Board of Trustees Committee Reports

BOARD OF TRUSTEES COMMITTEE REPORTS AUGUST 29, 2011

FUNDRAISING: BRAD SHAPS, VP  We held our first fund raising committee meeting on August 16. We developed a preliminary list of fund raising ideas, which we are investigating further.  The committee is going to focus on reaching our budgeted target to raise $20,000 and will also refocus on revitalizing the L’Dor v Dor Endowment Fund and legacy giving  The Sefer Haftarah will be dedicated on Saturday September 24 at 8 p.m. preceding Selichot. Please mark your calendars and help us honor Harvey and celebrate the arrival of the Sefer Haftarah.

HOUSE: SUZY HAKIMIAN, VP No written report.

MEMBERSHIP: JOANNE HIRSHTRITT LICHT, VP Shopping for the best “synagogue deal” is becoming a norm in the North Shore community and the strategic changes in structure and fees that CBS has embraced, positions CBS to effectively compete. CBSs’ commitment to offer, for the second consecutive year, deep discounts for new members enrolling children in K-3rd grades, and for new members with children enrolled in the CBS-JCC preschool program is in line with our competitors and is drawing attention from prospective members. To name a few of our “competitor's deals”, Temple Beth El (Dundee Rd) is promoting a 2 x2 program that promotes if you join Temple Beth-El with another family then both will receive half off regular dues for the first full year. Chabad is offering an affordable educational experience and offering free tuition for Kindergarten students. B'Nai Tikvah in Deerfield is extending reduced dues of $550/year for 2 years for new families with children through 4th grade. The newly created Northbrook Community Synagogue, a merger between Ezra Habonim, Maine Township Jewish Congregation of Des Plaines and Adas Yehuda v'Shoshana has been quoted in the Pioneer Press to say “We want to be the most dynamic, affordable synagogue in the area.” With attempts by many synagogues to gain market share by offering enticements to increase membership and school registration, synagogues are actively advertising their offerings in local papers and community websites. CBS continues to maintain our visibility as well and for the first time CBS was one of the sponsors of the July 4th Northbrook Celebration, which for a nominal investment, listed CBS on the back page of the program which was distributed during Northbrook Movie Night on June 25th, at the Pancake Breakfast, and along the Parade route. Chabad marched in the parade but CBS was the only synagogue represented as a supporting organization. We are also actively seeking to penetrate zip codes in which we do not have a significant presence and targeting new medias to accomplish this. We produced and recently distributed a target marketing mailer to 1,971 Jewish households between ages 25 to 40 years in Wheeling, Buffalo Grove, Northbrook, Deerfield, and Glenview. We will report later on the productivity of this piece. Other new marketing techniques to encourage membership at CBS are being investigated and will be reported on as it becomes relevant.

PROGRAMMING: GLEN ROTER, VP Our Distinguished Speaker lineup is set and is as follows:  September 22, 2011 Senator Russ Feingold speaks on “The Changing State of Local Politics. What Happened in Wisconsin?”  March 15, 2012 Richard Wolffe speaks on “The Road to the White House.”  April 26, 2012 Dan Senor speaks about his book “Start-up Nation: The Story of Israel’s Economic Miracle.”

All are on Thursday night beginning after evening Minyan. Other programs continue, including but not limited to: Ideas Café, Hazak, YFO, Israel 101 and others. Consult the bulletin, website and weekly emails.

