Upcoming Transitions in Synagogue Leadership
 
 
Mazel tov to Richard Selzer, the new president of the Jewish Community Center of West Hempstead. Yasher Koach to Ilan Rogoszinski, their immediate past president.
 
Mazel tov to Mark Jacoby, the new president of the Westchester Jewish Center in Mamaroneck.  Yasher Koach to Marilyn Reader, their immediate past president.
 
Mazel tov to Saul Rosenberg, the new president of Merrick Jewish Center. Yasher Koach to Barry Silverman, their immediate past president.

Barukh HaBa to Rabbi Joshua Hearshen, the new associate rabbi at Midway Jewish Center.

Brukha HaBa'ah to Rabbi Cecelia Beyer, the new assistant rabbi at Temple Beth Sholom in Roslyn.

Barukh HaBa to Rabbi Jeremy Brunn Ruberg, the new assistant rabbi at the New City Jewish Center.

Barukh HaBa to Hazzan Adam Frei, the new cantor at Midway Jewish Center.

Barukh HaBa to Hazzan Henry Rosenblum, the new cantor at the Forest Hills Jewish Center.

Barukh HaBa to Rabbi Eytan Hammerman, the new rabbi at Temple Beth Shalom in Mahopac.



 
Do we have your rabbi, cantor and incoming president's name?

METNY USCJ would like to keep all of your synagogue board members up to date on the METNY programs and information. When your synagogue elects new board members, please fill out the Synagogue Leadership form and send back to the METNY office so we can include your leadership on our lists. Please click
here for the form for 2010-11.
 
Please email, fax or mail to metny@uscj.org or fax to 212-533-0400. The form can be mailed to 820 Second Avenue, 10th Floor, New York, NY 10017.

Furthermore, many of our congregations are currently in search for professional and spiritual leadership. METNY is here to help. Please contact any of our staff with questions. We wish our congregations success in this sacred enterprise. 
This Week's News
Synagogue Transitions
Conversion Bill Update
New Feature! - Downloads
Teacher Training - Aug. 25
Ramah Berkshires Beit Midrash Dedication
New Presidents Workshop
Boycotts and Buycotts
High Holiday Security
HAZAK Program - Oct. 3
Yasher Koach Corner
Tu B'Av - A Day of Love
Encampment Update
KERUV Webinar - Aug. 18
METNY on the Road!
This Week's Downloads

HAZAK Flyer

Membership Reporting Form

Lulav/Etrog Order Form

Keruv Webinar Flyer

High Holiday Security Information


Teacher Training Workshop
To read the latest updates from national USCJ headquarters, click here for USCJ eNews.
Check out our Website!
Publicize your event on the METNY Community Calendar. Please email

metny@uscj.org to have your event posted.
Click here to view the calendar.

Follow METNY on the Web!
 
 
 
Click here to become a fan of
METNY USCJ on Facebook!
 

Twitter
@CharlieSavenor
 @MetnyUSY
 
Contact METNY
820 Second Avenue, 10th Fl.
 New York, NY 10017
 
212-533-0800 (p)
 212-533-0400 (f)
 
Rabbi Charles Savenor
 Executive Director

Rabbi Moshe Edelman
Associate Executive Director

Dave Siegel
Interim Director of Youth Activities

Sharon Steinberg
President
To read workshop summaries and to download handouts from the 2010 Synagogue Leadership Conference, visit the METNY website.
SAVE THE DATE!

METNY District's 
Biennial Convention
2010 
will be held on

Sunday,
 November 14

at Beth El Synagogue Center
in New Rochelle.

More information will be forthcoming.

Rotem Conversion Bill Update
By Rabbi Steven Wernick*, CEO, USCJ

July 22, 2010
 
Late last night the Knesset session concluded without a reading of MK David Rotem's proposed conversion law.
 
When the law first came before the committee we could not be sure that that would be the case. In fact, the general feeling was that this law had enough support not only to make its way to the Knesset floor, but to become law. That it did not is a significant accomplishment of the North American and world wide Jewish community.
 
I was in Israel when it happened, and took my place as part of the leadership group that opposed it.
 
We, the liberal Jewish community around the world, sent more than 60,000 emails to Prime Minister Netanyahu, we mobilized Israel's friends at home and our friends in Israel to reach out to him personally, we hit the airwaves and newspapers and with our partners in the Masorti movement in Israel, the Rabbinical Assembly, the Reform movement and the Jewish Federations of North America we lobbied the Knesset vigorously, explaining what we objected to in this bill, why those clauses not only would not solve the problem they were meant to solve - the need to help large number of people, particularly Russian immigrants to Israel, who have become Israeli citizens, are not halachically Jewish, but wish to convert - but also threatened to drive a wedge between the Diaspora and Israeli Jewish communities. We met with virtually every member of the Likkud, Labor, Kadima and Meretz parties, probably 75 percent of the Knesset. And we were heard.
 
