Minutes of the Nishmat Shalom Community Decision Meeting 'd0 09 September 2008

Meeting hosted by Emily
Also attending: Alex (note taker), Alice (treasurer), Ethel, Ed, Max, and Shana (chaired the meeting).

1) Treasurer's report: Our bank balance is $700.72 (not bad!); anticipate raising more funds shortly through annual appeal letter. Other items approved for payment: $36 to National Chavurah Committee and $57 reimbursement to Max for Nishmat Internet domain registration. An additional payment of $25 will be needed soon to renew one of the registrations. Max also recommended making a nominal donation of $18 to NPOGroups, who providing hosting for the Nishmat listserve. There was no objection. Note: Nishmat Shalom currently has three domain registrations, for www.nishmatshalom.org, www.nishmat.org, and www.nishmat.info (the latter just to make sure no one else uses it).

2) Start time for Shabbat morning service: Currently set at 10:30 AM, with doors opening at 10 AM. Max and Alice commented that people tend to arrive around 10:30 AM, delaying start of the service. They anticipated this result when the start time was changed. The change was provisional; Max would prefer the old 10 AM start time, but did not insist on changing back. Alex wondered whether some preliminary activity could attract people earlier. Emily suggested coffee/tea/nosh. Ed wanted to know what the actual trend for service start times has been over the past nine months with the new schedule. Shana thought there was more consistent attendance at 10:30 AM than at 10 AM. There was consensus to make the 10:30 AM start time permanent. Alex, Emily, and Max all stated that they could offer coffee and tea at 10 AM, but there will be no announcement or expectation that other hosts would do so.

3) Ne'd5ilah: The correct havdalah time is 7:25 PM, so plan to start Yizkor at 6 PM followed by Ne'ilah at 6:30 PM. Shana will lead the service, and Ed will host again this year, with doors opening at 5:30 PM. DOES ANYONE KNOW WHERE THE MACHZORIM ARE? Ed does not think they were left a t his house.

4) Tzedakah project: Lea will again solicit specific gift items for a family sheltered by Shalom Bayit. Gifts to be delivered in time for Hanukah. Note: Shalom Bayit also sends out fund-raising letters, separately from the Nishmat-sponsored project.

5) Annual Appeal Letter: Waiting on a finalized calendar. It would be nice to meet in a Sukkah during Sukkoth, but this is not an absolute requirement. Post CDM update: Paul and Miryam will host on October 18th, the Shabbat that falls during Sukkoth. Alex and Eve offered to host on November 15th, and Max will host on December 20th. Emily offered to host on January 17th, 2009. She will also host the next CDM on December 9th.

6) Erev Tu b'd5Shevat: This holiday falls on Sunday evening, February 8th, 2009. Robin Braverman was contacted by phone and agreed to again host a Seder. Shana will assist with carpooling arrangements.

7) Death Penalty Resolution: Ethel and Alex asked Nishmat to endorse a resolution (drafted by the Alameda County Coalitions for Alternatives to the DP) calling for an end to death penalty prosecutions in Alameda County. The resolution reads,

Believing that it is time for public safety priorities to change in Alameda County, we _________________________ (insert organization name), therefore resolve that, we call on:
1) The District Attorney of Alameda County to stop pursuing the death penalty; and
2) The District Attorney and the Board of Supervisors of Alameda County to invest in solving homicides, violence prevention, and effective public safety programs.

Ed wondered whether Nishmat should routinely consider (or avoid) potentially controversial real-world resolutions. Nonetheless, there was consensus to endorse the resolution, placing Nishmat Shalom in the company of Kehilla Community Congregation, Congregation Beth Shalom, and Congregation Kol Shofar. Alex and Ethel will transmit Nishmat's endorsement to ACCADP.

8) Follow-up on letter of kashrut for Sefer Torah: Vicky wrote a letter on behalf of Nishmat, signed by participants at the previous CDM, requesting that Soferet Avielah Barclay provide a certificate of kashrut for the Torah. We know that in the past year she married and moved from Vancouver, BC, to the UK. Her web site provides an e-mail address, but no postal mailing address. Raja is researching her address and will forward the letter as soon as possible.

9) Outreach: Max proposed the 'acquisition' of Gan Eden minyan, which apparently is no longer meeting because no one is available to coordinate the chavurah. They used to hold Friday night services and potlucks once per month, on the third Friday. Nishmat could coordinate this additional event once per month, using the Gan Eden e-mail list. But the third Friday is likely to conflict with Nishmat's Shabbat morning services, so the first Friday was suggested as an alternative. Max will investigate further. Do we want to take on a second event per month?

10) Inreach/Outreach: Various people commented on the success of last month's Shabbat, which honored the jubilee of Max'd5s bar mitzvah and attracted many people from the wider community. More events like this one could help expand Nishmat'd5s e-mail list and monthly attendance.

11) Robin will organize (and host) a pool party on Sunday 31 May 2009, immediately after Shavuot. Note: This in NOT the Memorial Day weekend.

12) As noted above, Emily will host the next CDM on December 9th, 2008. Please send agenda items to Alex