Well, we are in the final week of preparation for the Seder…Buddy Bernstein and team are completing the final steps to ensure all will be ready to go when everyone arrives on Monday night…And it sounds like it is going to be a wonderful night! I look forward to seeing all of you there!
April 2 Board Meeting
There was a significant amount of work done at the Board meeting on Sunday, April 2. One of the items discussed was the issue of where to send requests for notecards and any associated donations. This is a question that came up during our Annual Meeting as there was a good bit of confusion around exactly how all of that was working now. While I still need to pull together some final procedures to share, please be aware that, effective immediately, all requests/donations should be send directly to Marty’s office. Many thanks to Barbara Sherr for her efforts in creating the newer cards, with the logo. They are beautiful and I know everyone has enjoyed (and will continue enjoying) using them. Also, many thanks to her for helping us figure out a way to simplify the process for everyone!
While a number of other items are in the works, more research and discussions are needed before final resolutions are reached so I will keep you all posted as we make further decisions and move forward with them. If there is anything, in particular, that you would like an update on right away, please feel free to reach out to me and I will be happy to share.
Small Jewish Community Survey
As you may recall, last week I shared that Rabbi Nancy had been contacted with a request to assist in providing responses to a survey on Small Jewish Communities in the United States. I also shared that the purpose of this survey was to provide a first attempt at better understanding Jews in small communities, their values, their strengths, and their unique contribution to the American Jewish landscape.
At the time of my message, the deadline was March 31 but I informed you that I would ask if that deadline could be extended. Well, according to the response I received, we were not the only ones asking for an extension so, that has now been done! The deadline is now May 22. Soooo, if you were not able to complete the survey prior to March 31, never fear, you can do it now! I hope you will take the time to do so. I completed it and it is very easy!
The link to the survey can be found at: http://www.smalljewishcommunities.org/. Please be sure to use the unique community ID of THEAL03. They estimate that most people will be able to complete the survey in 10 – 15 minutes and they would really appreciate our help!
Services and Torah Study
The schedule for our upcoming services, as it currently stands, through the end of June, is as follows:
- April 7 – Rabbi Nancy
- April 10 – (Passover) Rabbi Nancy
- April 14 – Buddy
- April 21 – Rabbi Nancy
- April 28 – Rabbi Nancy
- May 5 – Rabbi Nancy
- May 12 – Rabbi Nancy
- May 19 – Rabbi Nancy
- May 26 – Buddy Bernstein
- June 2 – Rabbi Nancy
- June 9 – Ken Wolf
- June 16 – Rabbi Nancy
- June 23 – Rabbi Nancy
- June 30 – Buddy Bernstein
As always, congregants and members of the Shoals community, at large, are invited to attend the weekly Torah Study session which is held each Saturday morning at 9:30, at the Temple.
Reminder items:
- Community Seder – Monday, April 10, starting at 6:00pm
- Soup Kitchen – Saturday, April 15 – please bring dessert items to the Temple no later than 9:30am that Saturday.
- Small Jewish Community Survey from the University of Virginia – please complete by Monday, May 22. Use the link: http://www.smalljewishcommunities.org/ and the unique community ID of THEAL03 to complete it.
If you are aware of something in the community that you would like me to draw some attention to in my message, please let me know! And, as always, if you have any announcements you would like for me to share with our membership, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me.
I hope you all have a wonderful week and I look forward to seeing you this Friday night!
Shalom!
Traci Welch