We thank Prime Minister Netanyahu for demonstrating leadership in opposing this legislation and in following through on his original suggestion to work together in addressing the issues of conversion in Israel. We know that there were complicated political circumstances surrounding this whole situation. One government minister told us how impressed he was with our community's response to the crisis and how awed he was by our effectiveness. Others said they were glad that we were able to explain to them elements of the bill they had not considered, while still others said how relieved they were that we came to ensure that this bill, as it was written, would be defeated.
 
These last two weeks have been an intense and amazing experience. Special recognition must be made to Jerry Silverman, president and CEO of the Jewish Federations of North America, and to Natan Sharansky, chair of the Jewish Agency, for their leadership and guidance throughout. Please join us in the Conservative movement in acknowledging how crucial their support has been in this crisis by sending an email to them and to your local federation executive and lay leaders with a copy to Jerry Silverman (patricia.Mcnamara@jewishfederations.org) and Natan Sharansky (verag@jafi.org). These small acts will continue to strengthen the important partnership we are developing.
 
I also want to acknowledge and thank our partners and friends, the leaders of the Masorti movement in Israel, Yizhar Hess, lay chair Emily Levi-Shochat, and Rabbi Andy Sacks for all their incredible work. They fight the battle for religious pluralism in Israel every day as they seek to build a vibrant and meaningful modern Judaism in the state of Israel. I encourage everyone to reach out to and get to know the Masorti movement. In the long run, the only way these issues will be resolved is by building the institutions and communities that support dynamic alternatives to the Orthodox establishment in Israel.
 
Though we have succeeded in freezing this legislation for the moment, there is still much to do before the Knesset resumes October 11. Since the bill passed its first reading in committee it could be brought to the Knesset at any time. That's one of the reasons our contingent spent most of Wednesday at the Knesset thanking our friends and discussing what comes next with them. We have already begun to consider the possibilities. Dialogue is already underway with the government and the Jewish Agency about what process we might need to reach consensus in easing the process of conversion while not relinquishing our rights to convert non-Jews to Judaism in Israel according to a Masorti understanding of halachah. We also know that we must continue to educate the Israeli public, public opinion makers and political leaders about the divisions this bill would cause and the possibilities that true religious pluralism provides for enriching the Israeli Jewish experience. And we know that we must keep the North American Jewish community informed, updated, and prepared to act should consensus not be reached and the bill put forward in the future.
 
A joint statement from our partnership in this effort will be issued before Shabbat.
 
We will continue to meet in the next two weeks to plan our strategy and timeline to make maximum use of the Knesset break before it resumes October 11. And we will continue to update you on our progress.

______

On their conference call on Monday, Rabbi Steven Wernick and Rabbi Julie Schonfeld, executive vice president of the Rabbinical Assembly, updated listeners on the situation of the Rotem bill in Israel.

You can listen to a recording of the call here.

_____


*We are grateful to Rabbi Wernick's for his tireless efforts on behalf of United Synagogue, the Conservative Movement, and liberal Judaism worldwide.  His numerous meetings with members of Knesset in Jerusalem over the past two weeks have given hope that pluralism and different expressions of Jewish life can blossom in the State of Israel. While this issue is not yet resolved, our voices have been heard.
NEW FEATURE THIS WEEK!

To the left, right below the table of contents, you will find a box entitled "This Week's Downloads," where you will be able to download PDF files of several of the flyers found throughout "News You Can Use".  Please take advantage of this new opportunity and share the material with our kehillah.

METNY District of USCJ presents

Building a Toolkit for New(ish) Teachers

 

 

 

An Evening for Learning and Sharing

Professional Development for Teachers led by outstanding METNY Principals and Professional Educators

 

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Congregation Habonim

44 West 66th Street, New York, NY 10023

 

 

PROGRAM

6:00-6:30              Welcome, Registration, and Dinner

6:30-6:45              "Building our Future Together Through Education" by Rabbi Charles E. Savenor, METNY Executive Director

6:45-7:30              "The Fishbowl"

*  Three Things Teachers Should Absolutely Do

*  Three Things Teachers Should Absolutely Not Do

*  Three Big Questions That All Teachers Ask - And The Answers

7:30-8:15              Workshop I

8:15-9:00              Workshop II

9:00                       Handout - "Tools for Success" and L'Hitraot

 

 

WORKSHOPS

A)   Hurray!  It's the First Day of School

B) How do I Know What They Know?  Measuring Success

C) Nu- What's New?  I am Teaching Hebrew

 

Please RSVP by August 20, 2010 to metny@uscj.org or 212-533-0800.

