PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

I want to thank our committees and Temple Board for their extraordinary progress this year. Several real break-throughs occurred this year after long periods of two steps forward, one back. Such perseverance is good and not guaranteed.

First, the Board members have come to meetings and undertaken real debate about the administrative issues we face as a congregation. It is a welcome step that portends strong leadership for years to come. Second, our Youth Advisor has helped a special group of teens achieve a level of activity not seen among our Temple young people in more than a generation. Third, from scratch we have developed a computerized library that will begin to serve our self-education goals. Fourth, our House Committee has organized itself into a stable group able to resolve longstanding problems with the building. Fifth, our working relationship with the Schechter School has been strengthened. Sixth, our Religious School Committee and Social Action Committee and Membership Committee are flourishing, and are able to take on new challenges. Seventh, the rabbi and the Religious Practices Committee have successfully implemented the transition to a single Shabbat morning service, and are beginning work on a prayer book that focuses on our own Haverhill traditions. Eighth, our auxiliaries, the PTO and Women of Reform Judaism have continued to find new roles that have given the Temple strong support. Ninth, the Budget Committee, Treasurer, Administrator and office (and its volunteers) have controlled spending and improved communications as never before. Tenth, the Dues Committee has expanded successfully, and can now provide better monitoring of member finances, and faster response to members in need. Eleventh, we have finally recreated a Fundraising Committee and the Gifts, Trusts and Wills Committee to smooth our plans for a sound future. And Twelfth, we have assured ourselves of a smooth succession among the officers of the Executive Committee.

Believe me, these are not the complete list of welcome improvements, but, dayenu, it is enough to keep this Temple President grateful. Let me thank you all in advance, too, for coming forward in the new year to keep us going, and growing stronger.

Bob Bender, President

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR REPORT

Membership: 330 Family Units; 14 New Members since July 2002; 14 members resigned (moved, financial reasons, joined another Temple)

Demographics: 37 communities (up from 23 last year), mostly Merrimack Valley and Southern New Hampshire

Staff: Extremely busy, working to full capacity with largely part time staff, with the exception of the Rabbi (full time) and one of our Custodians (full time), and a few volunteers. Specifically: Executive Director: 15 hours - Joan Nagler; Bookkeeper: 8 hours - Kim Giannopoulos; Administrative Asst.: 30 hours, cuts back to 18 summer – Nancy LaFleur; Custodians: Willie Ruiz (FT), Dan Stone (PT), Tom Francis (PT); Religious School: Part Time Educational Director and Admin. Asst.

Began year with our President Sheldon Cohen unavailable as he was recuperating from an illness and moved back to New Jersey. Robert Bender took over as Acting President.

We welcomed Jeffrey Stock as our new Cantor, B’nai Mitzvah tutor, and teacher in the religious school.

In October our new library was dedicated at a well attended event and at a Friday evening service we honored Beth Levin for her many years of dedication and service to the temple and religious school.

New furniture was purchased for both the library and the Mandell Room.

Calendar: Busy calendar, active place. Programs, educational opportunities, services, and our religious school. 11 B’nai Mitzvahs and 5 more by end of June.

Email: increased our email communication and sending less via US mail. Please give office your updated email address.

Membership was an active committee this year and among other accomplishments, they had a fundraiser for a temple sign which identifies the building at the 10th Ave. entrance.

Finances: The most outstanding issue this year has been finances. The hardship was starting the year with a deficit budget, in the context of a tough economy, and facing harder times. From the get go, this was a year of conserving in every way. Though there’s no fat in the budget and essentially the bigger problem is on the income side, we nonetheless attempted to come in below on several line items by conserving, reusing, recycling, getting by with less and getting donations instead of purchasing when possible. Heat was a killer this year, and in spite of our attempts to be meticulous conserving heat, this winter still cost us a lot in fuel.

The impact of the finances hit hard in the spring when we began a freeze on spending, and when in April we had a 10-day building shut down during Passover, and sent our staff home with no pay.

