Temple Beth David ANNUAL MEETING REPORT MAY 31, 2020

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Dear Fellow Congregants, Even without considering the COVID-19 pandemic, this has been an extraordinary year. Here are highlights of some of the programs and services that have been offered to our community here at Temple Beth David. We have accomplished so much! I hope you will spend some time looking at this amazing collection of reports which showcase just some of the work done by our dedicated clergy, staff, and volunteers. I would like to thank all of those who have given so generously of their time. Temple Beth David truly could not exist without them. I also would like to thank the members of our Executive Committee who oversee the key areas of Membership, Education, Religious Practices, Administration and Treasury. These five individuals, plus our Immediate Past President have been tremendously supportive to me as I have learned this role. Alana, Wendy, Gary, Tim, David, and Paul have generously shared a wealth of institutional knowledge and professional expertise that has been invaluable and their service is a gift to all of us. Thank you also to our Board of Trustees. I appreciate their conscientious dedication to the important work of managing our programs and finances. Each member is deeply engaged and actively committed to the benefit of Temple Beth David and we all are better for their participation. Finally, a note of thanks to Rabbi Karen and Rabbi Micah. It has been my pleasure to partner with them this year. The experience has allowed me to more deeply appreciate their dedication, patience, knowledge, and deep spirituality. I am grateful for all that they do and I know our entire community joins me in thanking them for being our spiritual leaders. The coming year will present new and unanticipated challenges. We will need to participate in ways that may not be the same as we have done before, but I have faith in the strength and commitment of our clergy, staff, and volunteers. I know that we will create new and fulfilling ways to engage, learn, and pray with each other and our vital Jewish community. L’shalom, Pat Aronson President

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Temple Beth David of Westwood and Dedham, Inc.

7 Clapboardtree St., Westwood, Massachusetts 02090

2020- 2021 Temple Beth David Nominating Committee Slate of Nominees

The Nominating Committee places in nomination the following members to serve a one- year term as an officer of Temple Beth David of Westwood and Dedham from July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021: President: Pat Aronson VP of Religious Practices: Howie Allen VP of Education: Wendy Berliner VP of Administration (Building and Grounds): Tim Holiner VP of Member Resources: Alana Sharenow Treasurer: Gary Shillin Financial Secretary: Seth Cohen Congregation Secretary: Lisa Altman Immediate Past President: Paul Greenberg VP of Administrative Services: Eric Dubiner (if proposed bylaws amendment is passed which will divide the duties of VP of Administration into two positions: VP of Administrative Services, and VP of Building and Grounds). The Nominating Committee places in nomination the following members to serve a three- year term as a Trustee-at-Large of Temple Beth David of Westwood and Dedham from July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2023: Connie Rizoli Leslie Forman David Goldfisher Sondra Traister Becky Erlichman The Nominating Committee further places in nomination the following member to serve a two-year term as a Trustee-at-Large of Temple Beth David of Westwood and Dedham from July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2022 (completing the remaining term of Howie Allen, who is nominated for VP of Religious Practices): Jim Grasfield Previously elected, the following members will continue to serve as Trustees-at-Large and require no additional vote. Terms ending 2021 Sandra Grasfield David Lapp Alyson Miller Jeff Popper

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Rob Wasserman Terms ending 2022 Jonah Berman Lori Friedman Jeff Greenwald Gail Mann The Committee gratefully acknowledges those members whose terms are expiring in 2020: Gary Kaplan (VP of Religious Practices) Lisa Fassberg Weller (Financial Secretary) Renee Goldberg (Trustee) Mark Hornstein (Trustee) The Committee further acknowledges the work of Matt Watsky as a representative to the Board during 2019-2020 on behalf of the Past Presidents Council. Respectfully submitted, Paul Greenberg, Chair Committee Members Lynn Kaminski Caron Murstein Leslie Forman Alana Sharenow Howie Allen David Wang Pat Aronson Rabbi Karen and Rabbi Micah Citrin

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Meet the Nominees: 2020-2021

In an effort to inform the congregation about whom they are voting for, the Nominating Committee has provided short bios on the candidates who are up for election or reelection at the Annual Meeting. These were submitted by the candidates, so the content and length vary, but we hope this helps you learn a little bit more about your fellow congregants who give so willingly of their time to serve the Temple.

Officers President: Pat Aronson

Beth David has been my temple home for over 20 years. I have been blessed by the support of this community through some challenges in the past; I count the members of my havurah as my closest friends. Each of my sons, Ted and Adam, became a Bar Mitzvah at Temple Beth David. They were confirmed, served as madrichim, and presidents of NAWDTY. I have been involved with youth group leadership, served as Mitzvah Day co-chair, helped organize a couple of fundraising events, chaired the Adult Ed committee, and eventually was

convinced to serve on the Board and Executive Board. I have completed my master’s degree at Boston University and have found my first year as temple president to be uniquely challenging and rewarding. Thank you to all who have been so supportive. VP of Religious Practices: Howie Allen

Howie and his wife, Peggy, live in Norwood and have been members of Temple Beth David for 22 years. Their children, Nathan (23) and Jason (21), grew up at TBD, where they had their B’nai Mitzvah, sung in the Junior Choir, and attended our school through Confirmation. For the past year, Howie has served as a member of the Board of Trustees. He has previously been a member of the Board of Trustees, served as VP of Administration, VP of

Membership, Chair of Religious Practices Committee, a member of the Rabbi Search Committee, By-Laws Committee, and Chair of the Cantor Search Committee. Howie is a Physics Teacher at Norwood High School, having earned a Master’s in Teaching through the DeLeT Program at Brandeis University.

