lipson Vice President
Eric Rabinowitz Vice President
Bob Salston Vice President
Will Schafer Vice President
Phil Folz Co-Treasurer
Larry Kramer Co Treasurer
Brenda Albert Financial Secretary
Wendy Nemani Corresponding Secretary
Steven Ellner Recording Secretary
Michael Sleppin Member at Large
Steven Schwartz Member at Large
Adrian Kroll Trustee
Nominations were taken from the floor to serve on the Nominating Committee.
The following people were selected:
Steve Schwartz
Elise Merkel
Mark Foladare
Rhoda Cohen
Alternates:
Sherry Keller
Marilyn Friedes
The congregation endorsed the motion that there will be a charge this year for High Holiday tickets. The charges are $36 per adult and $18 for teenagers ages 13-18 years. Family guest tickets are $118 (includes married children, children older than 30 years, parents, etc.) Nonmember guest tickets are $400. A 4% increase in dues was also approved.
Please see the Presidents' Financial Report to better understand our current financial situation.
Congratulations to those who were elected and thanks go to all congregants who attended the meeting.
February 2009
Reaping the Benefits of the EBJC Purim Gala Auction
Last year, many of you remember fondly the wonderful Golden Purim Gala. It was a sold-out event, enjoyed by more than 400 EBJC members, friends, and family. It was a fun party, the gym was beautifully decorated, the music was upbeat, and we were happy to pay tribute to our outgoing presidents Jack and Sol and celebrate 50 years of EBJC past presidents. We also were able to make a $60,000 + contribution toward the shul’s budget. Most important, it was a glorious affirmation of commitment to the future of a vibrant EBJC.
Spurred on by this success, the invitations are out for this year’s Purim Gala, billed as Dancing With the Stars. This year, we are pleased to honor two long-term and committed congregants, Sherryl and Mickey Kaufman with EBJC’s Lifetime Achievement Award. The Kaufmans have held numerous positions of responsibility at the synagogue, as well as local Jewish organizations. Mickey was EBJC’s 25th President, serving in that role during 1999-2001. Currently, he is President of the Solomon Schechter Day School of Raritan Valley. Sherryl has served as President of East Brunswick Hadassah and currently is the Executive Vice President of Hadassah Southern New Jersey Region, in addition to serving on many EBJC committees through the years. Sherryl and Mickey are not only long time members and regular Shabbat attendees, but they are close personal friends to many of us. We hope you send your greetings to them in our Ad Journal.
One of the most fun parts of the Gala was the live auction, and we are bringing that back again this year. Once again, we are offering reserved pews for the High Holidays. We are also offering the coveted Purim Gala reserved parking spot that has been enjoyed by Doris and Steve Entin. We will again offer a TV set sponsored by Central Jersey Oncology and a weekend at a private bed and breakfast for 6 couples in Princeton. We also are working on obtaining tickets to sporting and entertainment events. New this year is the opportunity to share a delicious vegetarian Shabbat dinner with Rabbi Benson, Isabel Smith, and Monty.
Last year, Linda Jacobson and I (Amy) impulsively bid on a week-long spa vacation at the Ixtapan Spa Hotel and Resort in Mexico. We just returned from our visit and were very pleasantly surprised by the pampering we received: 6 daily massages, 3 facials and reflexology, 1 Loofah scrub and fango (details upon request), pedicure, manicure, 3 tennis or golf lessons, daily yoga, aerobics, pilates, daily walks in the mountains…. The weather was great every day (not too hot), and the hotel was lovely. It is a great way to reconnect with far-off family and friends – lots of mother/daughter combinations. Men should not feel left out, because the golf facilities are superb. The spa is set in a charming, non-touristy part of Mexico.
A surprising aspect of the spa is that it has a Jewish heritage and haimeshe feel. There was even a rabbi on board, and more than 60 people attended Friday Night services with home-made challah! There were several other groups at the spa, many sponsored by Jewish Community Centers through the country.
This year, we are offering something different. We are looking to auction off a package good for 11 people, travelling as a group between January 17th and January 24th, 2010. The travel will be arranged by travel consultant Paula Fertik (Marc’s mom) who works for Tyree Travel. This company is unusual because it donates all of its profits to charity! By traveling as a group (Paula’s group had 27 people this year, many of whom were repeat customers), you can save more than $300 as compared to booking it on your own. You don’t have to create the group – just let me know if you are interested and we will help coordinate the group. Bring some friends or family members and you’ll have a great time – and make money for EBJC.
