Committees

Cemetery Committee

Co-chairs: Casey Block and Liza Mandel. 

Description: This committee has the responsibility for selling burial plots, providing full landscaping for the Beth Olam cemetery, and less extensive landscaping for Beth Sholom Memorial Park.

Expectations: While the cemetery business is generally not very involved, there are times when new issues come up and have to be resolved.

Time Commitment: The Cemetery Committee meets as needed, anywhere from once a year to 3-4 times a year when major decisions need to be made, although the latter is rare.

Chevra Kadisha (Women)

Chair: Maxine Lerman.

New female members welcome and will be trained.

Description: Preparation of a female body for burial following a written procedure; washing, purification, placement in coffin.

Expectations: Ability to work with the body of a deceased person. Ability to participate in lifting the body.

Time Commitment: Each tahara (ritual purification) takes one to one-and-a-half hours. The tahara is done by a group of three or four people, who are chosen from among the committee members based on availability.

Fundraising Committee 

Chair: Spin Zucker.

Additional members desired; expertise in planning, organizing, and executing in-person and on-line events would be helpful.

Description: This committee designs and carries out projects to raise money for the synagogue. Funds raised by events and programs are designed to supplement the annual budget of BSBI. The idea is both to promote social activity and to raise funds in order to balance the BSBI budget.

Expectations: Participation in planning, organizing and running the events.

Time Commitment: Variable, depending on the event and the extent of the function each volunteer might perform. Generally, perhaps a couple of hours a month planning, and more as an event is executed. Meetings are usually via Zoom.

Hineni Committee

Co-chairs: Risa and Roy Filkoff.

New members welcome.

Description: This committee is responsible for the following: Identifying new potential donors to Hineni each year; annual outreach to past donors; creating a meaningful letter with a brief form to capture updated information. Mailing is done around the High Holiday Season with the goal to receive all gifts by December 31.

Expectations: Following up with donors who have not yet responded; calling and personally thanking each donor in the new year; working with the Temple office to update the Hineni plaques each year.

Time Commitment: Variable.

Membership Committee

Co-chairs: Judy Meyer, Ilene O’Neil.

New members welcome.

Description and Expectations: Following up with prospective new members and welcoming new members.

Time Commitment: Variable.

Personnel Committee

Chair: Mike Turk.

Members appointed by the Board.

Description: This committee is responsible for all matters involving synagogue personnel, including interviewing potential employees and negotiating employment contracts.

Expectations: Because of the nature of these activities, a very high level of discretion and confidentiality is vital. 

Time Commitment: Meetings are held on an as-needed basis.

School Committee

Co-Chairs: Bea Brodie, Einav Ornan.

New members desired.

Description: The committee reviews registration forms to make sure they are updated and accurate, determines tuition amount, hires a principal and staff as needed, liaises with the principal, creates a calendar for the coming year, creates a budget, purchases holiday gifts for the staff, organizes various evemts such as an annual Ice Cream Social, coordinates with other committees for school and congregational events, oversees the creation of publicity for the school, buys snacks and juice for school, and works with the office manager to secure grants from the BSBI trust funds.

Expectations: Assistance with tasks and at events. Interest in Jewish education. (Members need not have children enrolled in the school.)

Time Commitment: Variable.

Social Action Committee

Co-chairs: Susan Mendelsohn and Debra Carlson.

New members welcome.

Description: This committee consists of a group of individuals who work to promote and support Jewish values in order to make a positive impact on our world through tikkun olam (repairing the world), tzedakah (charitable giving), gemilut hasidim (deeds of loving kindness) and service to the community.

Expectations: Members are expected to support the variety of events that it brings to the BSBI community. It is up to each member to determine how much time they can offer.

Time Commitment: The committee meets once a quarter over Zoom (or as needed) to further projects being presented and explored

Chevra Kadisha (Men)

Chair: Rick Berkman.

New male members desired and will be trained.

Description: Preparation of a male body for burial following a written procedure; washing, purification, placement in coffin.