VP of Education: Wendy Berliner

Wendy and, her husband, Marc, have been members of Temple Beth David since 2005. They live in Westwood with their children, Rachel (15) and Jacob (12). Wendy has been an active member of TBD, serving on the Shorashim School Committee, including Chair, Adult Learning Committee, Gesher Family Services Coordinator, Families with Young Children Coordinator, HR Committee and the By-Laws Committee. She has been a Board Member (Trustee and VP Education) for the past few years. She is a director at an overnight, summer camp in Maine (Camp Matoaka).

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VP of Administration (Building and Grounds): Tim Holiner

Linda & I have been TBD members for about 19 years and our daughters, Sharon & Diana, both attended religious school and celebrated their Bat Mitzvahs. I have been on the board for 5 years and have been on several committees, including House, Finance, HVAC and Inclusion. I am a retired Computer Scientist (fancy for programmer) and worked at MEDITECH, Inc. for 36 years designing and programming Health Care software and systems

VP of Administrative Services: Eric Dubiner

Eric and his wife Deb have been active members of the Temple Beth David community for 13 years. They live in Westwood with their son, Sam. Their daughter, Bruchie, will be a senior at UPenn. Eric was President of the Brotherhood for 6 years and can usually be found in the kitchen helping out during the Brotherhood breakfast events. He also worked with the Brotherhood board to spearhead new activities and events. He is the Director of Professional Services for NewStore, a software firm that provides a

platform for retailers to run their businesses on the iPhone. He earned his undergraduate degree at UPenn and his MBA at Babson College. VP of Member Resources: Alana Sharenow

Alana and her husband Bill Graham have been members for 18 years. They live in Medfield with their two daughters, Julia and Rebecca. Alana has served on the Board for 9 years and was VP of Religious Practices for two years and on the Rabbi search committee. She has served as VP of Member Resources for the past two years. She has also served on membership, social action and religious practices committees. She coordinates ushers for Shabbat, and, together with Sondra Traister, makes sure we have food for

onegs and temple dinners. Treasurer: Gary Shillin

My wife, Phoebe Peabody, son, Asher (11) and I live in Westwood and have been members of Temple Beth David for about six years. Asher attends the Religious School program and we are very much looking forward to his Bar Mitzvah in October 2021. The Temple is a large part of our lives – from meaningful worship, to spiritual guidance, and lastly, the comfort of community and friendship. Having the unique perspective as a new congregant, I became a member of the Board of Trustees in 2018 and given

my business background have assisted with a number of treasury functions, such as managing payroll and collaborating on other fiscal matters, as well as participating on the Finance Committee. I’ve worked in the healthcare industry for over 30-years and oversee administrative operations for the Emergency Medicine network practices associated with Beth Israel Lahey Health system.

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Financial Secretary: Seth Cohen

My wife, Zelayna Rauch and I live in Westwood and have been members of Temple Beth David for 30 years. We were fortunate that our 3 daughters, Jacqueline, Michelle and Anne were able to attend the Religious School and become B’not Mitzvah and Confirmed as well. I have always loved the many friendships and the community Temple Beth David has provided our family over these many years as well as the spirituality and meaning of our worship services. In the past, I have chaired the Membership Committee as well as

participated for two terms on the Temple Board and the Brotherhood Board. I am enjoying being retired from my biotech career so that I have more time to spend with my 4 grandchildren and ski, bike, kayak and hike as often as possible. Congregation Secretary: Lisa Altman

I have been a congregant of the Temple for 22 years and have served on various committees. I have served as Co-Chair of the Social Action Committee, on both Rabbi Search committees, the Board of Trustees and the Executive Committee. I live in South Natick with my husband, Mark, and have 2 daughters Madison 21 and Alexis 26, who have both become B’nei Mitzvah and Confirmed at Temple Beth David. I love this congregation and

believe we are a wonderful family led by amazing Rabbis. Immediate Past President: Paul Greenberg

(Paul is technically not up for election, but in the spirit of disclosure, he thought would share a few details). Paul and his wife, Renee, reside in Westwood, and have been members of Temple Beth David for 23 years. Their children, Jake (23) and Simone (21), grew up at TBD, where they had their B’nai Mitzvah and attended our school through Confirmation. Paul served as President of TBD prior to Pat, is a member of the Board of Trustees and By-Laws Committee, and has previously served as Vice President of Education, Chair of Adult Education, and a member of the last Rabbi Search Committee. He is an attorney and Director at

the law firm of Preti Flaherty, in Boston, where he is a member of the litigation practice group, representing health care professionals and hospitals.

Trustee-at-Large David Goldfisher

David, along with his wife Tammy, and children Wyatt (16) and Vivi (14) have been members of Temple Beth David since 2007. The Goldfishers have lived in Dover for 13 years. In addition to serving on the Board of Trustees for 5 years, along with being the current Treasurer, David has served on the Nominating Committee as well as the Interim Rabbi Search Committee. David is a Professional in the field of Commercial Real Estate and has worked in many capacities primarily on the financing and ownership sides.