 

 

Name_____________________________________Email_____________________________Phone_____________

Address_______________________________________________________________________________________

Synagogue___________________________________________________Grade(s) Teaching__________________

 

This workshop is co-sponsored by a grant from

The Jewish Educators Assembly and

The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, METNY District


Special Invitation to Ramah Berkshires Dedication
Thursday, July 29, 2010
4:00 pm

METNY USCJ is honored to partner with Camp Ramah in the Berkshires in paying tribute on the occasion of the dedication of its new Library and Study Center.
 
This summer through the generosity of the JCC of Spring Valley, its memory will endure as Ramah dedicates a new Library/Sefriyah and Beit Midrash/Study Center on the camps central grounds. The dedication will occur on Thursday July 29th at 4pm.** Synagogue leaders including rabbis, cantors, educators and congregational officers are invited to attend the celebratory opening. 
 
Dr Jason Rogoff will present a shiur/study session and the JCC of Spring Valley representatives will be honored. A dinner for all will follow.  Clergy are invited to come to camp earlier in the day to visit with children from his/her synagogue. METNY's Associate Director, Rabbi Moshe Edelman, is serving as the chairman of the program.
 
Camp Ra
mah in the Berkshires once again has a "full house". Campers and counselors fill the camp with the joy of being Jewish on a 24/7 basis. The combination of Jewish living and Jewish values in a natural environment of sports, swimming, social action projects, and sociability with new and life long friends is a the perfect integration with American ideals.  
 
METNY's connection to Camp Ramah in the Berkshires runs deep. Camp is filled with hundreds of children from our METNY congregations. In addition, METNY USY holds Encampment at Ramah Berkshires. This summer METNY USY has over 450 USYers and Kadimaniks registerd for our program.

**Ple
ase RSVP by Monday, July 26, to Amy Glazer at aglazer@ramahberkshires.org


An Event for New Presidents
(& Executive Board Members)!


METNY USCJ proudly presents:


"How To Run A Congregation Meeting

With A Minimum Of Tsuris."





When?  August 3, 2010, at 7:00 pm

Where?  Temple Beth Torah, Westbury

 

In dealing with sensitive topics such as clergy & senior staff contracts, the sale/mortgaging of real estate, and mergers - - especially in these challenging economic times - - many of our METNY congregation Presidents are often called upon to chair congregation meetings at which there are sharp disagreements between factions of the congregation, leading to unruliness, adversarial use of parliamentary procedure, and hostility to the President, other officers and/or the synagogue Board.  

 

In order to help our congregations avoid (or at least minimize) the stress of such meetings and their harmful effect on shalom bayit, we will cover the following topics: 

        The Meeting Notice, Agenda, & Meeting Rules

        How to Deal  in Advance with "Member in Good Standing" issues

        Pre-Meeting Arrangements for Orderly Consideration of Procedural Issues

        Do We Need A Neutral Parliamentarian?

        The Role of the Clergy

        Taking of Minutes

        The Importance of Recesses

        "Without Objection"

        Displaying Motions & Amendments via PowerPoint�

        "Rudofsky's Rules of Civility"

        Robert's Rules of Order & Derekh Eretz

 

This session will be led by Ed Rudofsky, the co-chair of the METNY legal committee.  Ed is a past president of South Huntington Jewish Center, the chair of USCJ's Committee on Congregational Standards, and one of this year's honorees.


A light collation will be served. We thank Temple Beth Torah's leadership, Richard Rothstein, their president, and Rabbi Michael Katz for hosting this event.


For more information and to RSVP (by July 30), please contact Rabbi Moshe Edelman, Associate Director, at 212-533-0800 or edelman@uscj.org.


Boycotts and Buycotts

As part of JCRC-NY's commitment to provide you with meaningful opportunities to support Israel, we are bringing to your attention the latest local manifestation of the global campaign to delegitimize and demonize the State of Israel.

 

Recently, there has been an effort to boycott AHAVA products sold in Ricky's NYC stores across New York and specifically in Brooklyn. Please help us send a strong message to Ricky's CEO Dom Costello and urge him to continue selling products from Israel in the 23 Ricky's stores in the Tri-State area.

 

Please click this link (http://jcrcny.org/boycott/messagetorickys.html) to sign our letter circulate it to your friends. 


BUYCOTT Israel
At a time when nations are boycotting Israel and shunning its products, we need to proactively support Israel through our buying power. We suggest emulating the efforts of "BUYCOTT Israel," a Canadian group helping Israel on daily basis by purchasing Israeli products - wine, jewelry, food, artwork, etc. Learn more at  www.buycottisrael.ca 
 
"Start Up Nation"
Want another reason to buy Israeli goods? Read "Start Up Nation" by Dan Senor and Saul Singer. Israel truly is a modern day miracle!



 

High Holiday Security Material
 
As we shortly turn the calendar to August we have the High Holy Days immediately before us. Security is the highest priority - security of the physical Beit Knesset and of the precious souls who will enter our synagogues. Security is necessary to maintain the holiness of our days is paramount.
 
