In This Issue:
- SISTERHOOD SHABBAT – FRI MAY 10
- MOTAS ELECTION RESULTS
- DINING OUT AT WEILERS – TUE MAY 28
- JUNE MEMBERSHIP MEETING – SUN JUN 9
- SHABBABAQUE IS COMING – FRI JUN 28
- TIME IS RUNNING OUT – MOTAS ANNUAL APPEAL
- HOLD THE DATE: OCTOBER POKER TOURNAMENT
- MAY MEMBERSHIP MEETING MINUTES
- IN CLOSING
1. SISTERHOOD SHABBAT – FRI MAY 10
This coming Friday, at 7:30pm, is the annual Shabbat celebrating all that the TAS Sisterhood does for our congregation. Just as Sisterhood was there to support MoTAS during the MoTAS Shabbat, MoTAS is there to support Sisterhood. Volunteers are needed to show up at 6:30pm to help set up for the Oneg so that Sisterhood can focus on the Shabbat; we’ll also need volunteers after the service to help serve and clean up. If you can be there, please let Howard know at president@tasnorthridge-motas.org.
2. MOTAS ELECTION RESULTS
The May membership meeting also marked the election of officers for the 2019-2020 programming year. At the meeting, the entire current slate of officers were reelected for a second term:
- President: Howard Miller
- Vice Presidents: Larry Pfefer and Russ Rapoport
- Treasurer: Roger Lowe
- Secretary: Hal Bass
Thank you to all of our officers for serving our membership for another year. If you would be interested in becoming a leader in a future year, please let any of the current officers know.
3. DINING OUT AT WEILERS – TUE MAY 28
For those that haven’t heard the sad news, Weiler’s Deli in Northridge has announced that the shopping center ownership has informed them that they will not be renewing our lease. They have plans to demolish the center in favor of corporate expansion, and Weiler’s is not included in that plan. Their location within the center will be one of the first to go, and they will be forced to close their business this year, at a date yet to be determined.
Weiler’s has always been there for TAS, and even with this sad news, they are there again. Let’s show Gayle and her family how much we treasure them. Barry has arranged for our May Dining Out — on Tuesday, May 28 — to be at Weiler’s. Let’s make this a great turnout for a great Northridge institution.
As always, you can download and print a flyer from our Dining Out page. Let’s pack the restaurant and make this a great evening.
4. JUNE MEMBERSHIP MEETING – SUN JUN 9
Our last membership meeting of the 2018-2019 programming year will be Sunday, June 9. In addition to our normal scrumptious breakfast (which I’m sure will be extra cheesy in honor of Shavuot), Howard is working on something special for the meeting. Stay tuned for more information, and mark your calendar now!
Note: This meeting will be held in Activity Center 1/2, the S end of the Activity Center, as our normal meeting rooms (5/6) are booked.
5. SHABBABAQUE IS COMING – FRI JUN 28
Signups are now open for first Shabbat Bar-B-Que — what we call Shabbabeque — of the summer on Friday, June 28th. Shabbabaque starts with an outdoor service in the TAS amphitheatre at 6:15pm, featuring music from our rockin’ TAS House Band. This is followed at 7:45pm by a delicious barbeque dinner. Meat items will include turkey burgers, beef burgers, and hot dogs. Vegetarian items will include vegetarian patties, broccoli roasted with garlic, and baked potatoes. Afterwards, there will be a wonderful Sisterhood oneg. The full menu is on the Shabbabaque event page. Our goal is for everyone to be happy. If you have special dietary needs, please contact us at the email address below.
The next Shabbabeque is:
- Date: Friday, June 28, 2019
- 6:15 PM Service
- 7:45 PM Shabbabeque Dinner
- Cost: $11 Adults / $7 Children (+$5 for registrations after Weds., 6/26 at noon). There is a small additional fee for online payments.
- How to Register:
- Online Registrations and Payments: Visit http://shab-bbq.tasnorthridge-motas.org/ to register. You may pay by credit card, or mail your check in advance or bring it to the event. You may also pay by credit card at the event.
- Telephone Registrations. You may register by calling the Temple Office at (818) 360-2258, or emailing shab-bbq@tasnorthridge-motas.org. Note that registrations received after Weds 6/26 at 6PM are an additional $5.
- Questions? Contact shab-bbq@tasnorthridge-motas.org
Reservation for this event by June 26th is strongly encouraged; an extremely-limited number of late-registration tickets are available at the door.
