Nishmat Shalom Community Decision Meeting (CDM) Agenda
26 June 2012 – Meeting hosted by Emily
Attending in person: Alex, Carol, Ed, Emily, Lea, Max
Attending by speakerphone: Ethel
Regrets: Alice
1. Treasury Report submitted by Alice:
Balance forward as of 04/24/2012: 883.60.
Outgo: Childcare 120.00; Newsletter postage 18.00;
NHC Tshirt Listing 36.00; Bank Charges 2.00; Total out:
176.00 No income since 4/24/2012.
Projected Balance as of 07/01/2012: 707.60
Includes all transactions to date, cleared and uncleared, and projected
childcare expenses through end of June. Note: per records,
balance at end of June has ranged from $520 to $950 since
2005. Last year end of June $787.61.
2. NPO group hosting (“Electric Embers”): We
discussed the payment schedule. We have budgeted $36.00 per
year. As a group, recommended paying $18.00 2x per
year. Max will talk to Alice and give her any needed information.
3. Childcare usage report: We hired a childcare provider for each
service since the last CDM. At one of these services there
were no children present.
4. Sponsorship of the 2012 National Havurah Committee Summer
Institute: Alice already arranged for us to be listed on the NHC
Tshirt for a $36.00 donation which has been paid per treasury report
above. (We don’t get a shirt; the $72.00 donors get a
shirt.)
5. Planning for Fall Fundraising Letter: things we could
mention (from Lea): sponsored Walk Against Genocide; sponsored
teachings after lunch on Shabbat; a special service and lunch honoring
Vicky Prager for 10 years of service to Nishmat Shalom; joining
together (with the help of Shalom Bayit) to purchase Hanukkah gifts for
a family affected by domestic violence; welcoming Nathan Martin, former
leyning coordinator of Nishmat Shalom, and his family upon their visit
to the Bay Area; continuing the commitment to professional childcare at
Shabbat services; a new newsletter editor taking over the newsletter;
offering volunteers at the Tikkun Leyl Shavuot at the JCC for teaching
and other capacities. (from Raja): cosponsoring Yeashore’s
Havdalah bonfires. (from Emily): added to our looseleaf
liturgy. (from Max): continue to include year to year items.
We noted that the phrasing of the above will need to be examined as the
letter is drafted, and also that this may be too much information to be
included.
In past years, Judy has been available to consult on the draft and we
would like to ask her to consult again. Lea volunteers to
coordinate the draft with Ethel’s help, and will also send the
draft to the CDM participants for input, with the goal of having the
final version of the letter available to approve and sign at the
September 4th CDM.
6. Would anyone be interested in organizing a non-camping
Shabbaton? Raja offered to organize a hot springs trip if there were
interest. Straw poll results from CDM:
Hot springs: 1 yes, 2 maybe, 4 no
Hostel: 1 yes, 4 maybe, 2 no
Retreat Center: 1 yes, 4 maybe, 2 no (concerns raised about cost,
question about bringing own food)
Alex volunteers to look into St. Columba Retreat Center in
Inverness. If someone is interested in investigating Pigeon
Point availability, that would be great. The idea to be
able to articulate the specifics of a non-camping, non-Hot Springs
retreat to the general membership for next year—or if the
logistics come together easily, for this October after Simchat
Torah. Lea suggests possibly coordinating with other
groups, since we haven’t had a threshold number of people
interested in recent years.
7. We agreed that we will incorporate the new reading “We
Open the Ark” in our Torah service as an option of the same
status as “Bei Ana Racheitz.” The leader of the Torah
service has discretion as to whether to use either or neither of these
in the service. Within the next month, Carol will
incorporate this into the service outline for posting on our
website. Thank you Emily for bringing together all of our
comments into a beautiful reading. At this time, the
reading is on a blue half-sheet in the back pocket of the
siddur. Max volunteers to print it and insert
it into the siddur for the July service, and to make a few extra copies
to carry in the box for those who wish to insert it into their personal
copies of the siddur.