Physical plant: Over summer, classrooms and bathrooms were painted, corridors were stripped and waxed, facility was deep cleaned, and carpets shampooed.

It was a tough winter with custodians getting sick, injured, health problems…and we had to advertise and interview to replace our part timer. It was a challenge keeping up with tremendous snowfall…the shoveling, clearing and keeping the walkways and entrances safe and ice-free.

Other than the general day to day maintenance, we had a new aluminum chimney cap installed and 12 broken windows replaced. A new alarm with a keypad system was installed to replace our old system which was outdated and beyond repair. New drapes in the Board Room were a gift from Sisterhood, to cut down on the echo and block the intense sunlight, so that the room could be a useful space as a classroom or meeting room.

We continue to have a problem in the deep of winter with cold in the second and third floor classrooms and heat loss through the large windows along the rear side of the building. It is expected that there will be a collaboration between the Temple and SSDS to come up with solutions to this problem affecting the classrooms.

We had a few pieces of aluminum siding fall off the building on the 11th Ave. side. SSDS had to have dismissal from the 10th Ave. door, until it was deemed safe to return to their usual dismissal flow pattern from 11th Ave. It has been very difficult to find someone who deals with aluminum siding or to find anyone to look at this repair job. This is a project that the House Committee will have to continue to work on, hopefully now that the weather is good and as soon as the spending freeze is lifted.

Security: We continue to keep the building locked during the day and locked and alarmed at night and when not in use. People we do not recognize are not permitted access to the building unless they can state their business and the name of the individual they are here to see. We follow the security recommendations of the ADL, the FBI and the local police. Our best security however, comes from the membership…everyone keeping an eye out for unusual behavior, packages and not opening the door for someone they do not recognize.

Sincere thanks to President Bob Bender, the Board of Directors, Rabbi Ira Korinow, and Cantor Jeff Stock for your help and support.

Joan F. Nagler

RELIGIOUS SCHOOL

This year the religious school is educating 152 students (TAPT-2: 29; Gr.3-7: 80; Gr. 8-12: 43) from 23 Massachusetts and New Hampshire cities and towns, children from ages 3 years through age 18.

Classes are held on Sunday mornings for TAPT through grade 2; Grades 3 through 7 meet Sunday mornings and Wednesday afternoons, and Grades 8 through 12 meet on Monday evenings. Total hours: Lower grades 72; middle 130; high school 81.

This year we welcomed to our staff, Cantor Jeffrey Stock, Mike Zakin, and Kate Judson, as part-time Administrative Assistant.

We employ 15 teachers, 1 part-time Director of Education, a part-time Administrative Assistant, 2 part-time family educators, a song leader, and a Bar-Mitzvah tutor. In addition, we utilize 10 Madrichim, student assistants to help teachers in the classroom. The staff come from the following areas: Haverhill, Newburyport, Andover, North Andover, Lawrence, and Marlboro, and in New Hampshire: Salem, Hampstead, Windham, and Portsmouth.

This was a difficult year due to the temple’s fiscal situation. The school took measures to conserve and came in below budget on several line items. Due to the financial problems, the Board of Directors voted the following: freeze on wages, some line item cuts, combining 2 grade 7 classes into one class, and a reduction in the hours of the Administrative Assistant.

Aside from the financial problems, I am happy to report the overall atmosphere of the school is friendly, inviting and productive. There has been a minimum of discipline issues. The morale of the teachers has been high, and I hope to do what I can to maintain this, in spite of the cutbacks. Among teachers and staff there is collegiality, trust, confidence, support, appreciation, recognition and communication. Teachers prepare a daily Teacher Notice which is put in teacher mailboxes, to enhance communication. Teacher meetings are held 5 times a year, in addition to fall orientation.

Communication with parents is accomplished through the bulletin, emails, mailings, report cards, evaluation forms, and informal conversation about the building. I keep myself visible and stand in the hallway or by the door during drop off and pick up.

The curriculum spans the following areas: Hebrew language, Prayer Literacy, Torah, The Prophets, Holidays, Israel, Life Cycle, Holocaust studies, Jewish values, ethics, and mitzvot, current events, Comparative Religion, and Jewish philosophy and thought.