The Purim Gala has become a highlight of the year for EBJC. As far as the cost, yes the ticket price is higher than last year. But this is a fund-raiser that continues the work of helping us rebuild the EBJC community – and it is less expensive than just about any other similar event in the community. It is a chance to reconnect with old friends and make new ones. Be a part of it – you’ll be glad you did!
December, 2008
What a wonderful month this has been. Rabbi Aaron Benson, our new spiritual leader of EBJC, has arrived. He started officially working on November 10. In the first three Shabbats he certainly hit the ground running:
- A first Shabbat morning service with over 300 congregants.
- 2 Bar Mitzvot
- 4 Bat Mitzvot
- 1 Aufruf
And Rabbi Benson is moving into the flow of the synagogue, already meeting with many of the groups in our synagogue’s life.
All of this is leading up to our official welcome for Rabbi Benson and his family – the Installation of Rabbi Benson on Friday night, December 19. The installation committee has been doing a great job putting together a meaningful night to commemorate a new beginning for EBJC. With such an undertaking, of course questions have come up. We would like to answer some of these.
Is there a charge to attend the rabbi’s installation? No. We want to be clear that we are encouraging every member of the congregation to be a part of this milestone event. A great deal of effort has been made to emphasize that we are eager for everyone to attend the service and the oneg and there is no fee to attend this part of the celebration. The actual installation will be during the service.
Why is there a charge to attend the dinner? In addition to the service and oneg, there is a dinner before for those who would like to attend. With the shul’s tight finances, we must charge for dinner.
So why a cost of $40 for an adult and $20 for a child? The charge covers a lovely Shabbat dinner and oneg catered by 14 Karat Caterers (Lox Stock and Deli). It must also cover the cost of invitations, postage, printing the program, tables, tablecloths, decorations, set up, cleaning, heating, and lighting and miscellaneous expenses. It must also cover any guests of the event and the oneg.
There is also a small portion allocated to the general operating expenses of the synagogue. This is something we must do. We must raise funds to make up for the tens of thousands of dollars we were short in donations during our Kol Nidre appeal. In addition to the cost of meal, we are asking members to place, in the commemorative book that will go to the Rabbi, a welcoming message for $18. You can do this even if you are not coming to dinner and will help defray part of the oneg cost. With a little luck and the hard work of the planning committee, we hope to earn for EBJC a few thousand dollars between the dinner and the commemorative book.
We certainly realize the cost for dinner for a family can get high, and that is why we are planning on so much happening at the service and the oneg to involve everyone in the shul, whether they attend the dinner or not.
We encourage any families, both young and near-young, to come to the installation, either for the service and oneg, or if they can to the dinner. It will be a great evening for all of those who attend, no matter what part. Once the service begins, we will all share in the glory of the evening and the culmination of all the hard work that went into getting us to this momentous occasion.
Yasher Koach to all of us here at EBJC – we are all involved in the holy work of building the Jewish Community of East Brunswick. We welcome Rabbi Benson, his wife Isabel and their son Monty, as they join our community. We look forward to the continued growth of our vibrant and welcoming community.
What does EBJC mean to you?
Some feel that the primary function of EBJC is to fulfill its religious responsibilities.
Some feel strongly that the role of our synagogue is to be a source of Jewish-flavored cultural and educational activities – such as enriched holiday observances, Hebrew school, kosher cooking lessons, or Israeli dancing,
Others see EBJC as a secular community center – a place to play basketball, hear a lecture, attend a party, or participate in a blood drive with fellow Jews.
So, who’s right? My name is Amy Schonfeld and I am one of the two co-presidents of EBJC, along with my wonderful partner Scott Alter. In the last 3 months, Scott and I have learned that there is no simple answer to this and we spend much time discussing priorities and balancing options.
“What does EBJC mean to you”. This is the primary question that we have wrestled with since before our term. Each of us has an answer. Let me share with you the working Mission Statement that Amy and I have used as our guide, as our personal answer to the question “What does EBJC mean to you”:
The East Brunswick Jewish Center will expand and invigorate the Jewish Experience of the Jewish Community of East Brunswick and Greater Middlesex County.
We will do this by developing and expanding the Jewish life of EBJC within the guidelines of Conservative Judaism, coupled with strong support for the State of Israel.
