As the JCOGS 21-22 year comes to a close, I would like to follow up on my Kol Nidrei address and what we have planned programmatically and fiscally going forward. But first a few reminders through the end of next month:
You are invited to attend the Annual Meeting on Sunday, June 12 at 10am. This important event allows for open dialogue and communication between the board and congregation. A quorum is required. Click here to register. Bagels and schmear will be served starting at 9:30.
Now for the nitty gritty. This coming year we are losing our extremely generous benefactor, who has subsidized our budget in the range of $175,000/year. Our endowment campaign is still in mid-process, and about one million dollars short of our goal to make up for this loss of subsidy. So what do we do? We increase our membership base, we retain members, we modestly increase dues (which continue to be extremely low compared to other local and U.S. and Canadian synagogues), and we increase JCOGS community donations and contributions to appeals and funds.
I sent out a survey a month or so ago asking for what programs you would like to have offered at JCOGS. Programming whether it be religious, cultural, or social is what gets and keeps members—it is what we do and shows our members and the community who we are. What an exciting summer line up we have and I promise this will continue through the year. We will be offering a “Summer Series” directly based on your responses to the survey. The Stowe Jewish Film Festival is back live and bigger and better than ever, the board sponsored BBQ is on July 10, and we have a Shabbat weekend with Rabbi Sid Schwarz August 19-20.
New this year, we will be invoicing memberships as is done at most other synagogues, so look for your invoices coming via email and snail mail at the end of June. The invoices will have Yahrzeits noted on them and Yizkor Book donations will be included. On a personal note I, by traditional practice, only have one Yahrzeit, my first wife who died of breast cancer almost 17 years ago. But in speaking with Rabbi David, we can honor the memory of anyone we want with a Yahrzeit. Just this past week, I added the Yahrzeits of all my grandparents as I came to the realization that when my parents pass (now age 92 and 95, may they live long, healthy lives), their parents will not be remembered by anybody in my family. Actually with that said, I will also add my Aunt Evelyn who has no one else to remember her. There will also be lines for the Benefactor Appeal (with last year's donation noted with our hope that you will give more this year) and the Tzedakah Fund. We will also be including a line item on the invoice to commit to sponsoring an Oneg (a rollout from my Kol Nidrei address of “Adopt a Friday Night” program).
Our goal for dues and membership is an increase of 20% more than last year. My goal for all donations through Appeals, Yahrzeit/Yizkor, donations for onegs, fundraisers and Tzedakah is a total of $135,000. With a fundraising thermometer on the JCOGS website and on emails, we will be kept up to date on our progress in reaching this goal, and thus, we sustain our JCOGS present as we build an endowment that carries us forward in the future.
Rabbi David and the JCOGS Board are constantly working to make your Jewish Community a welcoming and all-inclusive place. JCOGS will flourish and grow as it strives to meet the needs of all members - whether it be religious, cultural, culinary, social, or just being around other Jews.
