We are reaching out to ask for your support as the calendar year 2024 comes to a close. This year we have an ambitious goal of $80,000. Please watch this short video to learn more about our ask this year.
Our new dues structure is working well and pledges have met our annual goal. As Steve Rubenstein, president of Beth Israel, explained in his November Hashaliach column, we ask each member to contribute additionally across the year, selecting opportunities of their choosing. The expectation is that each member will give an amount totaling about ⅓ of their dues pledge in discretionary contributions. For example, if a member’s dues were $2,100, they would contribute $700 more across the year. This ensures that we have sufficient funding and that the expectation is equitable across the diversity of financial capacity among our members.
Some examples of what people might choose for their additional obligation are sponsoring a kiddush or a camp-style Shabbat dinner, donating in memory of someone, or to celebrate a simcha or to honor someone’s achievement, or to express gratitude. Contributions could also be directed to bringing a speaker or a musical event or other activities, or to the school.
So there are lots of options. This end of year appeal is one such option for you.
Lots of good things have happened at Beth Israel over the last year. So far, in the last four months, we have welcomed 37 new member units (individuals or families) to Beth Israel. We are so happy that we have so many new members and in fact, we will be having a Shabbat supper this coming Friday, December 6 to welcome them. Our school enrollment, under the leadership of our school director, Lynne Caine, is also up 20%–from 85 last year to 103 this fall. This is exciting to have so many children enrolled across our grades and to be deepening and enriching our curriculum. The young people who became b’nai mitzvah last year bonded wonderfully. They are now continuing to be involved as madrichim in our school, participating in Shabbat morning services, and taking advantage of activities in our new youth groups. We hired Ben Brent as a youth and family programming coordinator last year, and we are fortunate with his enthusiastic leadership and relationships with our older children.
Hashaliach, our congregational newsletter, has returned and we have heard how much you are appreciating it. We launched a new congregational directory, many with members’ pictures so we can connect with one another better. (Please add your photos if you haven’t already!) Our ISRAEL360 initiative, led by a steering group of congregants, provided several opportunities for our continued learning about Israel. The Chesed Committee has helped us with our goal of being a caring community. And we had several speakers and events across the year, including musical ones, aimed at different interests. In terms of our building and grounds, our Green Team has been active in advancing our agenda related to environmental sustainability. We installed LED lighting throughout our building, revived the landscaping and took care of our large trees.
All of this is a lot of good news. And it is made possible by your support.
Unlike some congregations, we do not do an appeal at the High Holidays. We choose instead to reflect and renew, restore and reimagine. We are reaching out now to ask you to contribute to our annual end of year appeal. Making an end-of-year gift to Beth Israel is one good way to meet your additional contribution for this year. And it will help us meet our funding needs for this year.
Our goal for this year’s end of year appeal is $80,000. This will get us one-third of the way to our remaining annual need beyond what we raise from dues. We are asking you to take this opportunity to contribute generously. This is about our sustaining powers as a congregation, for each of us, and for all of us together. Thank you.