We will do this by:
- Expanding and encouraging religious services,
- Providing emotional and moral support for our members,
- Creating exciting programming for the Jewish community both young and old,
- Providing exceptional and thorough Jewish education for our children and adults,
- Expanding mitzvoth throughout the Jewish community.
To do this holy work, we will raise funds with the intent of providing these services to our membership.
Over the next few minutes Amy will touch upon the amazing things that have been going on at EBJC. I say wholeheartedly that EBJC is the most vibrant, thriving Conservative synagogue in central New Jersey, and I am proud of everything that goes on in our shul. We believe in everything we are doing here. That is why I unabashedly say that after Amy and I are done talking, we are going to ask you to participate in this holy work by helping us raise funds to provide all of these services to our members, to strengthen and grow this Jewish community that is our home.
More than a year ago, when things were pretty bleak but there were a few rays of sunshine, we had the chutzpah of adopting a tag line developed by Eric Rabinowitz: Our future’s so bright, gotta wear shades. I’m sure you’ve seen the pictures of people of all ages wearing their shades. We incorporated it into our advertising and had many of our Golden Award winners photographed wearing their shades. It was memorable, fun and upbeat and also helped set the tone that we INTENDED TO move forward and there were better times ahead.
Look what has happened in such a short time. It is difficult for me to list all the positive things that have happened, at the risk of omitting some. There has been a truly amazing burst of volunteerism, ranging from those who organize and participate in services, landscape our grounds, or help out in the office. In putting together our Executive Board and Board of Directors, the typical response was, “Yes, I would be honored.” We have had people step forward and give significant blocks of time to the Rabbi Search Committee, the Long-Range Planning Committee, and the Rabbi Liaison Committee. As you can see from the handout that was prepared last week, we’ve had a wonderfully successful series of Shalom Shabbats, Haimeshe Cooking classes, theater productions, 92nd Street Y events, Family Shabbats, an Israeli Photography exhibit, Purim Carnival, Hanukah Concert, Membership Recognition dinner – and of course a sold-out Purim Gala. Adult Education has really taken off and this year, it is difficult to list all the upcoming programs and events into our Shabbat Sheet. If I’ve left out something you have done, please forgive me but let me say that we are grateful for your efforts, which are meaningful, appreciated, and essential to our survival.
Autonomy and Responsibility
One of the most seismic shifts at EBJC has been how it is run. In many ways it was effective and efficient to have one person making decisions across the board, and having a staff of people to implement these decisions. It was also convenient to be able to turn to a few generous people who agreed with your philosophy who would provide much of the necessary funds. What this meant to EBJC was that good people enmeshed in a bad system kept digging the synagogue deeper into debt.
We have now assumed:
Financial Responsibility. It is our obligation to tell you what that means.
The turn around started with our past presidents, first with Stu Teicher’s presidency. Stu began “turning the battleship”, the hard process of starting to point us in the direction of fiscal responsibility. Then two years ago when Sol Hecht and Jack Steinweis assumed the presidency, they were faced with a half million dollar budget deficit for that year. In the past, the way this was dealt with was to borrow more money from the bank. Stu, Sol and Jack said no- this could not happen again. In 2 years, the budget here at EBJC was balanced. It was balanced through tremendous work of many people here. It was painful and it was difficult. It took tremendous volunteer effort to do things in the shul that used to be handled by paid staff. It took financial commitment of many people to help fill the hole in the budget. Here are some of the details of how it was done:
Expenses were trimmed. When your back is against the wall, you find savings that everyone told you were not there:
Insurance. Thousands of dollars were saved by changing and revising our insurance coverages.
Maintenance. We used to have a small army of full time and part time maintenance staff. For those of you who don’t know, we now have an amazing caretaker here at EBJC. Jose Mendez lives with his family in one of the shul’s houses on Ryders Lane. Some weeks he works here 60 hours – other weeks he works even longer! Jose and only 2 other paid maintenance staff keep EBJC clean and running – many say much better than it had been in years. This saves over $140,000 per year.
Going paperless: We are making great progress in moving our communications to an electronic format. Many have opted to receive the Recorder via email – a wonderful achievement. We estimate that for every 100 families that do not need a paper copy delivered to them, we save $3,000 per year.
Landscaping: There is a small remarkably dedicated group of members who have taken ownership of the grounds at EBJC. These people, your neighbors, spend uncounted hours each week cutting the grass, planting flowers, trimming hedges, and all the related things that go into making our Jewish home a beautiful place. Volunteers, every one of them.