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David is currently a principal at The Henley Group, a finance and distressed advisory firm in commercial real estate as well as a property management firm. Previous institutions David has worked for include Bear Stearns & Co., Wells Fargo Bank and LaSalle Bank / ABN Amro. In his spare time, David enjoys traveling with his family to new places, playing soccer and coaching his son in soccer, skiing with his daughter, taking hikes with Tammy and his dog, Stella, and any other outdoor activity he can enjoy! Sondra Traister

Sondra and Lawrence live in Westwood and have been TBD members for almost twenty years. Sons Evan and Adam became a Bar Mitzvah and were confirmed at the temple. This will be Sondra’s second term on the Board, and she is also a member of the Religious Practices Committee. She sat on the Shorashim School Committee in the past, and is active in Sisterhood. The Traister family travelled to Israel with TBD, and Sondra hopes to return with the next trip. Sondra is an Event Manager at Ceres, a nonprofit which advocates for sustainability and climate change throughout the corporate and

financial world.

Jim Grasfield

Jim grew up at Temple Beth David, had his Bar Mitzvah and Confirmation at the Temple, served as president of DWEFTY (now known as NAWDTY), was married to his wife Ruth by Rabbi Zoob, and has been a member of Temple Beth David for 48 years. Jim, Ruth, and their sons Jonathan (12) and Robert (10) live in Sharon. Jonathan and Robert are active participants in Shorashim, and they love being third generation members of the TBD community. Jim has been a member of the Board of Trustees for the last three years; and he has continuously served on the Membership Committee, House and HVAC

Committees, and Safety Committee for the past several years. Together with Mark Lampie, Jim has been very involved in significantly reducing the Temple’s energy consumption over the past three years, and he has designed and/or installed most of the upgrades to the Temple’s security systems. Jim is an inventor and entrepreneur in the high-tech industry where he creates and develops innovative products in numerous fields including medical devices, energy efficiency systems, and state-of-the-art security systems.

Leslie Forman

Leslie and her husband Daron have been members of TBD for 6 years. They live in Medfield with their daughters, Shayla and Meira. Leslie has served on the Shorashim School Committee for the past 6 years, and was the Chair of that committee for two years. She also serves on the Early Childhood Task Force. She is a toddler teacher at Temple Beth Shalom Children's Center in Needham.

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Connie Rizoli

Connie Rizoli has been a member of Temple Beth David since 2002. She has been involved in a variety of activities. Connie has co-taught classes on Prayer Book Hebrew for Temple members, was the Chair of the synagogue’s second Me’ah class, Co-Chairs the Interfaith Mini Walk for Hunger, Chairs the Inclusion Committee and has volunteered to assist in teaching Hebrew to Shorashim school students for several years. Before retiring, she worked for the Massachusetts House of Representatives on education law for about 30 years and was director of Public Policy for Project Bread for 14 years.

Becky Erlichman

Becky, along with her husband Evan and their daughters Eliza (10) and Lily (7) have been members of Temple Beth David since 2016 and both girls are currently enrolled in Shorashim religious school. Becky and her family live in Medfield. In addition to joining the Board of Trustees, Becky is currently the Chair of the Member Connections Committee at the Temple. Becky is an attorney and currently works as a Regional Consultant Manager at LexisNexis. In her spare time, Becky enjoys watching her girls play sports,

going skiing, writing and baking.

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Admin Annual Report

Tim Holiner – VP Administration

It has been a busy year. We started in July with the engagement of Services Plus, Inc. for the exterior repair and painting project. This took 2+ weeks and about $85,000 to complete. The repairs to the building, mostly rotted siding and trim, made up most of the expense. We also replaced and added to the gutter system. The second major project was the installation of solar panels on the Sanctuary/Rosen south-facing roof. In order to install the panels that side of the roof was replaced. The panels are producing almost 25,00 watts of electricity and went live on April 22nd and in the first 15 days produced 1,900 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity. The average usage for the past 13 months was about 3,000 kWh/month so we should be producing at least as much as we use. This is wonderful news for the Temple and the Earth! Part of the reason that we can produce enough power for our needs is due to the ongoing efforts by Jim Grasfield and Mark Lampie to reduce our consumption. Their work has resulted in cutting our usage in half from 3 years ago. The other major project is the upgrade to our security systems. We have contracted for the application of security film on the windows (just completed) and upgraded alarm and surveillance (camera) systems. The installation of the new alarm and surveillance system is scheduled for early June. These upgrades are being paid for through a grant thanks to the efforts of the Security Committee – mostly Nancy Gottlieb. Thank you, Nancy. Future upgrades are related to the entry door system, the installation electronically activated locks on the Sanctuary/Rosen and Beit Simcha doors and bollards (probably boulders) to prevent vehicle entry on the Pond Street side of the property. Finally, the plans for the Barbara Zoob Intergenerational Playground are set and the equipment ordered. Unfortunately, the current health crisis has delayed the project for now. Other activities include:

x Upgrade to the Wi-Fi and resolution of the Comcast internet problems. x Repairs to the kitchen cabinets and dishwasher x Installation of “touchless” faucets in the restrooms x Replacement of a failed fan motor in the Beit Simcha air exchanger