Expectations: Ability to work with the body of a deceased person. Ability to participate in lifting the body.

Time Commitment: Each tahara (ritual purification) takes one to one-and-a-half hours. The tahara is done by a group of three or four people, who are chosen from among the committee members based on availability.

Finance Committee

Co-chairs: Hope & Alan Igdalsky.

New members having some familiarity with budgeting welcome.

Description: Prepare annual temple budget and monitor it on a monthly basis with reports to the Board.

Expectations: Availability to participate in most monthly meetings.

Time Commitment: One-half to one hour monthly.

Garden Committee

Co-chairs: Brina Abrahams, Merle Cohen.

New members desired; no experience necessary.

Description and Expectations: The committee decides in March what is to be planted for the season. Planting is done in June. Committee members weed, water, and harvest produce during the summer months and early fall. There are only two raised beds. Produce is delivered either to MACC or to HVCC. 

Time Commitment: A small planning committee meets two or three times a year. Others are expected to commit to two weeks during the summer or early fall during which they come to the garden two or three times each week and weed, water, pick ripe produce, and deliver it to either MACC or HVCC.

History Committee

Chair: Susan Stoppelman.

New members welcome.

Description: As BSBI has become an amalgam of three congregations, the committee will research and compile significant dates and stories in the histories of the three constituent congregations, including an attempt to document all of the art and artifacts now in BSBI’s holdings.

Expectations: Folks interested in this project may take on any portion of the task list: interviewing former or long-standing members, digging into archival materials housed in the synagogue, researching materials available through the Jewish Historical Society, exploring newspaper archives, or helping to compile and document the results of these efforts. Other tasks may arise as the project develops—for instance, tracking down art or artifacts that may no longer be in our possession. Participants may work independently or in pairs or teams.

Time Commitment: This committee will rarely meet as a group. Committee members will conduct their research independently or with others at their own timing, pace, and convenience throughout the year. Each will determine the amount of time to commit, whether three hours or fifteen (for example), according to availability, interest, and the requirements of the task undertaken.

Programming Committee

Chair: Merle Cohen.

New members welcome.

Description: This committee plans, coordinates, and provides staff for various programs throughout the year. It organizes events, plans and orders food, and provides information to the office so that they can publicize events through email announcements and the BSBI Bulletin.

Expectations: Tasks beyond meetings may include coming in to help serve or set tables etc., picking up paper goods or food items, cooking or helping in the kitchen, cleaning after events, and helping to generate new ideas.

Time Commitment: The committee typically meets monthly on Zoom to plan and organize events. Most meetings are about 1 1/2 hours. Time commitment for helping at events is variable. It is not expected that members attend all programs.

Ritual Committee

Chair: Maury Luxemburg.

New members welcome.

Description: This committee advises and supports the clergy of the synagogue on matters dealing with the ritual aspect of synagogue life. 

Expectations: The majority of the members are regular attendees at the various services that occur at the synagogue (though not a requirement). This allows members of the committee to have sufficient experience with the issues that might arise on the committee’s agenda.

Time Commitment: The committee meets in person 1-3 times a year; occasional email messages are sent assess the committee’s opinions about a topic that may not require a full meeting.

Security Committee

Chair: Richard Abrahams.

Currently the committee is looking for new members, in particular those with some knowledge of buildings, interpersonal communication, organizational skills, etc.

Description: This committee organizes and provides security for the congregation in the following ways: Organizing security for the High Holidays and other major events involving significant attendance at BSBI, such as B’nai Mitzvah, A Taste of Honey, Latkes and Lights, etc.; researching, proposing, and fulfilling BSBI security projects; applying for government grants to cover financial costs of these projects; and arranging for periodic onsite/virtual classes involving security as performed by SCN (Secure Community Network).

Expectations and Time Commitment: The committee is project driven, but does not currently meet in-person on a regular basis. Communication is via email, text message, and phone conversation. Members are expected to provide their thoughts, ideas, and recommendations regarding security issues, and to significantly participate in High Holiday security, such as being a Greeter for at least one, if not two, time slots.