Minutes ******** 1/8/08 *************

Nishmat Shalom Community Decision Meeting:   1/8/08
Present:  Alex, Leah, Vicky, Alice, Carol, Max, Shana
Additional input from:  Ethel, Raja, Robin
 
1) Treasury Report (since last meeting):

Balance forward:   $727.73

in     $190 from members

out     $120 childcare,
            $3 service charge,
           $49.05 newsletter mailing.

current balance including December svc chg $745.68
 
Additional donations in as of tonight: $58.00

Note: newsletter costs have gone down due to pared down
        mailing list and cheaper copies.
 
----------------------

Total income and expenses Jan. 9, 2007 - Jan. 8, 2008:
 
In:
Member Contributions                 659.00
Honorarium for use of Torah         200.00
Member Memorial Gift                 18.00
TOTAL:                                      877.00

Out:           
 Newsletter mailing                              162.55
 Childcare                                           465.00
 Bank Charges                                      12.00
 Soferet Expenses                               100.00
 National Havurah Committee T-Shirt       36.00
TOTAL:                                               775.55
 
 
 2) Approved Budget for 2008:
 Childcare: $40 times 13 services                   $520
     (12 Shabbatot plus Neila)
  Newsletter $50 times 3 newsletter                $150
 Toward next Tu B'Shvat up to                          $55
 Internet hosting (domain name and website)     $50
 Misc Photocopying                                        $20
 New Checks ordered:                                     $20
 National Havurah Committee                          $36
 NPO Groups--                                               $18
 Bank charges                                               $12

 TOTAL: to                                                   $881

 3) Decision about Decision Making: This refers to a decision
made in November 18,  which has to be renewed according to
an agreement reached at that time.   This decision allows
Nishmat to use an alternative to consensus decision-making
if it is not possible to come to a consensus after a good faith
effort.  We reached consensus to renew this decision.   You
can read the decision on our website,  www.nishmat.org,
under "administrative."

 4) We will cosponsor Purim event  with Be'Chol Lashon to
be held March 16 at the African American Art and Culture
Complex in San Francisco.  Leah volunteers to either staff
the table on our behalf or find a volunteer.  We consensed
that we will purchase a ream of light purple paper to make
more brochures. Alex will buy the paper and provide copies
gratis.   Most recent edition is August, 2007.

 5) Posting minutes of Community Decision Meetings to
the Nishmat Shalom website: Shana has volunteered to
Learn how to do this.  Max will provide resources and
limited technical assistance.  Goal is to have the minutes
current on the website by April 1st.    Note that Raja also
volunteered to do this task if no one else was available.

 6) Efforts to obtain a kashrut certification for the Nishmat
Shalom Torah scroll, and what can be done to follow up:  
The soferet who repaired our scroll in May was paid, but
has not yet provided a letter of kashrut for the scroll.  This
could be needed for insurance.  Alex will contact Robin to
go ahead and make contact with a local individual who is
in touch with the soferet.   Vicky has drafted a letter to use
as a backup.

 7) Tu B'Shevat seder:  Shana have volunteered to help
with setup.  Leah will out an email to announce needs.   
Shana will solicit carpools.  Max will be in touch with Claire
to work on siddur.   Robin will send out confirmations to
RSVPs including confirming what people are bringing.

 8) Would Nishmat Shalom like our events to be listed
in a proposed on-line calendar that will include the
scheduled events of Jewish Renewal groups in the East
Bay (Chochmat HaLev, Aquarian Minyan, Kehilla, etc)?
Cost is unknown, status is unknown.  If there is no cost,
Nishmat agrees to be part of it, as long as spam controls
are in place.

  9) Summer retreat this summer:  Four people indicated
possible interest?  Leah and Shana will investigate a
couple of venues.

 10) Appreciation for George, our main childcare worker:  
We agreed that this year we would like to send a letter of
appreciation and give George a gift (CD, provided by Shana).

 11) Review of the discussions we have been having at our
Shabbat gatherings after lunch. We felt they have been
enjoyable.  Who would like to facilitate discussions for
future gatherings? (Leah will continue finding).   Shana,
Max agree to facilitate discussions in the future.

 12) We received a thank you card from Shalom Bayit
for the contributions we made to their Chanukah program.  
Seven Nishmat Shalom households participated.  Shana
also reported that she had fun helping Shalom Bayit with
a mailing.  Leah and Ethel have also participated.

 13) Agendas/Minutes: Leah will collect agenda items for
CDMs in the future, and Carol will take minutes at the
CDMs in the future.   Carol's volunteering is contingent
upon minutes being posted to the website.

 14) Leah will send out reminders to the email list about
upcoming shabbat gatherings.  (Send Sunday to Tuesday
to before).  Thanks to Paul for doing this for the last couple
of years.

 15) Outreach to people who are on the Nishmat Shalom
newsletter mailing list but have not been active lately: Leah
started on this project but hasn't followed up lately.  Leah
will send the list to Shana. We will review list at next CDM.

 16) Emails - Max will check to see that Emily if she's
getting the emails.

 17) Aliyah list- Vicky will get the aliyah list from Paul and
will solicit updates.

 18) Inter-CDM person  - Carol will take it on for this meeting.
 
 
 Next meeting:
 Treasury Report
 Calendaring
 Revisit:
 Joint renewal calendar?
 Retreat?
 How are announcements, minutes posting going?
 Any followup to event with B'chol Lashon?
 Possible new ark that would be more protective
    for our scroll and easier to move (Carol, from
    last October ... I'm not sure this should be on
    the agenda but am including it in case it should be)
 
 Review Nishmat mailing list
 
 Last item for all meetings:  choose inter-CDM coordinator.