Control of utilities. Through automated thermostats, and a tight policy on heating and cooling only when needed, thousand of additional dollars have been saved in this time of rising utility rates.
No borrowing. This can’t be emphasized enough. EBJC has taken no new bank borrowing in the 2-1/2 years that include Sol and Jack’s presidency and now Amy’s and mine.
Debt reduction. Like we all do when we look at our home mortgages, we owe less money just by paying our monthly payments. By not borrowing any money, we owe over $100,000 less to the banks than we did one year ago.
Like any business, there is only so much you can cut. After that, you need an increase in revenue. Some of these include:
Renting out facilities. Again, through the efforts of dedicated volunteers, we have had our gym rented-out for soccer and basketball programs to community groups. This has brought in thousands of dollars to maintain our operation.
Programs like Music Together and Princeton Review expand on this income.
A wonderful addition both religiously, financially and to the betterment of our members are our Shabbat houses. Two of the homes on Ryders Lane owned by EBJC have been beautifully reconditioned. Now, if you are having a Bar or Bat Mitzvah here at EBJC, a baby naming or an auf ruf, you can rent these homes for Shabbat so they can share your simcha.
We as a community have stepped up to the plate and are running the synagogue like it has not been run in decades
So, where are we going?
To plan for the future, we realized we needed to better understand who we are. Last year focus groups were held and a Survey asked congregants a series of questions. The Survey created an uproar because, I came to learn, so many feared what it would reveal. I believe what people feared most was to learn that their views were in the minority – with the assumption that majority rules. For instance, let’s talk about one of the 800-lb gorillas in the room. What the survey found was that almost half the respondents felt egalitarian services should be available but an equally large proportion felt nonegalitarian services should be too. Many felt both should be held, and only a minority of respondents wanted only one type of service to be offered. Most respondents said they favored an expanded role for women in either a traditional or egalitarian service.
Let’s please take a minute to think what that really means. Are you really comfortable thinking that all is well if we satisfy your point of view but that half the people in this room are unhappy and dissatisfied? Should your goal be to “win” in this matter, knowing that almost 50% of your friends and neighbors who make up this congregation will “lose”? How does that bode for our future?
I was struck by the answers to one or two questions that indicated that for those who felt one way, they were MINDFUL of those with the other point of view. The dictionary says that mindful means to be attentive, aware, or careful. That I believe will be a key to our success as we move forward in the next few years. As undemocratic as it sounds, unlike government, EBJC should not be a place where decisions are based on narrow pluralities. EBJC is a center of conservative Jewish life, and Conservative Judaism is not a monolithic entity. And we should make that a great source of strength.
I want to tell you something a little personal about myself. I think of myself as an educated Jewish woman. I always loved school, and continued going to school for a long time – about 25 years. I have a doctorate and completed two years of a postdoctoral fellowship. You can’t go for too much more formal education. But back in Brooklyn in the 1960s, my parents sent me to an orthodox Hebrew school. I loved Hebrew school – drew lots of pretty pictures of Israel and holiday decorations - but my Hebrew schooling ended about 6th grade and I wasn’t bat mitzvahed because that’s not what was done. The result is that as far as a Jewish education, I confess that I’m pretty illiterate and that’s been an embarrassment to me. And here I am, the second woman to serve as EBJC’s president in 50 years.
Maybe after this confession some of you would like to start impeachment proceedings. But I think what happened to me as far as my Jewish education was not right – both for me personally and for the continuity and strength of the Jewish community at large. With this insight, I made sure that both my daughter and my two sons received equal Jewish educational opportunities.
Despite these personal beliefs, I have been a long-time active participant in the life of EBJC. Over the years, I have come to respect the devotion to EBJC of those who do not agree with me in some of these matters. I love that EBJC is a place that is home to those who are well versed in the Torah and Talmud, who teach others and continue to learn for themselves, and make sure the religious obligations of a synagogue are fulfilled. I cannot tell you how much I respect those who assure that shiva and daily minyans are available every single day. It is an incredible undertaking that requires much personal sacrifice. I am truly moved by congregants who work hard all week but who volunteer to come in early on a Sunday morning to ready the Torahs for the High Holidays.
I also love walking around the building in the evening, hearing the shouts of kids wearing kippahs playing basketball. And I loved walking into a beautifully decorated gym last year packed with 400 people ready to celebrate Purim and to honor 50 years of Presidents– but were really there to affirm their commitment to the survival of our synagogue. And what can you say about the value of people working day and night and volunteering their time and money to ready a new home fit for our new rabbi and his family? Priceless.
