Ways and Means – Amanda Uniman
Activities – Steve Juro
Membership – Bobbi Binder
DECEMBER 2024
Fundraising has been totally focused on our 2025 Gala, honoring Adrienne and Andy Ross. The event is February 22, 2025. This year we will have an extended cocktail hour, live music and an amazing theme. You should all have received your invitations. Please – RSVP BEFORE January 15, 2025. The price is $136/person. On January 16, 2025, the price goes up to $154/person. We will once again have a tribute book. Our deadline for ads will be tight, please get your ads and well wishes in ASAP! Anyone who has items to donate for our silent auction, please see any member of WAM for details on how to make that donation. RSVPs can be made on our website as well as mailing in your card. Please consider becoming an Angel (at any level). And consider this – you DO NOT need to make the payment all up front. You can spread your payments out over the balance of the year as long as you are paid in full by July 2025! This year Nancy Asher-Shultz and Bobbi Binder are chairing the gala, any questions, please see them.
The budget for the gala is to net $50,000.00. As of this writing we are just about halfway to our collection goal. Right now, we are focusing on raising money, there are also costs associated with the event. Your attendance, support of our silent auction and tributes will help offset those costs.
Our Shabbat dinner service continues to be a huge success, topping over 100 people in October! Each month there are themes that usually coincide with a holiday occurring that month. We start at 6pm with a child service in the Bet Midrash led by Bobbi Binder. Dinner is at 6:30 followed by services at 7:30. For those who have not had the opportunity to attend, we highly recommend that you give it a try. There are sponsorship opportunities available to offset costs. This program is popular and is an expense (that has been budgeted for) so we encourage our members to attend and to sponsor as well!
This summer saw a trip to the Lower East side. It was an event that was successful and enjoyed by all who attended.
We held a bike ride on the Tow Path in Kingston, led by Bobbi Binder and Dave Shultz. The event started with breakfast and a D’var Torah/learning session led by Alex Wolkoff. We will be repeating this next summer and encourage our members to come out and join us. It was a fun and educational experience for all!
Upcoming events:
- Winter Hike to be led by Craig Cohen, tentatively scheduled for 2/2/2025.
- Trivia night
- Purim Pub Crawl – an adult only daytime event
- Bowling – a family fun activity
- Winery Trip
- Movie Night (we are looking for recommendations of movies you would like to view, please let WAM know)
- Spring and summer hikes
- Summer bike ride
We are always looking for new ideas and for people who would like to either champion those activities or simply assist and be involved. Please let WAM know how you would like to help!
Since our last congregation meeting, we have added 3 new family members, all of whom have children!
We have created a “Buddy Program”. The information can be found on our website. We are looking for people to be the callers and for people who want to be called. The hope is that a more personal connection can be made between our members, growing attendance at programs and services. There will be sign-up sheets at the congregation meeting.
We will be creating a Membership Moment article to appear each month in Hakol spotlighting a member. If you are interested in sharing your B’nai Tikvah story, please let Bobbi Binder know.