8. Telephones: We discussed whether to ask Shabbat hosts to turn
off their telephones during services. We ask people not to use
(any) phones in the service space and turn phones off or down that are
in that space, but we do not ask that all phones in the house are
turned off. We strive to be mindful of addressing individuals in
a respectful way if we need to remind them of this practice.
9. Ark: Lea reported that the Coastside Jewish Community ark is
no longer available. Thank you, Lea, for persevering in
contacting them. Max mentioned that a design that stands up
and is stable, in addition to fitting inside a car, and being movable
by one person with the Torah scroll inside, would be ideal.
We also discussed the possibility of a “musical instrument”
type of case as an option for carrying the Torah. Carol
will get the dimensions of our scroll and given them to Lea who will
research this type of case.
10. Torah rollers: Carol reported that she will be looking
into options for stronger Torah rollers this summer, given the breakage
that has occurred to our atzei chaim (rollers) over the past few years.
11. Clarification of Practice on Titles: We affirmed
Nishmat's practice, following the practice of the National Havurah
Committee of which we are a member, that everyone is acknowledged
equally regardless of degrees or professional titles that may be used
in other contexts. We have many clergy and non-clergy
in our community, and everyone participates as an equal
in Nishmat.
12. Attending CDM by Speakerphone: We decided this counts
the same as attending in person for purposes of participating in
decisions at the CDM and in inter-CDM decisions.
13. Inter-CDM decisions: in the absence of a volunteer to
coordinate inter-CDM decisions, and with the list of inter-CDM deciders
now carried in the minutes, if a matter for inter-CDM decision comes to
the attention of any CDM participant, that person shall manage the
consensus process for that decision according to procedures
14. Date setting: In order to have this information
available for the September CDM, we will meet for Shabbat services on
November 17, December 22, January 19th, February 16th. We note
that we may have a joint Beyt Chesed Chanukah event on Friday 12/14,
which is why we would move the service to the 4th Shabbat
(12/22). We note that Tu B’Shvat is on Saturday
January 26, 2013 and would be happy to have a seder on either Friday
evening or Saturday afternoon depending on the preference of the
host. Note: host does not have to be the
leader. Ed will solicit houses for the Shabbat services and
Tu B’Shvat.
15. Neila and BreakFast: If leadership is available, we
agree to hold a Neila and Breakfast as a Nishmat event, and will
provide coordination and funding for childcare.
For Next CDM Agenda (9/4/2012):
Treasury Report
Childcare Update
Calendaring confirmation – need to set CDM dates as well
Fundraising letter-Lea
Report back on availability of St. Columba Retreat Center- Alex
Tu B’Shvat planning – including how to resolve potential
date conflicts with other groups
Report back on Torah container-Lea
Shalom Bayit project-Lea
Upcoming dates:
July 21, Shabbat morning service hosted by Len and Tovia
Steve will lead a discussion on “The Concept of One God in Many
Religions”
August 18, Shabbat morning service hosted by Lea
Tues 9/4/2012 CDM at Emily’s
September 22 (Shabbat Shuvah), morning service hosted by Carol and
Steve
October 6th (Shabbat Sukkot), morning service hosted by Claire and Ed
Also: Shabbat Mornings November 17, December 22 (4th Shabbat) ,
January 19th, February 16th.
Friday evening 12/14 joint Beyt Chesed Chanukah event (proposed)
Tu B’Shvat seder (proposed) Friday evening 1/25 or Saturday
afternoon, 1/26.
Nishmat Inter-CDM Decision List w/last date of attendance as of
6/26/2012:
Alex 6/26/2012 (Leyning Coordinator)
Carol 6/26/2012 (Davening Coordinator)
Ed 6/26/2012 (Childcare Coordinator)
Emily 6/26/2012
Ethel 6/26/2012 (Community contact)
Lea 6/26/2012 (Shalom Bayit Coordinator)
Max 6/26/2012 (Mailing list Coordinator, Website updates)
Alice 4/24/2012 (Treasurer)
Hanna 4/24/2012 (Newsletter Coordinator)
Vicky 11/15/2011
Claire 8/23/2011
Other ongoing coordinators:
Debbie (e-Announcements)
Raja (Website updates)
Text of reading “We Open the Ark”
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.