Nishmat Shalom CDM Agenda – 09 June 2009

Present:  Lea, Alex, Alice, Max, Ethel, Carol

Regrets:  Raja, Emily, Vicky

1) Treasurer’s report

Since mid-February:  Balance forward:  $944.64; 

Outgo: $221.60 for expenses related to childcare; newsletter; bank charges.

Income: $86.00 in contributions

Current balance: $809.04

Note that some checks ($200 plus) written for childcare apparently have not cleared; Alice will follow up with Ed.  Max will provide Alice with information for paying domain and npo groups hosting.

2) Newsletter:

Per Vicky: June newsletter will go out shortly; Sept newsletter will be sent before High Holy Days, including  Oct-January schedule, fundraising appeal

3) Calendar of Events through early October:

July 12 pool  party at— Robin’s in Lafayette;

- Alex will resend the announcement

- Robin is looking for 5 positive RSVPs in order to hold the party.  Please add yours!

July 18  Shabbat morning service-place?

August 15 Shabbat morning service-place?

August 28-30 Camping Shabbaton

September 8, Tuesday evening CDM-at Emily’s (?)

September 12 –Shabbat morning service;  Alex and Eve volunteer to host

If we have leadership and an appropriate house available, we will sponsor a Neilah service (Sept. 28) –people can watch the emails

October 3 Shabbat morning service in the Sukkah; Paul and Miryam volunteer to host.

3) Nishmat's overall approach to event planning and cancellation:

When planning: take into consideration geography, past attendance, interest of group, Nishmat members willing to work on events.  Be clear when an event is a Nishmat-sponsored event versus an event offered to Nishmat members.  If it’s a Nishmat-sponsored event, CDM should be involved in canceling, relocating or other changes to announced events.

4) Erev Tisha B'Av: 

Wednesday, July 29; no one has taken initiative to organize a Nishmat event at this point. Members should communicate other Tisha B’Av events to the list.

5)  Camping Shabbaton: 

August 28 – 30: 3 campsite reservations have been made;  no more are available but there is room to share campsites; Lea is organizing logistics, shared vegetarian meals.  Please contact Lea if you would like to attend!  

6) National Havurah Committee Summer Institute 2009: 

Ethel will ask for 3 to 5 brochures, to be sent to Max.   Max has an email announcement that he will send to list.    Alice will send $36.00 to NHC for our name to appear on the Institute T-shirt.  Anyone who is interested can purchase the shirt via the NHC website.

7)  Possible Presentation: "The Middah of Simchah/Joy."  The CDM authorizes Ethel to invite Josh to present it at Nishmat Shalom if appropriate and to work out a date.   Other Nishmat members who wish to attend Josh’s talk at Netivot Shalom on Sunday morning 6/28 are encouraged to do so.

8) Format for newsletter: 

No current plan for changing newsletter into PDF format versus mailing.  CDM discussed advantages to maintaining contact w/people by mail as well as email.   Vicky queries if there is anyone who is interested in taking over the newsletter.  (Others are available to help with printing, proofreading and mailing).  Thank you Vicky for doing such a beautiful, timely and reliable job! 

9) Fundraising letter:  

Carol is willing to coordinate it this year.  Please let Carol know if you would like to give input.  This will go out with September newsletter.   Will be signed by frequent CDM attenders.

10) Follow-up on letter of kashrut for Sefer Torah: 

Alex has been in touch with soferet who says she does not have any records of her work because of computer issues.   Carol has located information from the time of the repairs.  Alex will forward the information to soferet so that she can provide a letter of kashrut.

11) Follow-up on inreach/outreach: 

* Shana and Max have both gone through the mailing list. Thank you!   

* Alex and Carol will review the current text of the brochure, and edit for current info, and to use the P.O. Box and email for contact info.

* Carol reports that individual phone calls to invite members personally, they respond.  Also, host reaching out can be especially effective.

12) BayJews posting: 

No one has stepped forward to do this and it is not a priority at this time.

13) Our minhag on non-nishmat announcements to email list: 

We are doing well as an unmoderated list!  Thank you everyone for your awareness of using our list for Nishmat-related announcements!

14) Inter CDM decisions: 

Will be coordinated by Raja until the next CDM.  THANK YOU!

For next meeting:

Financial:

Childcare checks not cashed? Domain hosting expenses?

Events:

Nishmat Friday evening svc w/Beyt Chesed, 10/30/09; Alex volunteers to lead

Shabbat am svcs: November 21 & December-12^th – 1st day of Chanukah?

Lincoln & Madeline – will host Shabbat Chanukah on 12/18

We will look toward a musical evening during the winter.

We need to discuss privacy of information on printed materials.