I want to begin with wishing you all a very Happy and Healthy 2010. These belated greetings come with a worthy excuse. I have been caught up in discussions, plans and projections about our Temple Beth Hillel's present and our future.
It seems that these days we are all focused on finances. Whether it is your household budget or our synagogue budget, keeping on solid financial footing is a challenge for all of us. Our top priority is paying down the mortgage. I am proud to be able to tell you that as of December, 2009 we have paid $25,623.00 of our mortgage principal. The bulk of this pay down came from campaign building pledges
Through your donations, especially in memory of Irv Kurtzman, we were able to add substantially to those pledges. However, we continue to struggle to maintain a balanced budget and still keep our level of service to the congregation at its best. Many of our members are also struggling financially. The Board of Directors and I are working hard to address those needs as well. I hope you have read the letter from Lance Chernack, Vice President of Membership, outlining the focus and needs of this committee. He is asking for your help in tackling developing new ways to increase our membership, retain our existing membership and to meet the diversified needs of our membership. As part of this initiative, our Board members and various committee heads will be calling you, our members, to check in with you and to hear how we might better meet your needs. We want your input and involvement! Perhaps you remember when you were a new member and how you felt when one of us oldies made you feel at home. Now we want you to take your turn as being one of many voices of welcome at Temple Beth Hillel.
This brings me to the most important part of this new year of 2010. We have arrived at the 50th Year Anniversary of the founding of Temple Beth Hillel! The Temple Beth Hillel 50th Jubilee Anniversary will begin on September 21, 2010. We will kick off an exciting yearlong celebration which will culminate the weekend of November 4, 5, & 6, 2011!! The Jubilee Steering Committee (J.S.C.), chairedby Marty Seefer are hard at work planning for this milestone. Committee members are Ann Hughes, V.P. of Religious Practice Committee, Charles Field, Board Trustee, Ana Pearl, V.P. of Social Action Committee and Becky McCann, V.P. of Religious School Committee. Some of their plans include Israeli dancing, publishing a Jubilee Book, and hosting well known speakers, entertainers and scholars throughout the year. There will be lots to do and none of us can do it alone. However, together, we can all help in making this a celebration truly worthy of our 50 year history.
Let's make this Jubilee Year a year when we All get involved, we All participate, and we All feel the joy and pride of our Temple Beth Hillel Family.
--Stanley J. Goldberg
President