RITUAL: LARRY GROSSMAN, VP ADMINISTRATIVE  High Holidays will be on same timetable as last year with a few tweaks: o Children’s services beginning at 10:30am on Rosh Hashanah and 11am on Yom Kippur. Seat saving will end at 10:20am and 10:45am respectively. o Parallel Service adding Parent-Tot High Holiday Experience (0-5 years old + parents/grandparents) and Family Service (6 and up + parents/ grandparents). Families have a choice of which service if they have kids straddling both groups. (Other services still available.) o Tashlich will be followed by Mincha/Maariv at Wood Oaks Pond o Ushers are still very much needed. o It is hoped that Board members will help usher and comply with seat saving plans as leaders within the congregation.  Ritual Administrative Committee o 100 Chumashim have been boxed to be sent out for rebinding o Tallitot checked & cleaned, silver being polished, etc. o Please join us in maintaining the ritual materials if the synagogue. Contact Karen Blatti or Larry Grossman.  Shir Joy choir recruitment underway  Yad Squad now has 2 classes: beginner and intermediate, which focuses on High Holiday Torah trope  A new Rosh Chodesh group is open for daytime participation.  Order your schach and lulav sets BNAI MITZVAH  Families will receive a call from committee member (Fern Roseman) four weeks prior to event to make sure they have no last minute questions or issues MINYAN  A master list of Minyan leaders has been created to facilitate coverage.  Morning minyan did not occur last Friday and there have been occasional shortages. We need everyone’s help to maintain this important service. SHABBAT  “CBS is the Place for Families on Shabbat” is an umbrella theme for our various services. We have produced a one-sheet program describing each of them with the dates they will occur throughout the year. This will be a part of the calendar and packages distributed with High Holiday tickets and used as a poster.  Next Storybook Shabbat is Friday evening at 6:45pm. Bring your children and grandchildren or just yourselves for a unique Shabbat experience.  Schedules for Ambassadors and Sunday and Holiday minyan have been distributed. Please add to your personal calendars. NEW BUSINESS  The 10th Anniversary of 9/11 will be observed with special prayers at all services that weekend as well as shiva candle and flag display.  Rabbi Wolkin announced that a generous anonymous donation of new High Holiday mahzor was made for use in 2012.

SCHOOL: DEBBIE SOLOMON, VP  A subcommittee on school spirit and attendance is holding an awards giveaway via a ticket system. Names will be drawn and you must be present to win. We are looking at $5 gift cards, small toys/novelties for younger aged children. We are also looking for sponsors for this event if you would like to contribute money or items towards gifts.

 A subcommittee on social action is working with Jill Olefsky and the Social Action committee for projects for each age group.

 Smartboard!! We have one! It will be in classroom #1 and all classes will have access. All teachers are being trained at their teacher institute day.

 Due to losses of computers for parts in the lab, we are getting 2-3 computers donated by Dan Sher -one for the Smartboard and the other for the lab.  We now have a Youth/School Facebook page in order to connect with parents and kids where they are. We hope to use this as a place to post and remind people about events but also to socialize, invite others to Shabbat dinner, etc.

 4x a year will be the minimum expectation for students to attend Shabbat and this will be tracked via a sticker system. Students do not have to just attend our Ruach (Family) Shabbat Service but can also opt to go into the main sanctuary, attend ShabbaTONE, etc.

 Parent programming will include a Chanukah and Pesach event with Leann Blue and classroom parents will also be utilized this year to increase parental involvement in the workings of the school.

 School Board Members:

Debbie Solomon, VP Myra Holman David Barany, Ed Director Pam Issen Ifaat Bosse Dan Sher Audra Elisco Dan Shulman Neil Fialkow Faye Tatel Linda Foster Julie Warshawsky Nancy Frankel Meryl Weis Allison Gordon Alan Zelkowitz Jim Hamilton Amy Zlotowicz

