President’s Message

As some of you may know, we are now beginning to prepare our committee and synagogue-wide budget for our next fiscal year. This is a complicated process that involves many hours from our volunteers, who are tasked with developing a balanced budget each year. Our synagogue’s budget is funded primarily through our dues charges however we do run fundraisers throughout the year to help to cover some of our operational costs. (more…)

February starts an exciting time for our congregation. Our Nominating Committee will begin the task of soliciting people to be Board members, Trustees and Officers for the coming year. This is a difficult task, as there are many positions to be filled this time aroun (more…)

As many of you know, my family suffered the loss of my Father to cancer shortly before Thanksgiving. Although we knew that he was sick, this still caught us by surprise as he was relatively healthy and doing well just a few weeks before. (more…)

For those who were away during Yom Kippur this year, or otherwise unable to attend, I’d like to take this opportunity to congratulate the latest winner of the President’s Award and share with you the award announcement that I gave prior to the Kol Nidre service. (more…)

Depending on when you receive the bulletin, you may have an opportunity to read this right in the middle of the High Holy Days. Regardless of the timing, whether during or afterwards, I want to take this time to thank all the members of the synagogue, the various committees and the officers who take a role in preparing our congregation for these holidays. (more…)

One of my self-appointed tasks this year has been to work with the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism (USCJ), the Conservative Movement’s governing organization, to increase our participation in their activities and put our synagogue’s membership with them to better use. (more…)

Summer is now, finally, upon us. After a wet and cool spring, we have heat, we have sun and we have more heat. Activities slow down at the synagogue, holidays outside of Shabbat and Tish’a B’Av are on a break until the fall and many people take the summer months to travel. (more…)

In June each year our synagogue has a couple of important events, that tend to have a relatively low turnout. (more…)

Over the past year there have been several occasions where I have been approached by committee chairs and other congregants looking to me for advice on how to recruit younger members to the various groups and activities happening around the synagogue. Now, while I am flattered that I am considered to be young enough to fall into this group, I have not really been able to come up with the magic answer that people are looking for. (more…)

Spring is here, and with it comes a full calendar at TBS. B’nai Mitzvah season is upon us, along with Pesach, Jazz Night and a flurry of events and activities throughout the many arms of the synagogue. As I do in many of my segments, I encourage every one of you to get involved. (more…)