Notes: Nishmat Community Decision Meeting 3/19/07
Present: Alice, Lea, Ethel, Carol, Max
Additional Input received from: Raja.
SCHEDULE REVIEW- No changes at this time
Services- set for 4/21, 5/12, 6/16, 7/21 with places set
CDMs Next one set for Tues, 6/12; following will be early fall
Do we want to think about something for Tisha B'Av (evening of 7/23)
DISCUSSION, ACTION:: See what other groups are doing; Lea will check with Aquarian Minyan and publicize to the list
TREASURY REPORT AND UPDATE:
Current Balance: $680.23
Received since last meeting: $115 (3 checks), pledged $193
Total received and pledged income, 8/1/06 to 3/20/07 = $663 (compares to $729 same period last year). Max and Alice are both keeping track of contributors.
BUDGETING for the year: DISCUSSION and DECISION:
$40 times 13 services $520 (12 Shabbatot plus Neila)
$70 times 3 newsletter $210
Toward next Tu B'shvat up to $ 55
Internet hosting (domain name and website) $50
Misc Photocopying $20
National Havurah Ctte $36
NPO Groups-- $18
Bank charges $12
totals to $859
DISCUSSION: This year, Tu B'shvat and photocopying were covered by donations, bringing the total down to $ 784.00. Based on contributions and pledges to date, this represents a shortfall of $121.00. We hope to make this up this spring or next fundraising cycle.
VISIT OF SOFERET AVIELAH BARCLAY: REPORT from Carol: Nishmat is officially one of six groups who are co-sponsoring her visit from May 16^th through May 25^th including having her teach at the Community Tikkun and having her repair our scroll. Fees are being donated. If costs of repairing the Sefer Torah exceed $250.00 we may need to do a some fundraising.
COMMUNITY TIKKUN LEIL SHAVUOT: REPORT from Ethel-three people have volunteered to help with the Tikkun. (Nishmat is an official co-sponsor this year.) Max is considering teaching. Carol is _considering_ coordinating a Shacharit service (to begin around 5:30 am ).
SUMMER RETREAT/SHABBATON: REPORT from Lea: No enthusiastic response about a retreat this summer, with a consensus not to hold one at this point. No one she has talked to objected to the idea of not holding a retreat this summer. If anyone has interest, please contact Lea or take the initiative to organize it.
NISHMAT SHALOM WEBSITE: REPORT from Max. Calendar is up to date. New Torah service outline is on it. Minutes are almost up to date. Brochure is planned to be uploaded, but not in the next month. DECISION: to update paragraph about Soferet on the homepage.
OUTREACH efforts to folks on mailing list who rarely come: REPORT from Lea. She has called about 8 people from 20 names given to her by Vicky, who compared our listserve list and our paper mailing list. There were 2 requests to be dropped and 2 requests to be added to the listserve, also 2 additional requests to be added to the listserve from folks who have attended within the last few months. Max will send updated contact information to Lea and Ethel in an excel file.
LISTSERVE ANNOUNCEMENT POLICY: DISCUSSION: Overall, we think it is a good balance currently. Ethel receives most of our information. She will continue to use her judgment about what to post so that traffic on the list does not increase unduly. Ethel is no longer running a separate announcement list, although she sends specific information to people she knows want it.
COSPONSORSHIP OF YEASHORE BONFIRES: DECISION: Yes. And we appreciate that the number of announcements has been reduced.
DISPOSITION OF OLD TORAH SERVICE PAGES: ACTION: Max will see that they get genizaed.
FOR NEXT CDM: 6/12/07, Tuesday
Calendar Shabbat Services for August on into the year
Do we want a Neilah service?
Setting a CDM for Early Fall
Fundraising letter-draft and schedule
Report on Torah scroll repairs
Ark possibilities/recommendations