Nishmat Shalom CDM Notes       15 November 2011   
Present:   Vicky, Lea, Max, Carol, Alice, Alex, Emily
Regrets:  Ed, Ethel, Hanna
Participated by speakerphone on item #9:  Claire

Lea shared the sad news that Ethel’s neighbor Steve passed away yesterday after an illness.

1) Treasury Report (Alice): 
Contributions in this appeal cycle:  $408, representing 13 households.  
Outgo for Childcare ($80.00), Bank Charges ($3.00)  
Balance:   1107.61

We note that last year we received a donation of $200.00 from Jewish Gateways in consideration of use of our Torah scroll but do not have a similar donation in this cycle, and also that several people have donated in kind for expenses we would have paid over the course of the year.  We will review the annual budget in January.

2)   Childcare usage report: Ed was not able to locate his records.  Emily will check in with Ed to make sure that he reconstructs see how many times over the past year there has been a childcare provider hired but no children present for our January discussion.  We noted that in August we had hired a childcare provide but no children were present. In September, we had 3 children present and there was a childcare provider; in October we had not hired a childcare provider.

3)   Dates for Nishmat Gatherings:
Carol, Steve and Bessie will take over hosting the Shabbat Service on Decmber 17th.  
Other dates already set (for reference): non-Shabbat morning dates in Italics
December 23rd (Friday eve, joint Chanukah Shabbat with Beyt Chesed)
January 10th, 2012 (Tuesday) CDM
January 21st, 2012 (third Shabbat morning)
February 5th, 2011 (Sunday) Tu B’Shvat Seder

Future dates set tonight:
2/18 (Pres Wkend)- event to honor Vicky
CDM:   Tues, April  24, 2011
3/17  
4/21 (After Pesach)
5/19
6/16

We mentioned some potential hosts and Vicky will mention them to Ed.

4)    Future of the newsletter:  Hanna has volunteered to produce the next newsletter which should come out toward the end of January.   Vicky will work with her.

5)    Camping Shabbaton: was cancelled this year due to low numbers, although a couple of members expressed that they would have liked to have had it.  Lea mentioned that it is very labor intensive to organize, and there was a discussion of some considerations that might meet various needs, pros and cons of going to a hostel, date setting, issues of people who say it sounds like a good idea but don’t make a commitment. Alex mentioned that the end of Tishrei next year is Oct 13-14.  Lea will explore options for this date this idea and make a decision about whether to organize a Shabbaton for next year based on the response.

6)    Animals: We reiterated our policy to announce any animals in the household.  We request that additional animals not be brought to events.  At this time, we are not planning to put this in each newsletter but will remind hosts of this policy.

7)    Update on Torah repairs:  The top of one Eitz Chayim (roller) is broken.  Soferet Julie Seltzer will examine it to give her opinion on the overall strength of the rollers and also determine whether it would be possible to trim the parchment to cut down on the size and weight of the scroll.   (Post examination update, 11/16/2011:  Cutting the parchment not recommended.  Since it seems that the newly broken roller is not one that has been previously repaired, Max will fix it.  Carol will take the parchment off and sew it back on to the roller, and will also research whether sturdier rollers are available as a longer term solution.) Note: Research on ark alternatives will be agendized for a future CDM if there is an update.

8)    Speaker after services on 12/17, invited by Ed:  Dr. Dan Joslyn-Siemiatkoski, Associate Professor of Church History, Graduate Theological Union will speak on 'Jewish and Christian views on the Maccabean Martyrs, or, What do they have to do with Hanukkah?' from 2 to 3 pm.   Vicky will check in with Ed.  Lea will remind Paul to include this in the announcement.

9)  Tu B’Shvat Seder:  Claire will host on Sunday 05 February 2012, 4 to 7 pm.   She will send out an email asking for ritual food contributions.   Lea and Vicky can send her email lists to use.   Claire is planning some activities that kids tend to like (eg-marzipan fruit making).

10)   Emily drafted spiritual introduction to Torah service based on our discussion several months ago.   Suggestions: that we read it aloud this upcoming Shabbat instead of Bei Ana;  that we use it several times and consider at a future CDM whether to adopt it as a regular part of our service.  Here is the text:
We open the ark to our Torah,
Our link to our ancestors,
Our guide to our traditions.
Our source of learning, reviewing, participating in now and what has come before.
May this opening symbolize the opening of our hearts
to each other
and to the bond that we share
as we explore what lies within.
May we focus, and be receptive,
coming together in our community
to do, in our way, what communities are doing in their way,
all over  the world.
May the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts
be acceptable to each other,
In the spirit of community and in the spirit of good will.
May our study here today be for the benefit of all beings everywhere.
May we live in peace.

11)    We will add to official outline of Torah service that the leader should delegate someone to announce pages in the two most common books during the reading.  (Carol will include in the update she is drafting for the website).

12)   Access to documents on website: Problems had arisen when we changed servers in order to have more space.  This is fixed; it is now easy to access the brochure and appeal letters by clicking on the link on the bottom left of the webpage.    Max will check to be sure that it is protected from websearch indexing.    

13)  Shalom Bayit Adopt-A-Family Project for Chanukah: We will again participate. Lea will communicate with the larger group and use donated funds to buy requested gift cards for a family recovering from domestic violence.  Shalom Bayit will provide donation letters.

14)  Carol reported that our website has been publicized to the Women Cantors Network and to the Aleph network in response to a request for feminine liturgy.   Agreed that Carol will prepare the first 3 paragraphs of the Amidah to add to our website.

15)    CDM list: We discussed how to make sure that the people actually on the "CDM list" receive the emails intended for that list, including both possible changes of technology and checking in with each other about the emails after they go out if there’s an issue.

Note: You're on the CDM list (used for discussions that can't wait for the next meeting) if you have attended a CDM or hosted a Nishmat event in the past year.  The CDM agenda is sent to the entire Nishmat e-mail list; the draft notes for the CDM are sent to those who are present at the meeting before the final version is sent to the whole list and posted on the website.

16)    Events:  We will not have a 20th Anniversary event.    We will plan a Shabbat honoring Vicky for 10 years of service (including editing the newsletter) on February 18th.  Carol will talk to some potential bakers, Max will ask Ed about a song, Lea will think about a certificate.

17) Publicity: We will think about a hook for future larger publicity efforts.  We discussed briefly both larger and more personal outreach efforts.

For future CDM Agendas:
January 10th CDM:
Treasury
Childcare
Dates
Annual review of non-consensus decision procedure
Set Budget for 2012
CDM list
Final planning for Tu B’Shvat Seder
Planning for 2/18

April 24th CDM:
Treasury
Childcare
Dates
Spiritual Introduction to Torah Service