by Lynn Urbach, President
Please join us for our Annual Meeting of the Congregation on June 16 at 6:30 PM. This an opportunity for members to hear from lay leadership, to learn about what is going on in our congregation. Don’t worry: there will be no reading of committee reports or requests for money. You will get information about our finances, elect new board members, and have an opportunity to ask questions. We will be presenting our third annual Jane Snerson Distinguished Service Award, for exemplary volunteer service to the congregation. The recipient is integral to our organization and has worked countless hours for many years. But this person works primarily behind the scenes and does not seek attention. Come find out who this treasured member is!
Watch for an email the week before the meeting which will include:
- How to register and be counted. We need a quorum of congregants in order for the election to be valid, so please register and attend.
- The slate of nominees to the board.
- Instructions for voting and asking questions.
Update
Sadly, we are realizing that when it is time to open our doors, we will not be able to just throw them open and all come back together. We will return slowly, in smaller groups, for shorter times, perhaps less frequently, and certainly with social distancing, masks, and other health and safety procedures. Reopening will be a gradual process.
- Summer Shabbat Picnics We will not be holding Shabbat picnics at Fort Williams in July and August.
- Reopening the Building We will have a task force to help plan for reopening. This group will include, among others, a physician, a public health expert, a board member, a school education committee co-chair, a congregant, Rabbi Saks, and Rachel Lefkowitz.
- School Update Religious school will most likely be virtual in the fall, with plans to return to classrooms as soon as we can, while following the principle of pikuach nefesh, in which the preservation of human life takes precedence over all other commandments.
High Holy Days 2020/5781
We are preparing for our observance to be virtual. We would like input from you:
- What are you looking for from us?
- What are your ideas as to how we can make our community observance meaningful without our building and while social distancing? Please email me with your ideas or to set up a time to talk.
- We will need tech help to make this work. Please reach out to me or the office if you have skills to help us create all types of virtual experiences for our community.
Our building may be closed, but our community is up and running
Yes, our physical space is closed for now. But there are many, many things going on in our community. There is the regular stuff: Tot Shabbat, Torah Study, evening and morning Shabbat services, the Mitzvah Corps, and Tuesday morning check-ins with Rabbi Saks. In addition to these, there are many other opportunities to connect, too many for me to list (though some are here). I am proud of the work that so many people are doing to keep our congregation vital and connected.
Rabbi Saks, our staff, and our lay leaders are working hard to keep things going while keeping everyone safe and healthy. Please help us: we need you to sign-in, engage, and speak up!
Photo by Adi Goldstein on Unsplash