President's Message
November 2021
As I mentioned during the High Holidays, I’ve been spending some Sunday mornings in the religious school office. I’ve had a chance to reflect on the last four years of my presidency as well as chat with religious school families and answer their questions. Here are the top three questions I have been asked:
When will the roof be replaced, and how are we going to pay for it?
The contract to replace the roof was signed in May, but a multitude of issues—from delays in obtaining building materials to Hurricane Ida—delayed the start date. But I’m pleased to announce that work has finally begun and should be completed in early November. (Until further notice, please enter and exit the building on Main Street.) We are fortunate that our temple’s elders left our generation with an endowment, and some of these funds will be used to pay for the new roof. This is a large sum of money to draw from the endowment—the total replacement cost is $138,300—and we are seeking donations to help us replace those funds. To make a donation, please contact Nancy in the Temple office.
Why are you still president? I thought Jennifer Lampron was taking the helm.
Though my original term was two years, I agreed, with the blessing of the board, to serve as president for an additional year while Jennifer was planning her daughter Jacqueline’s bat mitzvah. Then COVID came along and added an additional year. While my term will end on June 30, 2022, there is still much to accomplish, and I need your help. We need YOU to become involved in the management of the temple.
What can I do to help the temple?
Volunteer. Donate. Get involved.
Volunteers are the lifeblood of Temple Emanu-El. We rely on volunteers to work with staff and clergy so that the temple will continue to be the vibrant spiritual, educational, and social home it is for so many of us. It only takes one or two hours per month. Become a Zoom tech (it’s not hard, and we’ll train you!). Help out at religious school on Sunday mornings. Become a member of the board of directors. Join or chair a committee. Where does your interest or expertise lie? Check out the list of committees here. We also welcome financial donations. Your contributions help provide an excellent religious school, an array of educational adult programs, a variety of uplifting religious services, and a clerical and professional staff to meet the needs of our membership.
Our future is bright, but we need you to ensure that future.
Loren H. Goldstein
President