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EDUCATION REPORT – May 2020 – By Wendy Berliner, VP of Education

It has been a wonderful year for Education at TBD. From the youngest members of our congregation to the more seasoned members, there’s been something for everyone. I would like to thank Rabbi Karen and Rabbi Micah Citrin, as well as Caron Murstein and Rachel Preti (Co-Chairs of the Shorashim Religious School Committee), Mark Beal (Chair of the Adult Learning Committee) and all of the volunteers who serve on both the Adult Learning and Shorashim Religious School Committees. Without their tireless energy and enthusiasm, we would not be where we are today. SHORASHIM RELIGIOUS SCHOOL It has been an exciting year for the 125 enrolled students and families in TBD’s Shorashim program. We continued to build on the “small group Hebrew” classes for Grades 3-6 which we started two years ago. Families continued to appreciate the flexibility in scheduling, and the small classes allowed for more personalized learning for our students. We were also able to offer individual Hebrew tutoring especially for students with special learning needs. As a result, our Hebrew education was very successful this year. Sundays, for Grades K-6, began with Tefillah (family prayer time) in the Sanctuary and then Judaic classes and more experiential, hands-on learning opportunities and electives. This year, we also added more Shorashim Family Shabbat Experiences and encouraged student participation in services. We held a meaningful B’nai Mitzvah Shabbaton retreat at Hale. Double Chai (Grades 7-12) continued to build and grow and kept our teens engaged in their Jewish community and identity. Needless to say, COVID-19 threw some obstacles in our path as the Temple building shut down in mid-March. However, thanks to our wonderful Co-Educators, Rabbis Karen and Micah, we didn’t miss a beat! We were able to move most learning online. Students have been able to connect with their Shorashim friends and they continue to learn through Sunday morning Tefillah and Judaica options, Hebrew check-ins with teachers, and Double Chai. Four teens are studying and learning with the Rabbis Citrin and will celebrate their Confirmation at a date to be determined. Although we still don’t know for how long we will be quarantined because of COVID-19, we’ve begun our enrollment for the next school year. We certainly hope that we will be back together, physically, but we are preparing for all scenarios to continue the wonderful program we’ve established for our students. The School Committee is eager to continue the great work they’re doing and I’d like to thank all of the members for their hard work and dedication. There is more work to do and we’re excited to embark on the next chapter.

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ADULT LEARNING This year, The Adult Learning Committee (formerly known as the Adult Education Committee) facilitated diverse programs, often working together with other temple groups like Brotherhood, Sisterhood and Religious Practices. Rabbi Karen and Rabbi Micah Citrin continue to teach a weekly Talmud class. We are grateful to Rabbi Zoob for teaching his fall class about King David. A successful Parenting Through a Jewish Lens class took place this year at temple in partnership with Hebrew College. Rachel Korazim, a dynamic, world-class speaker from the Shalom Hartman Institute in Israel, visited us in November and highlighted and contrasted issues that concern Jews who live in Israel with Jews who live in the US. We offered a new, well-attended South Area Introduction to Judaism course. A new Adult B’nai Mitzvah class began and there are eight adults working toward becoming bat mitzvah in June 2021. Our rabbinic intern, SAM Luckey, offered several interesting adult learning opportunities. Like everything, COVID-19 threw a wrench into the Committee’s Spring plans and our scholar speaker, scheduled for April, had to be cancelled. Adults express ongoing interest and enthusiasm for learning at our synagogue and the Committee continues to plan wonderful learning experiences both virtually and in person. An evening of Torah study with the rabbis is planned for Erev Shavuot through Zoom. And, we’ve engaged a terrific Scholar-in-Residence (Ruth Langer from Boston College) for next year.

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NAWDTY Report

Molly Cooper - President

Although NAWDTY's year was cut short there was still many fun and engaging events throughout the year. NAWDTY kicked off the year with a fun tie-dye event during the Brotherhood cookout - it was a huge hit and the teens enjoyed getting crafty. NAWDTY also had several other successful events from laser tag to NAWDTY Game Night. The teens have also found time to just hang out together at informal lunch hangouts after Shorashim on Sundays. Also, the teens, for their second year in a row, put together an inspiring and insightful Friday Shabbat service. Finally, in tradition, the NAWDTY teens helped organize the Hanukkah Happening and Purim Carnivals during shul ins and then ran the stations the next morning. Despite being unable to meet in person, NAWDTY has also had some great online events like leadership meetings and Havdalah services. Overall, NAWDTY has had a great year of bonding and had fun just being together (both online and in person!)

