President's Message

This is my twenty-fifth (counting the first term) and, for certain, final “President’s Message.” I am stepping down in favor of an energetic and talented congregant, one with whom I’ve worked closely since May in preparation for this transition. I believe that Renee Sevy-Hasterok is exceptionally well-prepared to assume the presidency of TKC, and I thank in advance our entire congregation for the support I know she’ll have, just as I have enjoyed. We are fortunate indeed to have Renee, her husband, Rod, and their family as part of our community.

If we have accomplished anything these past seven months – and, as I noted last month, I think we have – the credit goes not to me but to the many great people around me. I am grateful to our clergy, staff, my fellow Board members, and our many volunteers for their support; to my family for again “sharing” me with the temple; and, especially, for the constant backing of my co-congregants. You conferred upon me an honor that I always tried to take both seriously and humbly. In my new capacity as immediate past president, I look forward to working with Renee and the Board so we may continue our momentum.

So now, on the eve of our temple’s 30th Anniversary, it’s my honor and pleasure to share the remainder of this space with Renee so she can “introduce” herself.

B’Shalom,

Tim Weiss

   Thank you, Tim, for ten years of exceptional leadership and service to this kehillah.

As we enter our kehillah’s historic 30^th year, my first order of business is to introduce myself to the congregation that I call home.

I truly believe that every day we are placed in situations that challenge us to live up to our ideals. That was exactly what happened last spring when I picked up the Kol Kehillah, just as you are now, and read Rabbi Winokur’s powerful words. He wrote that he was struck by the fact that the Nominating Committee was about to send out the proposed slate and that the position of president and executive vice president were both blank. The next part of what he wrote resonated with me for days:  “We need to think together about what it means to build community, and about how one's personal identity is tied up with being part of that community.” 

Now, I have always felt very connected to the Jewish community, whether it be through involvement as a teenager with BBYO, or as an adult with Women’s American ORT and the American Jewish Committee’s Black-Jewish Coalition. I know how much the Jewish community has enriched my life over the years, but as I read the Rabbi’s words that day as a relatively new member of this kehillah, I realized that it was a sense of community that I was truly seeking for myself and my family. When I put down the newsletter and really thought about the idea of community, something clicked. The community I was hoping to have was right here, waiting for someone to step up. And I realized then that that someone could be me.

I am excited to begin this incredible journey with all of you. I hope that during my term as President, we can strengthen what we have here at TKC, continue to build something meaningful and lasting, and most importantly, enjoy the journey as we build the kind of community that we all want. We are fortunate to have such a solid foundation and rich history to build on. I truly look forward to every new experience as we enter the kehillah’s 30^th year.

On behalf of my husband, Rod, and our children, Julia, Alex, Shane, Lauren and Troy, my wish for us all is that we may go from strength to strength, together.

Renee Sevy-Hasterok

As I write this, six months have passed since I returned to the honor of serving as president of our temple, and barely more than one month remains before I will step down in favor of my successor, Renee Sevy-Hasterok. It is, therefore, appropriate to review for our congregants those areas in which I believe progress has been made; given the short amount of time since May, most of these initiatives are, of course, ongoing.

Largely due to the efforts of our new fiscal team, Treasurer Shelley Miller and Bookkeeper Suesan Phillips, we have strengthened our financial picture. We have continued to cut costs, not by compromising congregant services or further reducing payroll, but by realizing substantial savings in several other areas: negotiating a new MUM (dues) arrangement with URJ; lowering the interest rate on our building mortgage; and embracing new vendors or revising arrangements with existing ones. We are operating far more efficiently, despite the fact that our membership numbers, while now stabilizing, have declined over the last few years.

We are continuing to improve our front office structure. Shelley is working closely with Suesan and Office Administrator Joy Salenfriend to improve procedures and eliminate redundancies, to enable them to provide the best possible support to our clergy, education director, and congregation.

Rabbi Winokur, Mark Silberman, and Shelley have launched a monthly training series that is identifying and grooming future lay leaders. Those who complete the classes will eventually buttress the large – and talented – group of new people who joined the Board of Trustees this past May.

Trustees Michelle Erste and Mike Sobel have taken charge of the new Marketing & Membership Engagement Committee. The success of the recent membership survey (which produced an astonishing response rate of about 30%) and ongoing upgrades of our various online and social media platforms (such as the new TKC app for iPhone and Android) are only two examples of the important work this group is doing.

We have implemented new fundraising ideas, including offering premium parking for the High Holy Days, and Friday night Oneg Shabbat sponsorships.

We have a committee in place to plan and oversee a litany of events that will commemorate our 30th anniversary observances throughout 2012.

I cannot stress strongly enough that I accept no credit for what is going on around us. Few of these projects originated on my watch; some were being discussed even before my first term as president (2008 – 2010); all are the inspirations of others, not mine. These measures will continue on Renee’s watch and even beyond. Let us resolve to continue this momentum into 2012, and far beyond.

B’Shalom,

Tim Weiss

On the morning of Rosh Hashanah 5772, several hundred of us heard an evocative speech by our former president, Mark Silberman. Mark spoke powerfully, yet very personally, about his own “Jewish journey,” how it brought the Silbermans to us, and how they found a home with our congregation. He pointed out – quite correctly – that “everyone sitting in services this morning has a Jewish journey, a story, on how they came to be here today.”