METNY is pleased to share this step by step guide to assist you in your preparations.  We thank the United Jewish Communities, the Jewish Community Relations Council of NY and John Jay Colleage of Criminal Justice for permission to bring this to your attention. We encourage you to use the next few weeks to plan carefully.
 
Wishing all of you an early Shana Tovah u'Metukah!




Yasher Koach Corner

Marketing, fund development, and volunteer engagement - the nuts and bolts of good business practice - are in
creasingly matters of interest for thriving synagogues. Pro bono consultants coordinated through the Synagogue Leadership Development Project are helping New York-area congregations develop the savvy organizational skills they need. METNY USCJ works hand in hand with these consultants to help our synagogues reach new heights.

We recognize those METNY synagogues who are taking advantage of the consultancy initiative through SYNERY of UJA Federation of New York.


Congregation Habonim in Manhattan
Congregation Kneses Tifereth Israel in Port Chester
First Hebrew Congregation (Peekskill)
Forest Hills JC
Kane Street Synagogue in Brooklyn
North Shore JC in Pt. Jefferson
Plainview JC
Temple Beth-El of N. Bellmore
Temple Beth Israel in Port Washington
Temple Beth Shalom in Roslyn Heights
Temple Israel of Great Neck

For more information, please contact Rabbi Charles Savenor at 212-533-0800 or savenor@uscj.org, as well as Gayle Bloom at 212-584-3346 or bloomg@ujafedny.org.


Tu B'Av- A Day of Love


Just a few days after the sadness and solemnity of Tisha B'Av, we observe Tu B'Av, the 15th of Av, which will take place this year on Monday, July 26. Often referred to as the "Jewish Valentine's Day," Tu B'Av is a day to think about love,  to celebrate your relationship, and to set up your single friends and family!  Click here for more information on this little-known festival that deserves better press.  
 

On Tu B'Av we suggest giving flowers and chocolate and going to eat at your favorite kosher restaurant! You may also want to buy Yehuda Amichai's "Love Poems". Enjoy the day!


We've got 450 USYers and Kadimaniks signed up for Encampment!  Is your child one of them?  Click here for more information.

CREATING A CULTURE
OF WELCOMING

A Webinar from the Keruv Committee
of the Conservative Movement
for lay leadership, clergy and professional staff

Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Noon
(Eastern Time) to 1:00 PM

               11:00 am Central, 10:00 am Mountain, 9:00 am Pacific

J

udaism has a tradition of keruv (outreach and welcoming) that goes back to our ancestors Abraham and Sarah who would hurry to welcome travelers into their tent.  The Conservativemovement continues that tradition and is committed to providing a welcoming atmosphere to interfaith families where everyone can feel engaged and involved. We warmly welcome anyone who shares our interest in Jewish life built upon our traditions and adherence to Jewish law.

F

ind out about the wealth of resources your congregation can employ to help congregants and their families confront life's challenges and celebrate life's joys. We want to share our Jewish traditions, culture and practices with all who are seeking personal connections or who want to help families with their Jewish development.

Join the members of the Keruv committee for a participatory webinar on August 18.

Highlights include:

         Creating a Culture of Welcoming, Rabbi Michael Beals (Congregation Beth Shalom, Wilmington, Delaware)

         Training Staff and Lay Leaders, Lynne Wolfe (mentor and communications facilitator for the FJMC Keruv Initiative)

         Use of Discussion Groups, Dr. Gary Smith (Adath Israel, Cincinnati, Ohio)

         Questions & Answers

         Find out what resources are available from the organizations of the Conservative movement

To register:  Write to Ariella Brody at neadmin@uscj.org, with participant[s] name, email address, synagogue, synagogue city and state/province, and synagogue position. Once you are registered we will email you a confirmation that includes the call-in number.  There are a limited number of lines available so register early.

The Keruv Committee represents Federation of Jewish Men's Clubs, the Rabbinical Assembly,
United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, and Women's League for Conservative Judaism


METNY on the road...METNY on the road...METNY on the road...





This week, METNY's staff are on the move!


On Wednesday, July 21, Rabbi Moshe Edelman, METNY Associate Director, Sharon Steinberg, METNY President, and Norman Korowitz, METNY 1st VP, met with the senior leadership and clergy of the East Midwood Jewish Center.

On
Tuesday, July 27, District Director Rabbi Charles Savenor will conduct a focus group on USY with METNY rabbis at the Hillcrest Jewish Center.


On Thursday, July 29, Rabbi Edelman will be at Camp Ramah in the Berkshires for the dedication of the new Beit Midrash.  Our interim director of youth activities, Dave Siegel, will also participate.


Our road can lead to you, too!  We can train your synagogue board, work with your clergy and staff, do an adult education program...we'd love to have you on our road map!