At the Temple Ahavat Shalom Annual Meeting on May 17, 2015, the following MoTAS Annual Report was presented:

(click on the report to access the PDF presentation)

Back in March, I got to do the D’var Torah for the TAS Board. My parasha was Exodus 35:21 where the congregation built the tabernacle, that is, “every one whose heart stirred them up, and everyone who their spirit made willing”. The congregation of the willing brought the offerings needed to do this; they did the service and were (in turn) filled with wisdom and understanding to know how to work all the work for the service of the sanctuary. Those in leadership — both congregational and MoTAS — tend to surround ourselves with the willing. Who we need to reach, however, are the unwilling. We need to learn why they are unwilling, and what we can do as leaders to help them find the will. Specifically, for MoTAS, what can we do to make you willing to be involved? Different activities? Different times? Unfortunately, it is unlikely the unwilling are reading this. But you, as part of the willing, are. Please talk to those you know who are unwilling, and let us know how we can listen to them and find more people willing to become active in MoTAS. And, by the way, we’re not asking the unwilling to be board members. Start small: attend a single meeting or activity. We would like to get to know you better.