To volunteer to help at the event, visit https://motascybermaven.eventbee.com/event?eid=129473583.
6. TIME IS RUNNING OUT – MOTAS ANNUAL APPEAL
In 2012, the Men of TAS eliminated the dues requirement for membership. We moved to an inclusive model where every man in TAS is part of the Men of Temple Ahavat Shalom. Since we don’t have dues, we don’t have steady revenue. So, every year Men of TAS asks you to support our work financially. We do an annual appeal that starts around the time of the MoTAS Shabbat, and continues until the end of May. There are only a few weeks left to contribute for this year’s appeal. We depend upon you, our members, to keep this group going. We may disagree at times, but we look past those disagreements in the spirit of friendship and brotherhood, and working together to further the congregation.
By now, you should have received our Annual Appeal letter. You can also find the message on our support page at http://support.tasnorthridge-motas.org/. On that page, you can find a printable donation form that you can mail in, as well as a link to contribute online. It is through your contributions that MoTAS is able to do that work that we do for the congregation. Please think about how much MoTAS means to the congregation, and how much the relationships you have with MoTAS mean to you. Then add 20%, and make a donation :-). Seriously, the MoTAS leadership works hard to make MoTAS valuable to you and the congregation. This is your chance to let us know what we mean to you.
See your friends and fellow congregants that have really stepped up to support us on our website’s Wall of Honor at http://wallofhonor.tasnorthridge-motas.org/. Join the Wall of Honor yourself by donating $100 or more. Your generous gift will provide fun events for all Temple members, kids to adults, teachers and staff. Continue to repair and improve our facilities. Most importantly, it will help us continue teaching and living the Jewish values that guide and enrich all our lives.
7. HOLD THE DATE: OCTOBER POKER TOURNAMENT
The 2019 poker tournament is planned for Sunday, October 27. Mark your calendar now for the date, and start thinking about who you’re going to bring to play at your table — and get them to mark the date as well. This is our big fundraiser for the year.
8. MAY MEMBERSHIP MEETING MINUTES
Date: Sunday, May 5, 2019
Present: Howard Miller (President), Hal Bass (Secretary), Les Birken, Daniel Faigin, Michael Kantor, Roger Lowe (Treasurer), Fabian Malinovitz, Jackie Malinovitz, Barry Mann, Larry Pfefer (VP), Russ Rapoport, Mike Rayfield, Bernie Singer, Alan Stepakoff, Ben Tenn, Mike Thornhill, Scott Yollis.
President’s Report:
- Howard thanked Bob Levine, Roger Lowe, Mike Thornhill and Scott Yollis for preparing this morning’s brunch.
- Howard received a thank-you note from a student for MoTAS support of his campership, one of eight camperships MoTAS is helping fund this year.
- Howard announced that MoTAS has purchased touch-up paint for the security gates and wrought-iron fence along Rinaldi Place and will use volunteers for this beautification project.
- MoTAS has allocated $1,000 for a Gala ad with two accompanying tickets to the June 15 event.
- The temple has a DWP grant for new lighting. As the grant does not include batteries for emergency back-up, Larry Pfefer announced that MoTAS will allocate up to $1,500 from Sports Squares for the uncovered expenses. A motion for this allocation was unanimously passed last month.
- MoTAS is contributing $3,000 from Sports Squares funds toward installation of synthetic turf on the ECEC and Religious School grounds. Total cost of the project will be $8,000, which is lower than previously anticipated. The new turf will be installed by late June.
- Howard recommended that MoTAS consider a larger annual contribution to the temple above our current level of $5,000. Mike Thornhill then proposed, and Larry Pfefer seconded, a motion for a one-time MoTAS contribution of up to $5,000. The motion carried unanimously. Scott Yollis moved, and Mike Rayfield seconded, a proposal to direct the one-time contribution of up to $5,000 for a special project or projects. The Yollis-Rayfield motion passed unanimously. Ideas generated for special projects should be sent to Howard.