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TEMPLE BETH DAVID MEMBER CONNECTIONS ANNUAL REPORT

Alana Sharenow – VP Member Connections

It has been a busy year for Member Connections Team. The Temple saw an increase in membership this past year, with 16 new families and single members joining, and a loss of 10 families and singles, who have left for a variety of reasons. The new members were in a variety of categories including new families, new singles, new young singles and school intro families, who will transition to new families in 2020. We have also identified families in the pipeline who have expressed interest. Under the leadership of Becky Erlichman and Jeff Popper, the team hosted or assisted in many membership and Temple events. Last June, we hosted an Open Tent Shabbat which drew many members from the Temple community and prospective members. Additionally, this fall we attended both Medfield Day and Westwood Day to reach out to the larger community. The team also hosted three parent coffees during religious school year and plan to host coffees again next year as it is a great way for the parents to mix and mingle. We also hosted a new member brunch in January which was very well attended and a great way for new members to get to know one another. We had other events planned, that were derailed by Covid-19. A subcommittee of Member Connections was formed to focus on events and retention of empty-nesters. The group is led by Marcia Hirshberg and Renee Goldberg. They had an event scheduled in March, which was unfortunately canceled. I would like to thank the Member Connections team for all their hard work, it is a pleasure to work with the entire team. The team includes, Jeff Popper, Becky Erlichman, David Lapp, Linda Holiner, Jim Grasfield, Marcia Hirshberg, Adam Rodman, Sharon Leifer and Jenni Bushinksy. We are looking for new committee members to join our Team, please let me know if you are interested.

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Summary of Religious Practices Committee 2019-2020 TBD High Holidays which included all holidays from Selichot to Simchat Torah and the Services were very well received with high energy, creativity, innovation, and musicality of the worship service in all of these holidays. Shabbat BaBayit- On January 10th, around 100 congregants gathered together in the homes of fellow members of our community to celebrate Shabbat. True to its history, Shabbat BaBayit was a wonderful way of enjoying Shabbat in an intimate setting and getting to know each other better. Each home brought together families, friends and those who do not know each other so that new friendships could be initiated. Community Shabbat- The Committee queried how we might create more of full tradition of the holiday of Shabbat each week, from sundown on Friday night until sundown on Saturday night. In our busy lives, how can we at TBD experience more respite on Shabbat from the pace of everyday life and create opportunity to slow down, do things we enjoy, and better appreciate the world around us? How can we more fully engage the congregation in Torah study? In an effort towards this experience, the Committee sponsored a Community Shabbat on February 29th to celebrate and worship with the larger TBD Community in a Torah Service, that drew nearly one hundred congregants. Wednesday Minyan (7:30 – 8 pm) Service- A new weekly Minyan Service has been initiated. Whether you are looking for a brief time mid-week for prayer and introspection or have been in mourning and remember the experience of needing support we invite congregants to be being part of our minyan. This service continued until COVID-19 impacted all services in March. Diversity in our religious practice and community- RP reviewed the diversity of our TBD Community and how to best engage congregants with different religious backgrounds in Temple life. We utilized URJ entitled “Audacious Hospitality Toolkit—Pilot Edition”. It challenges us to not just tolerate diversity but to “audaciously” embrace it. Additionally, the Committee reviewed an educational booklet published by Temple Emanuel (Conservative, Newton) entitled, “Temple Emanuel Welcomes Interfaith Families”. In it is a guide for congregants from diverse backgrounds and Interfaith Families on how to participate in Synagogue Activities, Marriage, Baby Naming Ceremonies, Children Attending Religious School, Children’s Religious Identity, Bar/Bat Mitzvah, Burial and everything in between. Though a comparable manual or website was not developed this year, there is a hope that TBD can develop a roadmap and glossary for non-Jewish congregants in the very near future. The Caring Connections Committee Julie Lampie and Jim Nagle – Co-chairs This Committee is a group of two dozen dedicated Temple Beth David members committed to supporting synagogue families in times of need. We support one another at times of illness, loss, isolation and during other life challenging situations. (Please note that due to the Covid-19 restrictions, in-person visits and food delivery are on-hold).

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The Committee assists members by sending condolence cards or notes of congratulations, visiting or calling those who are ill, bereavement visits, mitzvah meals due to illness, accident, loss or birth of a baby and transportation to Temple Beth David services or events. This is not a complete list and we are open to discussing any other needs. The Caring Committee would like to hear from anyone who has a need or knows of a congregation member who could benefit from our offerings. Respectfully submitted, Gary B. Kaplan, VP of Religious Practices

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Social Action Committee Annual Meeting Report 2020

Creating an engaging environment for all members of Temple Beth David to become deeply and broadly involved in the issues of hunger and food insecurity

as we pursue tikkun olam and tzedakah, recognizing the Jewish obligation for doing social good and caring for those in need in our community.

* * * On three things the world stands.

On Torah; On service to God; And on acts of human kindness. Pirkei Avot 1:2

It was an exciting year for the Social Action Committee. Efforts included:

1. Sunday Sandwich Hevre – Happening about monthly, this event included Shorashim students producing bag lunches for Father Bill’s and Mainspring in Quincy. Each event produced between 70-100 lunches! These events were led by Cheryl and Jim Nagle with guidance from Rabbi Karen.

WHAT DO I CARE ABOUT? TBD MEMBERS

RESPOND.

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2. Family Table – TBD has continued its strong commitment to JF&CS Family Table, supporting food collections, distributions, and deliveries of food throughout the area to families in need. TBD continues to collect canned salmon and pasta for Family Table and, as in prior years, 2 Shorashim classes got to attend the packing and distribution day in Waltham at JF&CS. This project is led by Lynn Kaminsky.

3. Interfaith Mini-Walk for Hunger: This year, we celebrated the 10th Interfaith Mini-Walk raising ~$6000 for Project Bread and about 20 bags of goods for local food pantries. We worked with several local churches and the Islamic Center of New England in Sharon. TBD Leaders: Jeff Greenwald and Connie Rizoli.