Mark spoke in an equally compelling manner about the realities of supporting one’s congregation. He pointed out how, by our presence in the Sanctuary that day, we, the congregants, are demonstrating the value that lies in being affiliated with a synagogue (which, as Mark stated so well, is “an optional, discretionary financial decision”). He told of how, despite financial fluctuations, he “always had just a little extra money to make a donation to the temple.” He then closed by asking each congregant there that day to consider a donation of $50.

Mark is hardly the first lay leader to make such an appeal at the start of the High Holy Days (nor will he be the last). But the requested amount is by far the most modest that I can recall. Mark wanted to work with an amount that would be realistic for the largest possible number of members; he understands the importance of establishing breadth in our donor base – the percentage of total membership that participates in our appeals.

At this early juncture, I’m gratified to report that the 2011 / 5772 High Holy Days Appeal is off to a very good start in both breadth and depth of participation. As I write this (in mid-October), we have raised almost $15,000 from several dozen donors; not only are people responding to the appeal, but they are participating most generously. On behalf of the clergy, staff, and Board of Trustees, I would like to extend our sincerest appreciation to those who have given, including those who gave after this was written. Our temple is stronger because of your “optional, discretionary financial decision.”

B’Shalom,

Tim Weiss

I recently reported to the Fulton County courts building in downtown Atlanta, ready and willing to serve the people as a State Court juror (as usual, I was sent home without being selected). Once all prospective jurors had been checked in, we watched a video on the importance of the ordinary citizenry participating in the time-honored common law tradition of jury service. Now, this production wasn’t exactly an Oscar candidate, but I was struck by a segment featuring former Georgia Chief Justice Leah Ward Sears, who remarked that “Service to the people should be an honor, not a burden.”

Service as an honor rather than a burden; it’s a broad concept that’s rather difficult to dispute. It’s a belief that applies, or most certainly should apply, to how we, the congregants (“citizens”) of Temple Kehillah Chaim, view our relationship to our congregation. Service is commitment and dedication, but at a community of faith, it’s also very much a covenant.

All of our temple’s past presidents – myself included - have issued various calls and appeals for volunteer assistance and/or financial support. You’ve heard the same messages at your previous affiliations, too.  But while there is no doubt that, as our membership numbers slowly decline, our Kehillah would greatly benefit from access to additional human and monetary resources, I do not write this month to ask for such. Rather, I am appealing for all of our congregants to come join us for worship in the near future (over and above Yom Kippur, that is). Come and hear Metro Atlanta’s longest-tenured Reform clergy tandem. Come in – drop your troubles by the entrance for a time – and enjoy about 75 minutes of spirituality and edification, followed by fellowship and noshes at Oneg Shabbat. Experience the sights, the sounds, and other sensations of Shabbat. Come on in – you might find an old acquaintance, perhaps even make a new friend. You may find more than you were expecting; you might even find an interest.

That’s all I’m going to ask this month – please come attend one of our services very soon. I truly think we can exceed your expectations. If we can get more worshippers into our Sanctuary on Fridays (and some Saturdays), then I know the challenges we face, such as stabilizing and growing our membership ranks, rejuvenating our cadre of volunteers, and strengthening our financial base will be successfully met.

G’mar tov,

Tim Weiss

While on our summer vacation, Hiedi and I followed the advice I had often given my former Judaics students: when on a trip, do something related to Jewish culture and / or heritage. Pursuant to this, when our cruise ship docked in the small city of Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada, we made our way to the Saint John Jewish Historical Museum.

We arrived at an expanded Victorian house that the museum shares with Conservative Congregation Shaarei Zedek (“Gates of Righteousness”), the only synagogue in the city of about 68,000, and one of three – none Reform - in the entire province. An excellent tour guide (a non-Jewish college student) showed us around both the museum and synagogue.  This didn’t take very long as the tiny congregation has only around 30 members. She explained how the house once belonged to the first Jewish couple in the city; we saw old photos of a downtown containing many Jewish-owned businesses (only one remains); she told us that Shaarei Zedek hasn’t had a rabbi for many years, though they continue to hold weekly lay-led services, and that the congregants have somehow managed to retain their Conservative identity over the years, even though kosher foods must be ordered from Montreal. Easily the most poignant part of the tour was when we saw the congregation’s religious school – a single classroom set up for four students.

We truly experienced a textbook example of a greatly shrunken Jewish community struggling to remain viable and relevant. It’s a somber thing to see in person. As a synagogue president, I can’t help but wonder if the Saint John Jewish community’s story contains any parallels to our own community’s present and future. Are there any signs we should take note of? What was the thinking of past rabbis and lay leaders of Shaarei Zedek as they watched their congregant base steadily decline? Could they have done something differently? It’s a scenario that raises some questions.

Clearly, any comparison of Saint John and our portion of the Metro Atlanta Jewish community can only be figurative. But, both worldwide and here in the U.S., Jewish communities and populations are stagnating at best, and declining in many instances. The example of Saint John is no anomaly; it is a trend, one we hope to avoid here.

B’Shalom and Good Yontif,

Tim Weiss