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| B'nai Emet -> Messages -> From the President -> 2000June, 2000Taking StockThe month of May means different things to different people: tulips, Mother’s Day, fishing opener, tomato plants, and of course B’nai Emet’s annual congregational meeting. The B’nai Emet bylaws require a meeting of the congregation to be held at least once each year, preferably in the month of May. The only business required to be accomplished at this meeting are a treasurer’s report of the congregation’s financial position and an election of officers. On a recent Thursday evening in May, we fulfilled those minimum requirements and so much more. The congregation elected 15 board members to serve for the next two years, along with those trustees who have one year left to serve. The treasurer’s report made it clear that B’nai Emet has great financial challenges ahead. I wish I could tell you that our financial future is secure, that compensation of our staff is commensurate with the great value of their contributions, and that we can maintain and modernize our beautiful building. In the coming year, many of us will be called upon to increase our levels of support for our synagogue. I hope we all share a sense of responsibility to one another, to the next generation, and to generations past, and will agree to strengthen B’nai Emet’s future in this vital way. When I focus too long on B’nai Emet’s financial struggle, I have to remind myself what I try to teach my own children—money is a means to an end, but not an end in itself. Things that give meaning to our individual and synagogue lives include giving of ourselves, building a community, perpetuating tradition and history, attaining education and wisdom, struggling to achieve goals, hard work, and experiencing belief, inspiration, strength, and satisfying relationships. We are fortunate at B’nai Emet to have opportunities to enhance our lives in all these significant ways. We are rich in ways that don’t appear on a balance sheet, and the annual meeting gave us an opportunity to glimpse some of these riches. Those in attendance had a chance to see the beautiful needlepointed chuppa in progress, and acknowledge the women who are doing this work. We enjoyed several songs presented by the recently-constituted Women’s League choir, and previewed the B’nai Emet website. Much of the evening focused on our own Fay, who after more than 50 years of service to the synagogue, is “hanging up her apron,” to borrow the phrase used by the American Jewish World in its recent article about Fay. Four generations of Fay’s family were present for dinner, to recite Shehechiyanu, and to hear our tributes. . Three B’s and an E (you really had to be there) donned their own aprons to sing their original musical homage to “Fay, glorious Fay.” Jackie, Fay’s daughter, revealed Fay’s secret cooking ingredient, and B’nai Emet and Women’s League presented Fay with a dedicated permanent sanctuary seat. Fay assures us after some time off to travel, she will be back to continue her work with the Chesed committee and other synagogue groups. In my written message to the congregation, I identified our members, our staff, our ritual and religious activity, and our programming as areas of particular strength. This past year all these areas have been taxed by some difficult challenges. Rabbi Abramson and our congregation have been saddened by the deaths and serious illnesses of a large number of members. As individuals, we have struggled with these losses on a personal level, and, as a congregation, we have tried to respond to the needs of our fellow members for support and consolation. The daily minyan has been a source of strength to our many mourners. Our minyan leaders, Michael and Hersh deserve a great deal of credit for their extraordinary dedication to assembling and leading a minyan twice a day. Another challenge faced by B’nai Emet this year resulted from the temporary disability of our administrator, Andrea. Our hard-working office staff rose to the challenge of providing uninterrupted topnotch service. And Andrea showed her dedication by keeping her hand in B’nai Emet business while she was confined to her sofa. My first year as B’nai Emet president is drawing to a close. I have one year left in my term. Organizing our annual meeting has prompted me to take stock of this past year and figure out where I have succeeded and where I have fallen short. I feel positive about our many strengths and high level of activity and involvement. However, the challenges ahead cannot be underestimated. I still have one year to try to make an impact in the areas I feel are most important. I am relying on your help and support. |
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