In his reading of the week’s parshah, Jim Poliner recognized a theme of community development, a topic that resonates with us today. As an example, when Moses requested materials to build and furnish the tent of meeting, the call went out to everyone, to men and women, to people from all the trades, people with varying skills and abilities to contribute. The tent of meeting was for the purpose of gathering the whole community to celebrate Shabbat. Jim stressed how important it was to meet at a special place and at a set time for this purpose. This idea is central to the religious life of Adath Israel, as we are all encouraged to bring whatever we can to contribute to our community and to celebrate Shabbat every week.

INSTALLATION REPORT

Marge Sadinsky, chair of the Rabbi Installation committee, reported on the committee’s progress.The installation celebration will be over the weekend of May 14, 15, and 16, giving all members of the congregation and guests an opportunity to participate in the activities. Friday evening there will be a Pray, Eat, Celebrate service, starting at 7 p.m., featuring a Shabbat dinner. Saturday morning service starts at 9:30 and will be followed by a festive kiddush. The actual installation ceremony will be on Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. followed by a reception. Sandra Beckman, who chaired our successful search committee, will be the installing officer. Volunteers are needed and will be appreciated.

MINUTES FROM PRIOR MEETING

Minutes from the January meeting were approved as presented.(Note: The February meeting was cancelled.)

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

•Seth Axelrod announced that Eli Wiesel is coming to Wesleyan in the fall on a weekday. The Wesleyan chaplain’s office asked if we could help sponsor his visit. In return, we could be guaranteed a few reserved seats at the workshop and the talk. The conversation is continuing.

•Seth met with Stewart Danziger and Bruce Taillon on the subject of interfaith expression. Stew reported briefly on that meeting and provided a handout of relevant sections of our by-laws that relate to membership. They are looking at some inconsistencies in the language in order to address concerns with how we present ourselves as a congregation.

•The celebration of Hortie and Jerry Kabel in recognition of their years of service to the congregation will be held on Saturday, April 17. Lew Goldberg and Richard Kamins are assisting Seth with the planning and particulars of the event. A celebratory kiddush will follow Shabbat services.

•The Koach Committee is now being chaired by David and Gillie Palmer. They are sending something with a Passover theme to our college students.

• Wesleyan Professor of History Magda Teter is interested in our museum as a teaching resource for her Jewish history students. Professor Teter will be named chair of the Jewish and Israel Studies Program at Wesleyan beginning in the next academic year.

•There was a digression into a discussion of hosting Wesleyan students in our houses for a Seder. In addition, Rabbi Leipziger-Teva, the Wesleyan Jewish chaplain, has information about our Community Seder on the second night. The suggested contribution for WES students is $15.

• Seth announced that some of the USCJ teleconferences on topics of synagogue interest will be provided on audio. He will keep us informed.
•Again, Board members who are responsible for submitted reports and articles are strongly encouraged to make these submissions in a timely fashion. Committee reports should be submitted in advance of the executive board meeting because they help fashion the agenda for the following week’s meeting of the full board.

•Upcoming Events—please attend:

March 13—Saturday Night Lights (Havdallah service)

March 19—Pray, Eat, Sing Friday evening

March 20—60^th anniversary of Ron Rubel’s bar mitzvah, followed by celebratory Kiddush

April 17—Event recognizing Jerry and Hortie Kabel after Shabbat morning service

June 12 & 13—Relay for Life in honor of Susan Rubel

RABBI’S REPORT

No report. Rabbi Haaz is in Nicaragua, leading a group of Wesleyan students who are participating in an American Jewish World Service spring break project. The project is to dig irrigation systems for farming in the local community. He is doing this as a community outreach activity.

Special Presentation

Susan Weintraub offered a presentation on her work with branding as related to marketing our congregation. She was invited by the Communications Committee to talk with them about communications tools and their purposes and came to address the board. Her work includes creation of a logo that reflects who we are. A well-designed logo generates a feeling in the viewer -- it uses a visual language. The logo has to work toward the goal. The value is to help build community and to help us feel good about ourselves. The designer has to know to whom we are communicating with each piece of our communications program and with the whole. In addition to a design for stationery, our membership packet, our newsletter, our website, etc., she is also thinking about signage, both in the buildings and outdoors -- the streetscape. She will be conducting individual meetings with a group of identified leaders and with Rabbi Haaz to get to know who we are in order to fashion a program that will fit us. The idea is that the results will be timeless as opposed to trendy, will help in self-identification and as an aid to marketing our congregation to others. We should receive a report from her in May.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Membership/Welcoming

•Holly Simon reported that our current membership is still at 204 Family Memberships. •In keeping with her theme that people sharing their positive experiences at synagogue activities with others creates good “marketing,” she is looking to hold another event soon, this one featuring family-oriented films.

Financial

•Mike Sigal is not present. The treasurer’s report is in the board packet.

•Myron Poliner offered words of thanks for the lovely basket of fruit we sent while he was recuperating recently. He reported that with the use of endowment funds to support the budget, we will soon be drawing on the principal, because the interest income is not sufficient to meet our needs.

House

•Jack Adler reported on roof problems at the Nester Center. Interior leaking started in the fall in the Rabbi’s apartment as well as on the first floor. Jack has invited bids, has received one, and Irwin Zagoren is expecting to receive another one or two. Jack has investigated independently both pricing and quality. A question was raised about the possibility of using an energy-star rated shingle that will reflect the sun’s heat and provide cost saving on cooling.

•On a related topic, Jack report that three bids on replacement of the air-conditioning unit for the auditorium were returned. The roof over the auditorium is a Firestone rubber roof, installed by Capitol Roofing that will require special consideration by the winning contractor.

OLD BUSINESS

•There was none discussed.

NEW BUSINESS

•Nominations

James Poliner is chairing the nomination committee. He asks that we forward names of people who would like to serve on the board, and in the role of vice president, in particular. He is working to build a slate for this year’s elections.

•Director Music Fund

Richard Kamins, chair, announced that he is negotiating with the music group Mama Dani for a family concert this year, either in June or right after Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. A modest admission will be charged. The plan is to advertise the concert broadly and open it specifically to other congregations as well.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:03 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Naomi R. Kamins

Secretary

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Kolot - November 2011

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