Beth Israel Congregation Board Meeting Minutes
Thursday, November 19, 2008

Present: Rashes, Finerman, Bernstein, Rosenblum, Hirshbein, Liberman-Lampear, Peller, Landau, Bender, Dwoskin, Hartman, Leber, Winkelman
Rashes opened meeting at 8:02 p.m. Minutes were approved by Liberman-Lampear and Bender. Agenda approved by Finerman and Winkelman.
D�var Torah: Given by Rashes.
President�s Report: Rashes attended the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism's Tri-Regional Biennial Conference sponsored by the Great Lakes and Great Rivers, Midwestern and Mid-Continent Regions of USCJ "Mid-Lakes Regional Conference. He reviewed highlights of the meeting. The keynote speaker was Elliot Dorf. At a financial workshop it was emphasized that even in difficult financial times, people will continue to give support to their place of worship. The �Rob Dob� show to honor Rabbi Dobrusin�s 20th year as a Rabbi at Beth Israel will take place on Sunday afternoon, March 8th, 2009. 11 kids so far have signed up for the Kadima Kalahari Water Park Resort (Sandusky, Ohio) event on the weekend of December 13. Those attending will be 6th � 8th graders.
Treasurer�s Report: Liberman-Lampear reported a possible $50,000 cash shortfall resulting in part from a loss of members, without a net gain of new members which had been anticipated in the approved budget. Last year Beth Israel had 480 members and this at this time we have 468 members. The dues pledges have not reached the anticipated amount, and we may not have sufficient income to cover all of the operating costs. Long time contributors have given a variety of excuses for decreasing their dues, some are now retired, some are on fixed income, and others feel that newer members should take up the slack. A number of ideas are being considered for this year and next year.
Finerman reported that Mitzvah Connection has been providing help to Jeanne Berkowitz.
Endowment Committee will meet in January 2009
Program Committee Report: Hirshbein reported on upcoming programs � Beth Israel Bowling in December, Quiz Night in January, Jews on Ice - movies and cocoa for older kids and adults - in February. Programs are being planned to cross generational boundaries and be multi-purpose opportunities.
The Board Retreat will take place on January 25, 2009 at the Gladwin Center.
Rashes motioned to adjourn at 9:02 p.m., seconded by Liberman-Lampear and Rosenblum.
Respectfully Submitted,
Sherri Peller
Recording Secretary

Beth Israel Congregation
Written Reports for
Meeting of the Board of Directors
November 19, 2008
Cemetery Committee
The Cemetery Committee will be meeting on Monday, December 15, 2008 at 8:00 p.m. Last year the Beth Israel Board approved purchase of 150 new plots over three years. The second part of that purchase is to be made this month. The Cemetery Fund currently has less than $10,000. Additional funds for this purchase ($25,000) will be borrowed from general reserves until such time as additional cemetery plots are purchased. This year, plot purchases have been below past experiences. In addition, we have had less unplanned deaths of congregants who have no pre-purchased plots. Reports are that maintenance is ongoing at Arborcrest.
Submitted by Haran Rashes
Library Committee
The Library Committee met this month. The adult and school librarians will work together to choose software to automate their catalogs. This expected cost of this software will be between $500 and $1,000. The school librarian has been attending the Association of Jewish Libraries meetings for several years, and the Committee feels strongly that the adult library librarian should attend as well. This year's meeting, in Chicago in July 2009, should cost about $500. The Librarian, Nika Bareket and the Committee will be working with Executive Director, Elliot Sorkin, to work these items into the 2009-2010 budget.
Books are still disappearing from the library. The Committee thinks that it is possible that people are taking them during meetings in the library. Please preface your meetings by reminding people that if they want to take books out, they need to sign the card in the book pocket and leave it on the desk. The librarian will be providing a specific script for this.
Submitted by Beth Dwoskin
Men�s Club
Thank you to everyone who helped erect and dismantle the Synagogue Sukkah. The 2009 World Wide Wrap will be taking place on Sunday, February 1, 2009.
Submitted by Haran Rashes
Social Action Committee
Rabbi Morris Allen, founder of the Hekhsher Tzedek program will be visiting Ann Arbor the weekend of December 5 through 7 and speaking at Beth Israel on Sunday evening, December 7. The Social Action Committee will be staffing Alpha House from Nov. 18th through 20th. Two new families will be participating in his important effort. Human Rights Shabbat is December 13th.
Submitted by various sources

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