The Hebrew program is a prayer based curriculum, not a Hebrew conversation program. Students acquire reading fluency and prayer literacy in the reform prayer service.

Each grade has a designated Friday evening service and leads the congregation in prayer.

The Religious School sponsors a 2-session family education experience looking at the meaning of becoming a Bar/Bat Mitzvah. Candidates fulfill 13 mitzvot prior to their Bar/Bat Mitzvah, the 13th being the Bar/Bat Mitzvah Overnight Shabbaton/Outward bound program at Thompson Island.

We are fortunate to have a strong School Committee. The School Committee ensures that the school has appropriate financial resources. The Committee continues to establish and clarify philosophy and policy, to guide and offer support. Members provide knowledge, wisdom, skill and support to the committee. The Parent/Teacher Organization ran a successful Book Fair, Bake Sale and Passover Choc Fundraiser. The Spring Gala and Silent Auction did not happen this year. PTO is looking for leadership. These fundraisers are extremely important as they provide the majority of funds that provide enrichment programming for the school.

Thank you to the School Committee, the Rabbi, and the Board of Directors for your support to the school.

Joan F. Nagler

RELIGIOUS SCHOOL COMMITTEE

The Religious School Committee is an active committee, which meets
once a month. Our purpose is to support the Religious School and its
director. Our members include Barbara Berman, Rita Harris , Elizabeth Rose,
Esther Rosen, Thelma Salk and Trudy Zakin (our teacher representative).

The committee continues to update policies, review curriculum and
discuss the goals of the school. The Bar/Bat Mitzvah students have mentors
(6 and 7th grade teachers) who "check in" with the students and provide help
and direction in completing the Bar/Bat Mitzvah Requirements. Joan and I meet
with the Confirmation students to guide them in fulfilling their confirmation
Credit Requirements.

Beginning in the school year 2003-2004, Family Connection 3 (FC3) and Family
Connection 4 (FC4) will be part of the core curriculum and are no longer being
offered as optional programs. Because of the Temple's financial difficulties
this year's two 6th grade classes will be combined into one 7th grade class
for the school year 2003-2004.

Next year we will be reevaluating the curriculum to see if we want to use the
new "Chai" Curriculum, which is being developed by the Reform Movement.

The Religious School Committee continues to feel very fortunate to
have Joan as Temple Emanu-El's Religious School Director and we would like to
report that we work very well with her.

Stephanie Miles Beaudett
Religious School Committee

SISTERHOOD

The Sisterhood of Temple Emanu-El is a vital component of our Temple community, and through our national affiliation with the Women of Reform Judaism, we are also an important voice in the international Jewish community.

Our focus the last two years has been in developing our Rosh Chodesh program. Rosh Chodesh means Head of the Month, and occurs at the time of the New Moon/New Month. It has become a popular women’s celebration throughout the world. A sampling of recent Rosh Chodesh programs:

· Ancient Japanese Art of Origami ~ a Workshop at Origamido
· Tu B’Shevat Seder
· Lessons From the Torah
· Book Review ~ Three Daughters
· Movie Night ~ Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood
· Chanukah Luncheon for all Congregants Following Shabbat Morning Services
· Scrapbooking Workshop
· Introduction to Kabbalah
· Study of Miriam
· Paint and Decorate Miriam’s Cups at Pottery Studio
· First Annual Women’s Seder with over 50 Participants
· Animals of the Bible
· Discussions on a Variety of Topics

This past year we offered a three night course on mah jongg for about 25 participants, many of whom are playing and enjoying this time honored game on a regular basis ~ after a Rosh Chodesh program or during Religious School.

The Gift Shop is run by Sisterhood offering congregants, and residents of the Merrimack Valley, Judaica items without having to travel into Brookline/Newton. Our beautiful new display cases have enhanced the appearance of the building tremendously….we are grateful to Dr. and Mrs. Joseph Primack and Bill Herman for their generosity.

