OCTOBER 2003 swwxa, hra, vwwc THE NEWSLETTER OF THE RABBINICAL COUNCIL OF AMERICA vehrnts ohbcrv ,urs,xv iujrh From the Desk of our a variety of membership services and programs We will shortly be upgrading the RCA Executive Vice President... in the coming months. In addition, we are Website. A key new element will be a starting to accept credit card payments. “members’ only” page, accessible with a password which will be provided to members I am pleased to report on continued progress Our cemetery records are also undergoing in good standing. This will include much at the RCA, as we go about the process of complete overhaul, even as we encourage valuable information as well as various review, consolidation, upgrade, and future and promote purchase of such plots at the member services. Members will even be able planning in all aspects of organizational earliest opportunity. activity. Over the past several months much to listen to the digitally taped proceedings of has been accomplished, but we are really only TECHNOLOGY RCA meetings and conferences on the site. at the beginning of what promises to be a We continue to upgrade our computer For this reason, and many others, we urge most fruitful and repercussive process. For hardware systems. We are currently evaluating you to make sure that we have your current the purpose of this report I will refer to a several computer software programs that email address (or one that you can access, variety of items, grouped by category. will enable us to have complete integration or have information forwarded via, on a FINANCES of our financial and database programs, to regular basis), so that we can share with We are well along with the process of maximize time and personnel cost savings. our chaverim all kinds of resources, services, and developments. Indeed we will complete reorganization of our finances. This will also enable us to do important be consolidating and expanding email We have paid off much of our existing RCA membership demographic analysis to announcements to our chaverim, to come mortgage and lowered payments on the facilitate our future planning. In this regard remaining balance; we have updated our at regularly spaced intervals. In general, we members will shortly be receiving a will be using email more and more, for its bookkeeping records; and as of this writing questionnaire in the mail, requesting have sent out about 400 invoices for obvious benefits, as compared to regular mail: information of themselves and their ease of use, speed of communication, ability membership dues (in the hope that the rest congregations and communities. Knowing will be sent out within the next several weeks.) to attach documents, and ease of reply - this information will be crucial to better not to speak of substantial dollar savings. We urge chaverim to pay all balances due serving you. Members will have the option promptly, so that we can plan and implement of responding anonymously. continued on the next page The following rabbis have applied for The followingktrah ad was,bhsn placed hcau, in ,uburjt ktrah ,ughsh while ,hc a similarkf ubhjtk ad, in English, membership in the RCA. Members are was placed in the Jerusalem Post for vbav atr. invited to comment in preparation for ofh,ucaunww kfc their acceptance. :ofkktrah ubt ,bhsn ohkjtn hcau, s xa,ktrah ,ba ,hc ,kj,vkf ubhjtk og ww ofh,ucaun kfc ww :ofkvh,ufrcu ubt ohkjtn vba kj, sww xa,vh,ukkeu ,ba vba ,kj,v vkf, og Rabbi Baruch Gopin - Clifton, NJ .ubhekt hrg sgcu ubng sgc ezj,bu ezj wwvh,ufrcu vba kj, vh,ukkeu vba vkf,ww Rabbi Eric Levy - W. Orange, NJ wofrucg ohkkp,nu ofng ohvszn ubt Rabbi Yosef Liebler - Yerushalayim .ubhekt hrg sgcu ubng sgc ezj,bu ezj Rabbi Rallis Weisenthal - London oa ov ratcwofrucg ktrah ohkkp,nu hcau, ofng kfc ohvszn lun,bu ubt ohfnu, ubt vrmcoa ov ubjbt ratc of,t ktrah wovh,ujpanu hcau, kfc lun,bu ruryv ohfnu, hgdpb ubt kfk vrmc .ubjbtktrahc of,t ubruehcc wovh,ujpanu od ofng ruryv vvsz hgdpbbu kfk uhnurnc.ktrahc oukav ubruehcc vauga od ofng vkhp, vvsz buubt .ktrah ,hcuhnurnc kf kgu oukav ubhkgu vauga wofhkg vkhp, ouka ubt vagh tuv The Rabbinical Council of .ktrah ,hc kf kgu ubhkgu wofhkg ouka vagh tuv America wishes all of its vcuy vnh,ju vch,f members, their families, vcuy vnh,ju vch,f congregations, and all of ktrah kkf a .vukau ouka vjkmv vfrc ,ba vehrntsvehrnts ohbcrv ohbcrv ,urs,xv ,urs,xv vehrntcvehrntc ohxeusu,rutv ohxeusu,rutv ,ukhve ,ukhve sujht sujht The last meeting of the Executive Committee services. Input will be solicited from members, maximally efficient operations models. We successfully implemented our new conference a variety of professionals, communal leaders, have also initiated discussions with the calling facility, so that a number of chaverim and others. Even