Treasurer’s Report as of 5/4/19:
Expenses:
- Synthetic Turf Support: $3,000
- Lighting Upgrade for Items Not Covered by DWP: $1,500
- Sisterhood Campership Program: $1,150
Income:
- 2019 MoTAS Appeal:
- $4,132 (45 participants) and Pride Appeal $566 (7 participants) to date
less <$175> for postage & CC fees
= $4,731; this exceeds our $4,500 goal
- $4,132 (45 participants) and Pride Appeal $566 (7 participants) to date
- Yom HaShoah Candles:
- Income $1,922 (54 participants),
Mailing Expense <$903>
= Net $1,019
- Income $1,922 (54 participants),
- Joint Seder with Temple Beth Hillel March 24:
- Income $797,
Expenses <$726>
= Net $71
- Income $797,
- Dining for Dollars in March at Islands: $175
- MoTAS-labeled Apparel Sales at April Meeting: $60
- Prior Years Sports Squares Funds: $4,827
- 2018 Season Football Squares
Income: $4,975,
Winners Paid Out <$1,900>,
Remaining Funds $3,075
- 2018 Season Football Squares
-
- 2019 Super Bowl
Income: $2,225,
Winner Payout <$805>,
Remaining Funds $1,420
- 2019 Super Bowl
-
- 2019 March Madness NCAA Basketball Tournament
Income: $2,465,
Winner Payout <$1,255>
= Net $1,210
- 2019 March Madness NCAA Basketball Tournament
- Sports Squares Funds Available for Distribution: $10,542
Election of MoTAS Officers: The nominating committee for 2019-20 was chaired by Bob Levine, with Daniel Faigin and Scott Yollis as additional members. At last month’s membership meeting, the committee recommended no changes to the current officers: Howard Miller, president; Larry Pfefer and Russ Rapoport, vice presidents; Roger Lowe, treasurer; Hal Bass, secretary.
The election took place at today’s membership meeting. There being no other candidates nominated, the officers recommended for 2019-20 were unanimously elected.
Sisterhood Shabbat, May 10: MoTAS volunteers are needed at 6:30 pm to help with set-up for the annual Sisterhood Shabbat.
Annual Congregational Meeting Sunday, June 2, at 9 am: Howard encouraged everyone to attend the meeting. A report from the 12-member Presidents Council chaired by Lisa Kantor and the temple’s 2019-20 budget will be among the agenda items.
Shabbabaque, Friday, June 28: Volunteers will be needed for purchasing, preparation, serving and clean-up. A sign-up sheet will be provided at the June 9 MoTAS meeting.
Hillel 818 Presentation: Gary Cohn, Senior VP of the Jewish Agency for Israel, and David Katz, Director of Hillel 818 representing CSUN, Pierce College and Valley College, gave two interesting and encouraging updates. The Jewish Agency for Israel, the largest Jewish non-profit organization in the world, was founded in 1929 and was headed by David Ben-Gurion from 1935 until he became Israel’s first prime minister on May 14, 1948.
Each year, the Jewish Agency sends 1,300 Israeli emissaries to 200 summer camps in North America, serving 160,000 campers; 104 community and 96 youth movement emissaries to more than 20 countries; and 75 Israeli fellows to Hillel on 120 campuses across North America, reaching over 100,000 Jewish college students.
Hillel 818 benefits by support from the Jewish Agency. When David Katz moved to the Valley from Pittsburgh five years ago, Hillel activities at CSUN, Pierce College and Valley College were moribund. He turned the program into a dynamic enterprise now serving over 1,400 students (out of 6,000 Jews) at the three campuses (including 3,500 at CSUN), sent 60 students to Israel on Birthright, instituted regular Shabbat services, and raised $1.9 million for forthcoming renovations to the Hillel Center at Plummer St. & Zelzah Ave. In answer to a question, Mr. Katz described the Jewish student body at CSUN, Pierce and Valley as of 1/3 Israeli parentage, 1/3 Persian parentage, 1/3 Ashkenazi or Sephardic American parentage, and a number of Russian parentage.
Adjournment and Next MoTAS Meeting: The next meeting will take place Sunday, June 9, 2019, at 8:45 am, at the south end of the Activity Center.
Respectfully submitted,
Hal Bass, Secretary
IN CLOSING
As always, remember that the Men of Temple Ahavat Shalom is *your* organization. Keep up to date on our activities at http://www.tasnorthridge-motas.org/ and participate. Sign up for our action alert list at http://tinyurl.com/motas-action-alert. We want to serve all the men of Temple Ahavat Shalom and welcome new participants from the TAS membership. Join our Facebook group and “follow” our website. Come be part of the Men of Temple Ahavat Shalom!
Men of Temple Ahavat Shalom 