SOCIAL ACTION: JILL OLEFSKY, VP The Social Action Committee contacted all arms of the synagogue. Watch for social action projects being chaired by Men’s Club, Sisterhood, various Chavurot groups, YFO, Youth, and individual members. The Social Action Committee is working with the CBS Religious School to incorporate appropriate social action ideas/projects to add to each grade level curriculum for this year. New Projects for CBS Social Action 2011-2012  JCFS Shopping for coats, boots and hats from wish lists - we shop - JCFS pays via a grant from JUF. A Chavurah group is chairing this project.  Month of February Food Drive - every time congregants come into the building for a meeting, program, class etc. (everything except Shabbat services) we ask that they bring in a can of food for Northfield Food Pantry. Extra cans will be available just in case someone forgot a can or two!  Purim - bring in groggers of macaroni cheese, etc. In keeping with the holiday of Purim and fulfilling the mitzvah of Manat L’Evyonim, “gifts to the needy”, these food items will be donated to Northfield Food Pantry.  Chametz Riddance Food Drive – it’s an easy way to clean pantries for Pesach. Donated items will be given to the Northfield Food Pantry.  Gym Shoe Collection – Spring 2012, the Youth Department will be collecting gym shoes for Nike. Good shoes are donated to those in need. Bad shoes are recycled into sports surfaces, carpet padding, insulation, basketballs, Frisbees, etc.  End of School Year School Supplies Collection CBS is always accepting donations including:  Used ink cartridges - Save the Earth by recycling your empty ink cartridges. Money raised will go towards CBS programming.  Eyeglasses and eyeglass cases - donated to those in need. Until end of October glasses and cases will be donated to our humanitarian trip to Cuba and afterwards to the Lion’s Club.  Old cell phones – They get recycled for funds raised for Shalva or calling cards for troops overseas.  Soda can tabs for Ronald McDonald Houses. These houses act as a home away from home so families can stay close by their hospitalized child. Ronald McDonald Houses collect pop tabs instead of entire aluminum cans because it is more hygienic to store tabs than cans, and collections and storage is easier. To date, more than $4 million has been raised from donated soda can tabs! Did you ever think it could be so easy to help families in need?  Food for the Northfield Food Pantry  Toiletries collected are shipped to our troops overseas, given to Northfield Food Pantry, and given to Woman’s Residential Services, a shelter in Libertyville that abused houses women and children.  Sunday newspaper comics – Thank you to ALL who have donated comics! We send the comics in the boxes to the troops. It’s a little bit of home sent with the goodies and toiletries.

YOUTH: KEVIN BRAUDE, VP No written report. SISTERHOOD: MARTI SINTON, PRESIDENT  The Sisterhood opening Luncheon will be Sept. 14th. The entertainment will be "Shircago" - Chicago’s Premier Jewish A Cappella Group. At the luncheon, Sisterhood will be collecting school supplies to donate to the Jack Benny School in Waukegan.  We will be giving out Shalom Baskets to new Members during High Holiday ticket pickup.  The first Bat/Bar Mitzvah Kiddush is scheduled for Aug. 20th.  The Judaica shop is open for business. We take all credit cards, except American Express.

MENS CLUB: HARVEY REDFERN, PRESIDENT Men’s Club is again going to have a fantastic year!  This past July at the FJMC convention, the CBS Men’s Club was awarded the Gold Torch Award for best overall club for programming and activities. That is the equivalent of Best Men’s Club in the FJMC. We should all be proud of last year’s accomplishments.  On September 11, we will be handing out bagels, coffee and Men’s Club information at Sunday School drop-off to promote our Sunday morning breakfasts and Men’s Club membership.  We are once again sponsoring a Fantasy Football league as a joint fundraiser with the Synagogue. It is great fun and easy to participate in. Contact Jim Hamilton or Perry Weinstein for more information.  Our opening dinner is Tuesday, September 20. Our guest speaker is veteran sports columnist Steve Rosenbloom.  We again will be offering business networking after Sunday morning breakfast with the first program kicking off on September 25, 2011.  On Monday November 7th we will hold our Bears Bash with Steaks (not in the Sukkah) for the Bears vs. Eagles football game.  The Sefer Haftarah will be unveiled to the synagogue on Saturday, September 24, 2011 before Selichot. The Sefer Haftarah is in honor of Harvey R. Gold and the committee has planned an exciting evening. Please RSVP so we can have a wonderful attendance. Other upcoming events:  Build the Sukkah October 9, 2011  Men’s Health Speaker October 16, 2011  Hadassah Breakfast and Speaker October 23, 2011.  Erev Thanksgiving – November 24  Daddies and Darlings – December 5