now, I invite all members to leadership of Tradition, regarding potential from around the US were able to join in the submit their thoughts (email would be the best enhancements in production, frequency, and deliberations. We urge chaverim to take medium) on improving the RCA and its work. related matters. Similarly, we are anticipating advantage of this in the future. significant improvements to the Tradition CD MEETINGS AND DISCUSSIONS HELD ROM, which in due course will be available Talking of technology, I am excited to report Regular RCA leadership conference calls to replace those already purchased. that we have found on our premises a full video have been instituted. We have instituted INTERNAL OPERATIONS copy of the 1976 Kinus Teshuvah drashah of weekly conference calls with the leadership the Rav, ztz’l. We have been informed that it of the Orthodox Union to discuss important The RCA offices have been upgraded and is in good condition, and fully capable of being internal and external issues as they arise. refreshed in various ways. Security has been transferred into DVD format. We are hopeful enhanced. We have engaged the part time that in due course it will be approved by the Our Semichah Standards committee has services of several Stern College students. Soloveitchik family for distribution, in an begun the process of formalizing our We will shortly begin a process that will membership requirements, including a review appropriate and approved form and manner. enable us to establish and then fill the part- of current and potential semichah-granting We will of course notify you if and when that time position of Director of Rabbinic institutions. occurs. Services. The holder of this position will be The Kashrus Commission recently met to available to chaverim who seek guidance STRATEGIC PLANNING further its business. and support in their rabbinic work and At the Executive committee meeting approval career. He will also represent the RCA on Discussions have been held with was given for the formation of three the Joint Placement Committee. important Task Forces that will function over representatives of UJC, as well as World the next six months to gather input, review, Mizrachi, to further our shared goals. In conclusion, I take this opportunity to extend and analyze current RCA activities and programs, The Rabbinic Behavior and Abuse to you, our chaverim and your families, my and then issue proposals and recommendations resolution, adopted at the last Convention, personal wishes, as well as those of the to the Executive and membership for the future. is being reviewed with a view to immediate leadership of the RCA, for a Shnat Brachah, implementation. ` Shalom, ve’Hatzlachah, for us and for all of The Task Forces are: (1) Member Services and Klal Yisrael, most especially in Israel, but Programs; (2) Organizational and Institutional We have also held extensive discussions also throughout the world. May 5764 truly Partnerships; (3) Governance, Operations, and with the leadership of our partnering sister be the year of our geulah sheleimah. Finances. They will review all the relevant entities (Israel Yeshivot, Beth Din of America, RCA committees, activities, functions, and and Pension Board) to review and refine - Basil Herring vkhve hbhbg In this issue of the newsletter Partners in Torah is a unique outreach Courage & Hope is an inspiring collection program that matches Jewish men and of writings of the children in Gush Etzion, (beginning on the next page) women who want to learn more about which describes in their own words how we have included the latest Judaism with a volunteer “mentor” who they feel about themselves and their study together, one-on-one, for up to an country and their future. issue of the OU Daf hour a week over the phone. Over 4,000 Hakashrus, a monthly The proceeds from the sale will go to the safety sets of partners from over 900 cities across publication. It contains much North America study together each week, and security of these children, but the true with approximately 300 new students benefit will be to those who read it. Many shul of interest and value to signing up each week. There is an ongoing rabbis and Day School principals have already rabbanim. It is available to need for men and women to share their ordered this book for their shul members and knowledge and friendship. We encourage students. our chaverim who wish to every rabbi to appeal to their congregants For individual and bulk orders email order it on a regular basis. to be involved in Partners in Torah. It’s a [email protected] or call 404-982-9373. great opportunity, especially for those who Back issues are also don’t have the time to do other learning, to OU Kashrus Alert: Regarding various flavors available.