Recently, Sisterhood purchased and installed draperies in the third floor Board Room at the request of the Religious School. Sisterhood presents gifts to those who become Bar/Bat Mitzvahed and Confirmed. Several times throughout the year we are called upon to sponsor Onegs and we supply refreshments for the daily minyan. Sisterhood also provides funding for babysitting during High Holy Day services.

High school & college students living away from home are remembered as integral members of our community. This past year we sent 3 different holiday packages to over 40 students, some abroad.

Sisterhood is also involved in the local community. We cook meals on a monthly basis for the residents of Mitch’s Place, a homeless shelter in Haverhill; and we sponsor and serve dinner for the Community Meals Program at the Citizen’s Center three or four times a year.

While we continue to be a contributor to the Temple’s operating budget and are always looking for fundraising opportunities, our primary goal for the coming year is to welcome new members ~ members who want to be involved, members who want to be an integral part of our Sisterhood and community.

We’re one woman short without you, and we hope to see you soon!

Michele Howard, Amy Sherr, Janet Kopel

YOUTH GROUP

It is my pleasure to report to you the state of our youth group, HEFTY, for the 2002-2003 school year. This year we have seen strides unsurpassed in my past two years as advisor, a feat I believe none of us anticipated. It just goes to show all of us how much teens can do when empowered!

It all began last fall, when reconvening after the summer, our new president, Benn Waters, took the bull by the horns. He came back from Kutz Leadership Camp with many ideas, including the desire to align our youth group with the region.

Our Programming Vice President, Tessa Kurman, was given tools in which to teach the HEFTY executive board how to write programs and evaluate them. We changed the way our meetings were run, and instead of programming together, once trained, the members programmed on their own time, and we evaluated the program together. Writing a program is much like writing a lesson plan. This alone has decreased our meeting time, our typical meetings last an hour, and created a paper trail for us so we can see what we have accomplished. Benn also brought to us a programming goal. TOBA (Tikkun Olam B’Shem Adonai), or fixing the world in the name of God, is a regional program with set guidelines. Throughout our year, we would program a certain number of religious, educational, social action and self-improvement activities. Depending on the number of these activities, at the end of the year, HEFTY would receive an award. We decided it being our first year to set our sights on the entry level of TOBA. Tessa discovered halfway through our year that we would be able to reach the fourth out of five levels, Sha’arey Tzedek. You can now see our certificate on the HEFTY bulletin board at the 10th avenue entrance.

To boost membership and increase our involvement in social action, we were encouraged to execute a top-secret take-over of the High School here at temple. One Monday night, unbeknownst to the student body, HEFTY took over religious school with a “Hunger Banquet”, led by our Social Action Vice President Hannah Porteous. The students were statistically split into upper-, middle-, and lower-class groups upon entering school. They were told to sit in certain areas, and their meals reflected their economic status. These statistics were based on world-wide numbers. After discussion, we all ate lasagna and salad, and the fortune cookies made by our secretary, Jillian Salladay, included fortunes with hunger facts from around the world.

Our shul-in this year was another great success, and our thanks go out to our recent graduates, Adam Bissonette, Jessica Berman, Simmie Berman, and Ari Jacobson, for chaperoning. This was the first time the board took full responsibility for all aspects of the night, from food, to programming, to time management. A special kudo goes to our Treasurer, Mike Zakin, for being the first to write a program independently.

This year, for our creative service, we decided to add a program to help us reach our goal of TOBA, and also to show the temple community exactly what HEFTY is about. We began the evening with a text study and discussion of modern day slavery. Our service theme was “freedom”, and our Religious and Cultural Vice President Shauna Harris found interesting quotes, lyrics and poetry on the theme to flesh out the service. Shauna looked in creative places for these thoughts, and her final entry from Disney’s Aladdin brought tears to many eyes.

Our executive board members have done an excellent job this year, not only expanding the responsibilities and expectations of their positions as seen above, but also personally. Ben Beaudett, our 9th Grade Representative, led a multigenerational discussion group on his own the evening of our service. The leadership skills of this group are amazing. We decided that with this growth, we would apply to host a regional event for next year’s calendar. This requires participation not only from our board and our membership, but also the Rabbi, Administrator, parents, and temple members. We hope to be selected and to show not only the entire region, but our own community, just what it is we are about and what we can do.

