It was my honor to be elected as GRS President at the annual meeting on June 27. This is an exciting time to take the helm at GRS, and over the next few weeks, I'd like to share with you my priorities, and discuss some of the critical decisions that will be made.

My priorities are three:  

1. Secure a new home for GRS.
2. Protect the assets which have been earned through the sale to Stanwich
3. Strengthen the bonds which hold us together as a congregation, particularly through these transitions.

Of course, GRS as a whole has more priorities than these three-spiritual, educational, pastoral and so on. I'm really talking about where to focus the energies of lay leadership to meet the challenges of our current situation.

In future communications, I will go into more detail on each of these priorities. For now, the important point is that we have wonderful groups working on each of these priorities already.

With regard to a new home, Helen Stark has led an extensive search for a suitable temporary home, and has already secured at least one great option, where we will be able to meet for regular services and hold B'nai Mitzvot as well. Sandy Soule is leading a large committee carefully examining sites. Her committee includes individuals with architectural, construction, and finance expertise, and we have also engaged the services of one of Greenwich's top real estate attorneys

In anticipation of the sale of our property, the Board established an Investment Committee, comprised of individuals with finance and investment expertise. This committee has oversight of the proceeds of the sale, and set as its top priority the safeguarding of GRS assets. The committee recommended to the Board specific rigorous controls on the movement of funds to prevent theft and/or fraud. The Board approved the recommendations and the controls have been implemented.

A home is important, but the congregation is more than a building. There are many groups at GRS that contribute to making us a congregation as part of their mission-the Ritual, Education, Caring and Social Action Committees, the Sisterhood and Brotherhood, to name a few. A new group has been established-the Congregational Life Task Force, headed by Cheryl Probst-to support the overall effort by focusing exclusively on strengthening the bonds that hold us together. Over the next few months, you will be seeing events sponsored by this Task Force-some designed for our children and youth, some for families, some for adults-that will be a lot of fun and let us enjoy being part of GRS.

Future communications will focus on an important aspect of our site purchase decision, and on some specific volunteer roles that can make a great contribution to GRS. For now let me say that if you have ever wanted to have an impact on an institution, now is the time.  The decisions that will be made over the next few months will set the course for GRS for literally decades to come. As pointed out, there are many wonderful volunteers working already on critical areas, and I think the work is particulary satisfying now because it is clear how important it is.  

Feel free to contact me at robertdbirnbaum@gmail.com or Robert@peartreetrading.net, with any questions, comments, or if you'd like to discuss the role you'd like to play in building the future of GRS.

Best regards,

Robert