4. Pie in the Sky: TBD continues as a distribution center in support of Pie in the Sky at Thanksgiving Sells pies around Thanksgiving to benefit Community Servings. TBD Leader: Avi Glaser.

5. Habitat for Humanity: Over the past couple years, TBD has had build days at a Habitat site in Duxbury. There is a site in Westwood that has been transferred to Habitat for a build but is stuck in the courts. Now that soil testing has been finalized, we anticipate the Westwood build to start in the coming months and hope to get TBD involved. This effort is led by Gail Mann.

6. Social Action Shabbat: This year's was MLK weekend. We held a community-building, interactive activity to help kick-off the "What do I care about" campaign.

7. WDICA. What do I care about? At the SAC Shabbat, we began to raise the question “what do I care about” in an effort to begin a discussion about how to engage all members in social action. Perhaps, the topics in the above-listed events aren’t your cause and aren’t where you’d want to put your efforts, time, and passion. What do you care about? This campaign began by asking members to commit to something they care about and write it on the giant poster for others to see and consider. The topics collected were collated and used to create the star at the top of this report. Next step is to figure out how to get groups connected who have similar interests and to begin to learn about what it would take to help in that area. Ultimately, we hope small groups with similar interests will form, learn, act, and share what they have done to motivate other temple members to get involved or to feel empowered to commit to making change to make some part of the world just a little better. As Jews, this is our responsibility. So, begin now. Ask yourself: What do I care about?

Respectfully submitted, Jeff Greenwald, Social Action Committee, Chair 2019-2020

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Sisterhood Annual Report Linda Holiner – President This was another successful and busy year for Sisterhood, a caring and supportive group of women at TBD. The myriad of events and activities plus TBD support services coordinated by Sisterhood are as follows.

x Continued our routine of regular monthly meetings and Book and Film clubs. x Organized and supported the annual Yom Kippur Break Fast. x Initiated two Wine and Cheese evening social events hosted by sisterhood members in their

homes. These took place in the Fall and Spring and were well attended and enjoyed. x Annual sisterhood Paid Up Brunch with Joyce Antler, PhD of Brandeis. She discussed Jewish

women in the last century and their roles in shaping social agenda. This was a well-attended and informative event.

x Two Rosh Chodesh services led by Rabbi Karen. The first took place at TBD in October, the second took place the first week of March at Mayyim Hayyim. Sisterhood members had a tour of the mikveh followed by an enjoyable discussion and service with Rabbi Karen.

x Organized and mailed Hanukkah packages to TBD college students. x Reenergized the TBD Judaica Shop. This involved clean outs of both the shop and display cases,

ordering of new merchandize and publicizing within TBD what the shop has to offer. x Maccabee Swap in Dec. at the home of a sisterhood member. Sisterhood members came together

for a fun social evening. x Social action once again partnered with our TBD 4th graders and Cradles to Crayons to run a

collection drive of gently used clothing. A total of 18 bags were collected and donated to CTC. x Took on new Shiva responsibilities to support TBD families in mourning. Responsibilities at

TBD Shivas included set up, staffing and clean up. x Annual Sisterhood Shabbat Service in January which was well attended and enjoyed.

The planned spring activities which were put on hold/cancelled due to the Pandemic included: The annual Women’s Seder by Rabbi Karen which had been scheduled for March 22nd, a spring Dinner Event with a selection of local vendors which had been scheduled for early May, a collection drive for Hope & Comfort of essential hygiene products and a final Sisterhood bonding trip or outing. Lastly to further support our Sisterhood members during the Pandemic we have organized weekly structured Zoom events. These include continuing our Monthly Meeting and Book Club, organizing new monthly morning coffee hours and a monthly wine social. These were set up to provide continued connection and support for each other during these trying times and they have all been enjoyed and well attended. Finally, we have an upcoming Zoom Havdalah service for all temple women with Rabbi Karen scheduled for May 23rd.