On a final note, I’d like to let you know our President, Benn Waters, was selected to be Programming Vice President of our entire region, NFTY-Northeast. It is the first time in history a member of HEFTY and Temple Emanu-El has been on the regional board. Benn will be a great representative of our community. This is the pinnacle example of the changes made during my tenure at Temple Emanu-El. By advising, not running the youth group; by being an ear, hopefully the voice of reason, and being supportive; by allowing failure and praising success; but most importantly, by allowing the teens to run their own program, this group has grown from five active members, to thirty-two. From having no presence regionally to having a member on the regional board. We also have one of the highest percentages based on temple size of student involvement in local events in the region.

Some of our goals for next year include maintaining active membership throughout the school year, improving upon our programming skills, and finding more ways to become involved with our community.

Thank you for your interest in HEFTY, for your support of our teens, and for your time.

Andi Malinger, HEFTY Advisor

SOCIAL ACTION COMMITTEE

This year we tried to expand our efforts a bit and started off by working with Norman Axler on Project Ezra (delivering Meals on Wheels on Christmas Day). After the first of the year, we joined the Jewish Literacy Coalition and eight women from our Temple became “tutors” to Kindergarteners, First Graders and Second Graders in two schools in Haverhill---giving an hour a week to work with the children on literacy skills. We may either continue with this project or change direction a bit, but will probably continue in some fashion. And then we held our third annual Mitzvah Day on May 4, where Religious School students from TAPT through 7th grade participated (along with about 30+ adults) in various projects including: making 70 hospitality bags for Emmaus House residents; making clay insects to go into flower pots (made by our students) for 160 Meals on Wheels recipients in Methuen; making over 100 refrigerator magnets for Haverhill Crossings residents; making dog bones for MSPCA and animal shelters; collecting and wrapping “gently used” books and toys for Community Action/Headstart of the Haverhill/Amesbury/Newburyport area; and the TAPT students made real flower pots for special people. Some adults helped students with their projects; some adults knitted squares to be made into an afghan(s) for a needy family(s) and some adults are still knitting on their own to add to this project; some adults cleaned Temple silver so that it looks beautiful and hopefully can be used for special occasions. Thank you to all who participated, to all who donated monies to provide supplies for the projects, to Tom Bissonette for photographing the goings on, to Jane Francis (Tom’s wife) for supervising the knitting project and knitting dozens of squares herself, to Dorothy Kroner for knitting tons of squares and offering to put the squares together into an afghan, and thank you to the committee members Sandy Venner, Irene Chalek, Liz Weber, and Mitch Kroner for all their ideas, work and support throughout the year.

Janet Kopel, Chairperson

ADULT EDUCATION

Committee Members: Ada Mandel, Esther Rosen, Madelyn Shyavitz, Dr. Joe Primack, Sandy Venner

Ongoing Events: Rabbi’s classes in Basic Judaism, weekly Torah study and Hebrew in less than a Week

Lecture Series:

October 13: “The Road to Achiva: A Jewish and a Palestinian Perspective”
Dr. Howard Tzvi Adelman and Dr. Muhammed Abu Samra

November 24: “Understanding the Third Western Religion: Basic Teachings of Islam Today”
Imam Salih Yucel and Tarek Afghani

December 15: “The Impact of the Intifada on Liberal Judaism in Israel”
Rabbi Amir Wind

February: snowed out

March 16: “Return to Israel: Two Personal Journeys”
Bonnie Coltin and Davida Harris

The Sefer Shabbat dinners and book discussions continued this year at the homes of the Bissonettes and the
Tumans. Readings were taken from Broken Tablets ed. By Rabbi Rachel S. Mikva and Jewish Renewal by Michael Lerner.

