Nishmat Shalom CDM Agenda – 08 February 2011 – Meeting hosted by Emily
Present:  Alex, Emily, Lea, Emily, Alice, Vicky, Carol, Max

1)Treasurer’s report:  
Balance: we have a balance of $960 at present, plus another $40 check which has not yet cleared.  There is also an old uncashed check written by Nishmat for  $25 for a partial session of childcare; it may not be possible to reach the individual.   Ed and Alice will follow up on how to resolve this issue.
Inflow in 2010 was $770, $570 from households and a $200 Torah honorarium for High Holy Days use of the Torah Scroll. Max will check on the number of households that contributed the $570.
Lea will do an email posting to list donations made, in memory of Lincoln's, Ed's and Alice’s mothers.

2)             Date planning for Saturday am services:  
June 9th:  (second Shabbat of the month).   
July 16th,   August 20th  September 17th  (3rd Shabbat of the Month

3)             Report on child-care provided at Nishmat services since November 2010 (we agreed to track usage for a year to better determine the current need for childcare):  We had two services since the last CDM (December, January) and George was busy at both of them.   So, during the last eight months, children have been present at seven services.  The day childcare was not used, a volunteer was present, not George.

4)            Decision:  We reached consensus to renew the decision on decisions:  “Nishmat Shalom members strive to make all decisions by consensus, to work for solutions that meet the needs of all members. However, when consensus cannot be achieved, policy change decisions may be put to a vote, as follows: On a trial basis lasting one year, Nishmat Shalom shall substitute for unanimous consensus a minimum of at least 6 people in the majority, representing at least 80% of those present, eg., 8/10, 8/9, 7/8, 6/7 (this means that more people would have to come to business meetings to make non-consensus policy changes). If fewer than 7 people are present, then unanimity is still required for policy change.  One year after this proposal is adopted  1. it will come up for renewal. It must be renewed by consensus; 2. If the policy is not renewed, then any decision that had been made during the year under the terms of the policy can be immediately called into question, and will be reconfirmed only if confirmed by the then-present consensus.”  We will plan to revisit this annually.
    
5)             Discussion:  Designated donations --do we want to accept them and do we have concerns at this point about funding our budget similarly to last year?  Points made included:  honoraria that come in for the use of the Torah requires work on behalf of our volunteers; it is different from someone making a donation they want to put toward a particular use —that when we first discussed designated  funding our donations were down and concerns were raised about a large percentage of our budget going to childcare; that is not the case currently—that the discussion about childcare has been stressful---that we do do not want to cause additional stress for our treasurer—worry that it will cause unnecessary work—what if designated donation/fund is not enough to cover designated expense?—does it have to be a separate fund? --People have covered expenses at times—we all value have families with children—childcare discussion has been stressful.    

6) Decision:  We will not currently accept designated donations.

7) Decision:  That for one year, until January or February 2012, we will put a moratorium on questioning providing professional childcare for one year.   We will continue to keep track of childcare usage.  

8)  Budget for 2011:  Decided:
$480.00 for childcare (12 Sat am services)
$125 for communications (newsletter, mailings, domain hosting)
$12.00 for checking account fee
$36.00 for National Havurah Committee
$55.00 for Tu B'Shvat (this has been donated for this year)
Total: $708.00

9)             Report:  Max has a call in to Jewish Milestone which has a ‘portable’ ark that they lend for independent services.  He will get information about the design, whether their old ark is available, appropriate.   Max’s vision is an ark that fits the Torah tightly and also stands.   

10)             Job descriptions for open coordinator positions:  it is not necessary to attend CDM to do some of these tasks.   See descriptions below from Vicky.  Note: the newsletter job could be split between one person who does the computer work and someone else who does the copying and mailing.   Lea volunteers to continue as proofreader.  

11)   Discussion: how to handle impromptu discussion of Torah during service, including perhaps coming up with a guiding / welcoming statement for the Torah service. Comments from those present about what the meaning of the Torah service to them:
--Looking for a connection in this text, language, tradition that’s built on that
--Very old stuff and our connection to it.
--Connection with Jewish community across time and space.
--In services all over the world we’re all reading the same parsha.
--Spiritual experience during the Torah that reading that both includes and supercedes the intellectual experience.
--Relate to the content of the text and see how I can find it relevant, and also challenge it as needed if I find it doesn’t fit.  I like to engage the actual content, and engage with other people about the content.  
--Spiritual, serious, bring energy together.
--Not too somber—let us not have too much decorum.

Purpose of statement would be to focus people on the Torah service, for the energy to be less scattered.   Would it help?  Some people express frustration with rote recitation—vs others feel mesmerized—worry about time/space to express thoughts as they come up---Torah ‘readers’ are engaged with text when they prepare—but some feel this doesn’t translate to listeners’ experience

12)         Next CDM: May 15th, 2011, hosted by Ed

"Job" description for Nishmat calendar editor (as of Sept 2011):
Three or four publications (circulation = 60) per year; for each, the editor, with or without other volunteers:
1. Gathers all host assignments and events for the upcoming months (not responsible for finding hosts).
2. Matches to each Saturday morning service the appropriate parasha.
3. Updates contact information on volunteers/hosts as necessary.
4. Enters information into the computer (Microsoft Word)
5.  Sends draft to proof-readers (copy editor and liturgical editor).
6. Prints, copies, assembles (affixes labels, stamps, etc.) and mails calendars.
7. Ensures that calendar is sent out via group email and posted on website.
The time commitment for this job is about 4-6 hours every three to four months.
 
"Job" description for Nishmat davening coordinator (as of August, 2011)
**Carol has volunteered for this position.  Thank You, Carol!!**
1. Maintains list of service leaders for Saturday morning services.
2. Puts out call for volunteers each month in advance of each service.
3. Reminds leaders to check the website for review of  Nishmat service structure.
4. Notifies upcoming host of who the service leaders will be in advance.
5. Coordinates with leyning (Torah reading) coordinator that a single person has been designated to give kavanot (nuggets of truth from each Torah aliyah).
6.  Is aware of and makes modifications to the service based on the calendar (example:  adding in Hallel when needed)
7.  Encourages new service leaders and helps them find resources for learning.
The time commitment for this job is about 1-2 hours every month.


For next meeting:
Treasurer’s report-including resolution of uncashed $25/check
Childcare usage report
Date Planning
Report back on Ark
Search for new newsletter editor