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Brotherhood Annual Report for 2019-2020 The Brotherhood made several meaningful strides in the past year. One of our goals was to reach 70 members, and while we didn't quite reach that number, we did get to 67. This is the most members we have had in nearly 20 years when there were over 300 families in the congregation. Had we been able to hold the three remaining breakfasts, we no doubt would have reached our goal. Another important goal was to integrate the brotherhood with members of all age groups. To accomplish this goal, we planned several events that were designed to appeal to younger congregants. Specifically, we planned an event at an escape room in Newton Centre to be followed by a pizza party. Due to the virus, the event had to be postponed, but the ground work was put in place for a later date. The planning for the event was spearheaded by Ben Rothstein, a high school senior. We also began to look into holding an outdoor summer event such as climbing Mount Monadnock. This, too, had to be shelved, but will be revisited in the fall. In addition to sponsoring the annual cookout and erecting the sukkah, the Brotherhood held three highly successful breakfasts. The first breakfast featured state representative Paul McMurtry, who discussed the legislative process and took questions on what the state was doing to prevent the growing number of anti-Semitic incidents. The second breakfast featured a film on the deteriorating condition of the natural gas infrastructure that led to the Merrimack Valley explosions. The film was the work of the Four Rivers Charter Public School in Greenfield, Massachusetts. The third breakfast saw a slide show presentation by Richard Lustig on his trip to Berlin with the Zamir Chorale. The event was followed by a delightful mini concert by several members of the chorus. The Brotherhood also presents each B’Nai Mitzvah with a Kiddush Cup during their Ceremony. The Kiddush Cups provide a constant reminder to each person of their Special Day. In the 2018-2019 year, we began the Hearing Men's Voices program, and this year the program established deeper roots. Led my board member Mike Brier, Hearing Men's Voices is gaining traction as a meaningful and important offering of the brotherhood. How the virus affected the Brotherhood: Like all other aspects of temple life, the Brotherhood was negatively impacted by the virus. Some events had to be cancelled, others postponed, and still others shifted to virtual meetings. But from the challenge came several very important positives. For one, Brotherhood members gained experience in hosting and participating in zoom meetings which may be a precursor of things to come. And in response to the pandemic, the Brotherhood stepped up its charitable mission by making donations to programs actively helping those most adversely affected by the virus. As we look to the future and a return to more normal times, the Brotherhood will seek to use the lasting impressions of the pandemic to further its mission. Among them being the recognition for the need to provide resources to those members of society who have suffered the most including those confined to elder care facilities, and those who struggle on the low end of an increasingly disparate economy. We will also seek ways to recognize the heroic efforts of all first responders be they medical personnel, public protectors, or persons working in vital industries such as grocery staff, service station attendants, and utility workers. Mike Perna Brotherhood President

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Fundraising Committee Annual Report - May 2020 By: Lori Friedman, Chair

The original fundraising goals given to the committee by the Board were $80,000 for Unrestricted Giving (funds that we use for our operating expenses) and $50,000 for Restricted Giving (funds that are only used for special programs and designated purposes). Under the leadership of the new committee chair, Lori Friedman, the fundraising strategies were changed and enhanced to more directly comply with best practices in non-profit fundraising. The three major strategy changes were that:

x We designated all unrestricted fundraising revenue under the umbrella of the Gifts from the Heart Fund so that all unrestricted gifts that were received would now be counted towards this fund;

x We would start fundraising in the fall and solicit the congregation throughout the year; and

x We would tailor fundraising activities to different groups to enhance fundraising results.

Time Line: The committee agreed to solicit gifts from temple members four times during the year in the following ways:

x Mid-October – (New Year appeal) letter from Pat Aronson and Lori Friedman for unrestricted support;

x Early December – (holiday appeal) special card for gifts in honor of or in memory of a loved one;

x April – special video highlighting why the temple is special to the members and requesting unrestricted gifts; and

x Early June – email from the rabbis to increase donor participation within the congregation

Strategies: The committee made a more concerted effort to strengthen the Kesher Program, a program that asks congregants to make a five-year commitment to the temple, ideally for at least $1,250 over five years. Through this program, the temple would not have to start fundraising from scratch, and Kesher donors would not be solicited until the end of their five-year commitment. Kesher pledge payments would count towards the Gifts from the Heart Fund fundraising totals on an annual basis. During the first year of the Kesher Program (FY 2019), nine families made a commitment; twelve families have made a commitment to the Kesher Program in FY 2020 to date. Total Kesher commitments exceed $183,000. The committee also focused on strengthening the major gift program in the fall, and called those members of the congregation who had previously made larger gifts, asking them to continue to support the temple at levels that were comfortable for them. A special mini-fundraising campaign, led by the rabbis, was undertaken in early 2020, to raise funds for the Barbara Zoob Intergenerational Playground. This successful fundraising campaign raised more than $85,000 for this special purpose.

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Results to Date: In the spring, the fundraising goal for the Gifts from the Heart Fund was increased from $80,000 to $122,500 so it would include all of the various unrestricted fundraising goals that were included in the FY 2020 operational budget. Results as of May 1st have been promising in every category. We are pleased to report that we have exceeded our goals for the Gifts from the Heart Fund and for Restricted Giving.

x Gifts from the Heart Fund results: $128,811 x Restricted Giving results: $118,525 x Congregational participation rate is 57% x Board participation rate is 100%

The Fundraising Committee, together with the rabbis, will continue to raise funds for the temple through June 30, 2020 so as to provide a larger financial cushion going forward as other revenue sources may likely be negatively affected due to the coronavirus pandemic. We thank all of the members of the Fundraising Committee for their assistance in achieving these wonderful results. We are truly grateful for the dedication and generosity of all of our temple members and look forward to celebrating our successes at the Gifts from the Heart Gala at a later date.