So what I bring to the table is lots of fundraising efforts and experience, because I get true pleasure in making sure this synagogue continues to offer a range of activities – many of which I do not personally participate in. But I fiercely believe that EBJC should survive and continue to serve as a center of Jewish life in our community and that it is imperative that we strive to fulfill all our religious, educational, and cultural obligations and responsibilities across the spectrum of Conservative Judaism – even and may be especially those we may not personally partake in.
Several months ago while we were in the midst of interviewing rabbis, a congregant came up to me during Kiddush and started chatting to me about his personal life. He explained that his wife was much more observant than he was, but went on to describe how each of them respected each other’s viewpoint, and how they accommodated their differences after many years of marriage. Rabbi Schmuley Boteach has a catchy name for that: Shalom in the Home – Shalom Ha’Bayit.
That is my vision for EBJC: a center of Jewish life that can be shared by people with different points of view on some essential matters. A place where people are mindful of these differences but also treasure the similarities and connections and friendships that bind us together and allow us to work in tandem to accomplish goals that are worthy and important.
We can do this - but let’s face it, that is not something that may come naturally to us. Compromise will be necessary, and a willingness to allow one’s own preferences sometimes to be superceded for the good of the community. But I believe we can – and should - consciously choose to create Shalom Ha’Bayit both in our personal and EBJC lives and that we will all benefit from doing so.
And that brings me to Rabbi Aaron Benson, our new rabbi who will assume the pulpit on November 15. Rabbi Benson was chosen not because he represented a particular agenda. Rather, what was most impressive about him was that he connected with both left-wingers and right-wingers. With compassion, intelligence, education, experience, and fantastic people skills, we believe Rabbi Benson will help us navigate through the choppy waters and around the land mines that threaten our tranquility and cohesiveness. But as we eagerly look forward to his arrival, the lessons of the last two years have shown us that we can sail quite well without a captain, as long as we have a seaworthy vessel manned by a competent, cooperative and motivated crew. A well functioning ship requires people with diverse skills and expertise who acknowledge the value of others – and we have that. And if we turn the ship only left or only right – it will go in circles, but if we maintain a balance, which may require sometimes turning one way and sometimes the other, we will be able to move ahead and achieve our destination.
What do we hope to accomplish during our tenure?
Membership Growth: We are pleased that we are holding our own as far as membership, despite changing demographics, natural fluctuations, and the aftereffects of the changes in rabbinic leadership. Fortunately, through deliberate outreach, we are seeing a resurgence of membership, especially at the young family level. Our nursery school is full. Our summer camp went from 24 to over 40 children. We have also reached out to former members, and some have returned. We now have an active membership committee which is developing long-term plans to publicize East Brunswick as a vibrant Jewish affordable community for families seeking to relocate. This initiative requires manpower as well as money.
Increased Programming. We want people to have dozens of reasons to come to EBJC. Attendance at classes on the Talmud, on Science and the Bible, and on Jewish cooking, and Israeli dancing have developed loyal followings. The adult ed list keeps growing: ballroom dance lessons, Zumba aerobics, and strategies for successful aging are about to begin. We would like to have more concerts, bring in more speakers on current affairs, and hopefully have be able to offer cookies and coffee just to make gatherings more enjoyable – but this all requires money.
First-rate Education. Our Hebrew School and Hebrew High School have been revamped, and continue to be improved. Our board of education, volunteers all, has spearheaded new content, new programs and new enthusiasm. Additional teachers have been brought aboard, but we need more money to pay for salaries, supplies, and new initiatives.
Maintaining and improving Physical plant – The need to maintain our site takes constant resources. Does the gym feel cool? In the past 2 weeks we had to unexpectedly replace the air conditioner compressor in the gym for over $3,000. We anticipate utility costs will be going up 20% this year. We also have been informed we need to upgrade our fire alarm system at a possible cost of over $40,000. While we were extraordinarily fortunate to have a crew organized by Will Shafer donate money and time to renovating a house for Rabbi Benson and his family, EBJC had to pay some of the expenses. Like your home, it never ends!
And still we have added challenges. The stock market – need I say more? Of course we understand that there are those of us who have lost their jobs and have had their investments sink in value.
We also have competition. Want to hear something a little scary? Try Googling the “East Brunswick Jewish Center”. Do you know what pops up after about the tenth listing? “Chabad Jewish Center of East Brunswick.” They would like to become the next East Brunswick Jewish Center.
