The President's Corner

May 2008

by Andy Carpel

acarpel@aol.com

 

Shalom all.  I’ll be outlining the election process for this year’s May 15th Congregational Meeting later on in this column, but first the news…Our BOT meeting was considered very productive.  First we had a general report from our Treasurer, Marty Standel, who explained that revenues were diminishing due to the economy.  Bingo income is down, charitable contributions are down.  Of course Bingo and donations are not essentials for the average family and cutbacks are understandable, but nevertheless disappointing. The chairman of the Budget and Finance Committee, Andy Mekelberg, presented a “bare bones” budget that he said was both conservative and optimistic.  English translation…money will be tight.

 

    In order to mitigate the costs somewhat, our Treasurer proposed we use the interest from our well-funded Rabbi’s pension fund and earmark it to pay a portion of his salary.  This practice is customary and in line with common business practices. We accepted his recommendation.  It will save a lot of money. 

 

    Next we moved to fill two recent vacancies on the Board.  Four of five candidates described their qualifications and visions for Beth Sholom, plus one ran in absentia, communicating his thoughts in an open letter to the Board.  Unfortunately, we could only elect two. Karen Ashwal was elected for a two-year term and M.J. Minton for a one-year term.  They begin serving at the May 15th meeting. 

 

   I hope and expect the other candidates who didn’t win to be nominated at the Congregational Meeting and run again.  This year we will be filling 7 seats on the Board, as prescribed by the bylaws: the President, the 2nd Vice President, the Treasurer and 4 at-large Board members. I encourage all members to attend the annual meeting, on Thursday, May 15, at 7:30 pm.  The governance of Beth Sholom will obviously be deeply affected by the outcome of this meeting 

 

    Speaking of the Congregational Meeting, we have asked that everyone who has submitted his or her name to the Nominating Committee for a position on the Board to submit a written summary, not to exceed 200 words, of their experience relevant to Board service.  These will be compiled and distributed to each person who attends the congregational meeting. These written statements will not supersede each nominee’s right to speak for three minutes. 

 

     Not to beat a dead horse, but some candidates will have been recommended by the Nominating Committee, and that will be indicated on the ballot.  Headed by the former President of the Board, the membership of the Nominating Committee was elected at last year's annual meeting and is made up of volunteers.  I cannot recall ever having more nominees for the Board of Trustees than positions to fill.  Traditionally the charge of the Nominations Committee was to find credible candidates for the Board. Kind of like the movie “Mars Needs Women!”  This year is different…. we have many more candidates than we have positions to fill.  Our Beth Sholom bylaws and Roberts Rules specifically charge a nominating committee to submit a slate of candidates.  Usually if incumbents re-enlist the committee submits their names.  Still, there is no substitute for your own personal experience and research on who would make a good Board of Trustee member. 

 

     The public address system in the Sanctuary is a “hit” with the public. If you come to services, you’ll  now hear the softest of voices when they are praying on the Bimah.  On the subject of “hits,” Beth Sholom member and artist Sherry Sanabria had a public showing of her artwork at the Hoorn-Ashby Gallery on Madison Avenue in New York. Yours truly gratefully attended the opening. Titled “French Suite,” Sherry displayed about twenty paintings inspired by a recent trip to France.  You may recall that her husband, Bob Sanabria, is responsible for the iron menorahs and eternal flame in our beautiful Sanctuary, as well as the “Tree of Life” sculpture outside.

 

    My good friend Marty Tulkoff, scion of Baltimore’s horseradish cartel, passed away last year.  I miss him.  For many years he would send me a small case of horseradish just prior to Passover.  Of course I’d give it out to everyone whom I thought could use it. Occasionally I’d get a free meal out of it.  In any case, our family, the Carpel-Shapiros, use only one bottle of horseradish per year. This year the box of horseradish still came.  My hair stood on end when I opened it. Even a root was included for our Seder plate. Later I figured his son Phil must have sent it. Still, I gotta stop watching the Sci-Fi Channel.  As Marty used to say, “I hope you had ha zuisen Pesach.”

 

Shalom, Andy