Message from the Executive Director
by Faith Kaplan, Executive Director (07-Present)
Published in the Shaarey Zedek Shofar in November
2007
I
can’t believe it’s almost 8 months since I became part of the
Shaarey Zedek family. In that time I’ve become acquainted with one
new board of directors, fourteen board committees and twenty six new
colleagues. I’ve been impressed with the level of commitment on the
part of staff and volunteers, and with the historic connections
between our synagogue and its members. The history of Shaarey Zedek
is the history of Winnipeg’s Jewish community.
Shaarey
Zedek has and will continue to play an important role in Winnipeg’s
Jewish community. I believe we have the opportunity to play a
stronger leadership role. I’m looking forward to working with the
Board of Directors to develop a strategic plan for Shaarey Zedek
that will position our Synagogue for that role.
In
order to do that, I have streamlined my role and daily
responsibilities by assigning certain tasks to staff. Estelle Raber,
Director of Life Cycle Events, will be your first point of contact
for booking all life cycle events except B’nai Mitzvah and
conversions. Alice Weissmann, Ritual Secretary, will be the first
point of contact for B’nai Mitzvah bookings and preparation, and
Clare Whiteman, Board Secretary, will be the first point of contact
for conversions, membership related issues and tributes. Andrea
Lefkovitz is settling in as our Ba’alat Kriah and is building a
roster of Torah readers. All members who can or who would like to
learn to read Torah are invited to identify themselves to her.
Robert D id
ych will continue to produce all communications, and is
now designing the Shofar, which he will produce every other month to
keep you better connected. Shira Uretsky’s responsibilities will
expand to include special Shabbat and holiday services.
There
are a number of initiatives underway to enable us to continue to
deliver programming within our current structure. Until we fill the
role of a Youth Programming Coordinator, we will partner with
community organizations catering to youth. Our first partnership was
a dance at Shaarey Zedek, held in conjunction with Gray Academy and
Federation’s Partnership 2000, which attracted over 220 Jewish teens
from across Winnipeg. Over $10,000 was raised by Gray Academy
students for a project in Israel. I will be discussing programming
partnerships with the other synagogues and the Rady Centre as a way
of managing our collective scarce resources.
Please help spread the word that the Endowment Fund Committee will
meet in December to review grant applications from congregants who
require financial assistance to pursue Jewish learning here or
abroad. Applications should be directed to Justice Perry Schulman,
Endowment Fund Committee Chair, c/o Shaarey Zedek, and be at the
Synagogue by November 20, 2007.
Our
Riverbank project is moving along nicely. Thank you to all donors
fro your generous support. We have decided to minimize the
disruption of construction and will undertake the project in its
entirety this coming spring.
And
finally, I would like to take this opportunity to offer a Yasher
Koach to our choir. Your contribution to our services, particularly
over the Holidays, is tremendous. Kol Hakavod. |