How can you help?
What a mitzvah it is to donate your time to EBJC. While this offsets our expenses, it is also a remarkable opportunity for you to put your imprint on the community by adding your expertise, time and effort. Here’s another easy way to help –tell us you would like to receive the Recorder and other mailings electronically. This can save us thousands of dollars a year in printing and postage, avoids hours of labor by the office staff, and is environmentally friendly.
Increased participation in programs – we hope you think of EBJC as a haven – a place to come and enjoy low-cost, educational, satisfying, and interesting activities that don’t require a trip to NYC with all the expense of gas and parking. Our parking is free!
And finally, now we come to what I have promised you – what can you do financially for EBJC? I want to talk to all of you, one group at a time.
First, I want to address those members who did not make a kol-nidre donation last year. I want to tell you an interesting story that taught me a lesson. My daughter Zahava graduated Brandeis University in May. My wife and I got a call asking us for a donation of $20.08 (you know – for the class of 2008). I was incredulous – I asked why Brandeis was going to the expense of calling me for only $20. Brandeis told me that they found that people who made a small donation got involved with their community, and stayed involved with their community. So I am asking you directly – become involved and stay involved. If you did not give anything to Kol Nidre last year, contribute $54 this year – three times chai, one dollar a week. Don’t pay for it all at once – spread it out over 4 quarters. If that is too much, donate $36, just $9 per quarter.
Next I want to talk to all of you who have donated in the past. This is a tough year to donate. The economy is worrisome. Your house is not worth as much as last year. My house is not worth as much as last year. You have less in your 401k than you did last year. I have less in my 401k than last year. You MAY be earning less than last year. I AM earning less than last year. It is hard to donate more this year than last year. But our Jewish Community needs you. We need funds to support the Hebrew School, Adult Education, youth basketball, USY and Kadima, the Senior Adult League and Bikkur Cholim. We need to pay our staff. I am increasing my Kol Nidre donation. Please, we need you to increase your pledge to EBJC for Kol Nidre. To have a balanced budget, we must raise $185,000 in this Kol Nidre campaign.
Picture this: It is 2 years from now. As the service finishes, you think, “wow, little Sammy really did great. The kids here at EBJC get a tremendous education, the kind of education that we don’t see anywhere else in a Conservative synagogue. Rabbi Benson has added so much to the Jewish Community here. My spouse and I can feel the community growing. Am I glad I stepped up to the plate on Yom Kippur and helped EBJC when it needed it most.”
That is the kind of picture you want to see yourself in, isn’t it? Well I can’t guarantee that picture will exist. A lot depends on what you are about to do now. To be an even greater part of EBJC, please open the envelopes you were given and contribute. Please, donate for the first time. Please, increase your pledge from last year. Please, for you and your family, make a pledge to EBJC. Shanah tova and an easy fast to all.
Update from Scott and Amy: Week 6
It has been an exciting week at EBJC with Rabbi Benson’s whirlwind visit. As a testament to the involvement of so many people at EBJC, Rabbi Benson’s two-and-a-half day visit was jam packed. Through it all, Rabbi Benson managed to remain charming, enthusiastic, and spiffy – and his ability to remember names was truly astounding!
We were so pleased that our playground was busy with children and that many young parents had the opportunity to meet Rabbi Benson (7-month-old Monte’s dad). Thanks to Jodi Young for organizing this event. The ices were a hit!
In total, more than 250 people came to meet Rabbi Benson at one of the meet-and-greets. A highlight for many was the lunch-and-learn, where Rabbi Benson demonstrated his knack for teaching and engaging his audience with insight, knowledge, and humor. It was clear that many of those who attended were impressed with his abilities and were already anticipating many more such intellectually stimulating sessions.
During his visit, Rabbi Benson was able to have collegial and productive working meetings with many arms of the synagogue, including the Religious Committee and Religious Vice President Robert Salston. He was also able to meet with most of the families who will be having B’nai Mitzvot in the latter part of November and in December.
We were also able to sit down with Rabbi Benson and clarify minor issues with the contract we had sent him. We anticipate finalizing these issues by the end of this month.
Thanks also to the Mermelsteins for hosting Rabbi Benson at their home and to Cathy for handling the scheduling. Thanks also to the Lipson family who generously paid for Rabbi Benson’s traveling expenses.
Things are looking good!
Shabbat shalom,
Scott and Amy
Dear fellow EBJC congregants,