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Temple Beth David Inclusion Committee

Connie Rizoli – Chair

The Inclusion Committee at Temple Beth David remains committed to implementing our mission statement of embracing and addressing the unique needs of all members of our congregation, regardless of different needs and abilities. The last year’s work really has been a tale of 2 sets of goals. In response to our congregational survey, the Inclusion Committee identified several areas for improvement. In response to requests for large print prayer books, we were able to obtain several electronic readers which were first introduced to the Congregation during the High Holy Days. Members of the committee were available at services to show congregants how to use the tablets. Two additional priorities were identified this year: improving the sound system in the Sanctuary and adding signage for additional handicapped parking. The more challenging issue of making the bimah more accessible was also explored. The committee also continued to support students with special learning needs in our Shorashim religious school. Several members attended a forum on mental health sponsored by the Ruderman Synagogue Inclusion Project. With the arrival of Covid-19, our list of priorities suddenly needed to shift as we switched to a virtual community. With the help of CJP and the Ruderman Foundation, we have been made aware of unique issues related to our remote activities. Are our on-line activities accommodating to persons with a wide range of disabilities? How can we ensure that individuals who do not have computers or are not comfortable using tools like Zoom can maintain access to Temple activities? In addition, we want to be sure that the unique needs of persons with disabilities in this time of Covid-19 are being brought to our attention. We have been in touch with the Caring Committee to be informed of individual congregant needs and look forward to continuing to address these issues in the coming year.

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Early Learning Task Force Report for the Board March, 2020

It has been a year since, then President Paul Greenberg, asked to form a group to explore the possibility of opening a preschool program at temple. We brought together a small group of people who are interested in this focus, have experience in early childhood education, and have young children. It was intended for this group to meet for a limited period of time and make a recommendation/s to the Temple Board. Our mission/goals were established: - Strengthen the engagement of families with young children at the temple - Assess the current state and need of early childhood education in the area including demographics and local options - Explore the opportunity to start a preschool at the temple - Speak to other early childhood educators and lay leaders and observe other programs - Determine the pros and cons of various preschool models - Consider funding sources - Recommend next steps Rabbi Karen has been an integral part of this process using her experience and contacts and many conversations with temple programs in the area, the JCC, various non-Jewish preschool programs, local Westwood professionals, and the URJ. The group members have also contacted and visited local programs in the area to collect information on directing our own early learning center. Everyone in the community has affirmed the need for more full day and infant/toddler care in our geographic area, along with more Jewish options. In September, the ELTF broke into small groups, one being to work on a potential budget of the costs needed to operate our own preschool and potential income. After further discussion, we felt it is worthwhile to view the need for a playground/outdoor area as a separate entity. We would need this for a preschool, but also felt that it would be beneficial for the whole temple. Board members asked for more budget information and market research. Rabbi Karen was given a recommendation from a colleague to reach out to a local professional consultant Linda Mills, a national consultant who helps corporations and not for profits start early learning programs. She has experience with Jewish organizations including the JCC. The motion was passed at the October Board meeting to hire of Linda Mills for the purpose of local market research and sample start up budget.

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In November, the ELTF continued to explore the possibilities of directing our own early learning center along with a possible rental model. In January the playground fundraising for the Barbara Zoob Intergenerational Playground was off and running raising the funds needed to build and sustain the area. Rabbi Karen, Rabbi Micah and Tim met with playground companies narrowing down the options and getting proposals. A smaller group also met about the playground design. By our February meeting, we had gained quite a few new members all bringing a range of expertise to the table. We reviewed the market research and sample start up budget completed by our consultant, Linda Mills. Rabbi Karen, Barbara Accetta, Alyson Miller, and I had met with Linda earlier to review the budget in detail. Discussions of starting our own program, timing, implications and concerns were had at great length. Barbara Accetta created a budget for pre-operating (start-up) expenses. We also discussed another possible local rental option who reached out to Rabbi Karen through her contacts in the town. The director proposed the possibility of an interesting room reconfiguration that would help with ratios. Rabbi Karen sent out a survey provided by Linda Mills to the temple’s families with young children email list (not all temple members but families who attended events at the temple). There is interest for having an early learning center housed at the temple. The group felt that we should not share the survey to a broader social media venue at this time. The comments given were the integration of Jewish culture and values, finding a “home” in a Jewish community, the security of the building and the value of the teachers. Barbara Accetta, spent a lot of time putting together budget spread sheets, working with different room configurations and ratios, as well as start-up costs. The numbers show break even and steady income in the early years, as well as significant income for the temple looking ahead. At our last meeting on March 10th, we discussed how our group’s initial goals have essentially been met. At this meeting, there was lengthy discussion about the pros and cons of proceeding with our own temple early learning center vs. rental opportunities. The group identified three main goals for a temple early learning center: 1) Lifelong Jewish learning, 2) Increase membership for the temple and engaging families earlier, 3) Increase revenue for the temple. The majority of the group expressed desire to proceed with our own preschool aiming for a September 2021 opening. Others felt that a good rental would be more financially prudent for the temple at this time. It is understood that the following process needs to be

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followed - Exec Committee support and Board approval, considering the overall financial health of the temple, start up fundraising, and patience. We also recognized that if we didn’t have the two wonderful Rabbis that we do, this wouldn’t be possible. Rabbi Karen, while supportive of the group’s overall opinion, recommended that we continue to engage the interest of the potential rental partner, given broader questions about temple finances and leadership. This is the overall history, progression, and recommended direction of the Early Learning Task Force. Lisa Altman, Chair

Our educated, bright and diverse group of people who have given their time and energy to this committee are: Barbara Accetta, Jonah Berman, Barbara Friedman, Mark Friedman, Paul Greenberg, Tim Holiner, Lynn Kaminski, Gerry Kramer, Steven Kramer, Leslie Forman, Melissa Levin, John McNamara, Alyson Miller, Jill Scirpo, Mark Springer, Rosalie Weiss and Rabbi Karen