Thank you to all who helped on the committee, sponsored an event or opened their home. A special thank you to Rabbi Korinow for his continued support and time that he puts into all the programs. They would not be successful without everyone’s efforts.

Joy Tuman, Chairperson

INVESTMENT COMMITTEE

The present value of the Temple’s Endowment Fund is $918,294. The value at the same time a year ago was $1,073,379.

The shrinkage can be explained as follows:

1. The low interest rates have made it impossible to replace called or matured bonds at anywhere near the interest rates they had been carrying.

2. The decline in the equities markets have lessened the value of many of our stock holdings. While the Dow Jones averages have declined 5.1% in the past year our holdings have declined 1.8%, a significantly better result.

3. The $60,000 contributed by the Fund to Temple operating accounts has been a significant drain. Presently, the monthly contribution has been cut from $6,000 to $4,000. While this is helpful to the Fund it makes the Temple’s efforts at a balanced budget that more difficult.

4. Funds were withdrawn to complete payment for the new library. It is hoped that continuing fund raising efforts will replace the monies drawn down.

I wish to thank the Committee members who contributed their time and advice over the past year. These include Dr. Joe Primack, Bob Mershon, and Larry Cowan. We have not been successful in attracting new members to the Committee and if you or someone you know is interested, please contact the President.

Once again I wish to thank Beaton Management Company for their work on our behalf, particularly Terry Beaton.

The Committee will continue to manage the Fund in order to maintain it and to return it as soon as possible to the million dollar level which is our objective. We believe that we have followed a fiscally responsible policy and have fared fairly well in these tough financial times.

Stuart L. Mandell, Chair

BUDGET COMMITTEE

The fiscal year 2003 budget, which was voted in by the board, projected an operating deficit of $56k. Actual results projected for June 30th, 2003 show a deficit of $52k. Income for fiscal year 2003 is $36k below budget and actual expenses were maintained to $40k below budget minimizing the deficit. This was primarily achieved by lower than planned UAHC dues paid, and actual teacher salaries below budget as well.

Total operating income for the twelve months period ending June 30th, 2004 amount to $392k, which is $37k above Fiscal year 2003’s projected results. The main contribution to this increase is Cantor related Bar Mitzvah tutoring and fees (30 kids), which is a wash with expenses and a projected increase in the Continuity Fund based on the new donation criteria.

Interest income is projected at $48k for fiscal year 2004, a decrease of $23k from current year-end results. This is primarily due to the performance weakness of our investments.

All salary and related benefits for the professional staff have remained frozen for fiscal year 2004. Our insurance expenses for property, contents and worker’s compensation increased 11% from fiscal year 2003. In an attempt to minimize this increase, higher deductibles on the plan have been evaluated by Larry Cowan resulting in additional savings of $1.6k, which is reflected in the budget.

Custodial salaries will be trimmed by 10%, as we will offer fewer services to SSDS. Heating and oil expenses is projected at $17k, which is $4k below current fiscal year estimates.

Expenses for religious services included $7k for Cantor Stock for the High Holiday services, $1.4k for security and $1.2k for the reader. No organist has been budgeted this year in an attempt to minimize the deficit.

The religious school will be operating with one less teacher and will not be utilizing the Cantor for a teaching position in fiscal year 2004 resulting in a savings of $3.6k from current fiscal year.

Expenses for temple programs will increase by $3.6k for program supplies and prayer book purchases. Program supplies include Kiddush supplies and paper products for the congregation wide weekly kiddushes.

UAHC dues are currently being negotiated and budgeted at $20k for fiscal year 2004.

The budget committee has worked very hard at trying to present a balanced budget. Due to the shortfalls in income, this is not possible. The temple’s projected fiscal year 2004 deficit of $49.5k is mainly due to the lack of income collected from the congregation. The budget committee has spent several hours discussing ways to collect more income to solve this problem. A bigger dues committee combined with credit card payments should help to alleviate this situation. Also, fund raising has to be addressed to help offset this deficit.

Thanks to all the budget committee members for their hard work and devotion to this grueling task. I appreciate the help and time you gave to this assignment.

Alan Kule, Chair