Rodef Sholom: A Reform Jewish Congregation in Marin County, California

Keeping the lines of communication open is essential in maintaining a healthy relationship, and that includes communication between you, as a congregant and member of the Rodef Sholom family, and members of your Board of Directors.  We want to hear from you, and we want you to know what’s happening with the holy work that we are doing.

If you have something on your mind you can always drop a note in the Board of Directors mailbox in the temple office.  Comments and feedback are always appreciated.

We want you to know that you are always welcome to attend our monthly board meetings.  We meet on the 2nd Thursday of the month, at 7 pm in the social hall.  If you would like to attend, please contact Gigi at the temple office at 479.3441 or gigi@rodefsholom.org to let her know to expect you.  Attending a board meeting will give you a glimpse into the ongoing partnership between board members, clergy, staff and congregants at Rodef Sholom.  Every board meeting is different, most board meetings are packed with important strategic discussions and actions, and we always learn from each other.  Please join us!

Another way to get to know members of your Board of Directors is to look for us at the synagogue on Shabbat.  We’d love the opportunity to share the warmth of a friendly Shabbat service!   Sit with us, and enjoy the beauty and peacefulness as we celebrate Shabbat with our community.

B’shalom,

Jan Luxenberg President, Board of Directors

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Last month your Board of Directors, clergy and senior staff members gathered for our annual retreat. This special day enabled us to assess our short and long-term goals and to focus on strategy and vision for the future.

Our holy work – the work we did that day for our board and our congregation – took place in a truly collegial atmosphere, one filled with mutual respect, where people felt free to discuss opinions and ideas.   We focused on our true purpose – governance issues – and did so at the highest level. This allowed us to be really productive and do our best work, ultimately benefiting the entire congregation and community.

We worked to strengthen and unify our “messaging platform” – what we say when we describe Congregation Rodef Sholom to each other, to fellow congregants and to the greater community We explored how the values of tikkun olam, torah and learning, welcoming and g’milut hasadim (or, as we like to translate it, “radical kindness”) are woven together to uphold our core purpose - to be a kehillah kedosha (holy community) that is a source of spiritual nourishment that allows us to make the world a better place. We work to perpetuate the gift of Judaism for future generations, so that we can lead more meaningful, ethical and spiritual lives.

We also devoted a portion of the retreat to an important area of board development. We outlined basic board member responsibilities and explored the qualities of a well-qualified, devoted board member.

Our hope is that by understanding these facets of board service we will strengthen our board and the covenantal relationship we hold with each other and with you, our congregants.

B’Shalom,

Jan Luxenberg, President Board of Directors

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The month of November is, like every other month at Congregation Rodef Sholom, a busy one. The beauty and inspiration of the High Holy Days lingers in our hearts as we move into the winter months. Although outside the temperature will drop and the days will feel shorter and darker, your synagogue is as warm and bright as ever.

As winter sets in, many of us like to “hibernate”, staying at home where it’s warm and dry. Rodef Sholom, your synagogue home, is a great place to “hibernate” too. Actually, you won’t find any caves or dens in which to hibernate, rather you’ll find a place that offers community connection, joyous celebration, quiet introspection, a caring environment in which to find support, and so much more. Look at our website (www.rodefsholom.org) to see how you can be a part of your synagogue community! One event that caught my eye is our very special Scholar-In-Residence event. This will be happening November 20th through the 22nd, and features Rabbi Eddie Feinstein, who will delight you with his lectures on “Challahs in the Ark”, “A Brief History of Chutzpah” and “How to Wrestle with God…and win!” I hope to see you there!

B’shalom,

Jan Luxenberg

President, Board of Directors P.S.

Starting in December, Rodef Sholom is going to be a true warm winter shelter this month for many of the homeless in our community.  Please watch for more information in the weekly e-mail to see how you can help.

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“Just imagine what we could do with more Chai Circles of Giving!”  Those were the words from Rabbi Stacy Friedman that inspired Marc Press.  But he knew that he and his wife Kim could not shoulder the Chai Circle financial commitment alone. So they decided to reach out to their own circle of congregation friends to see if they could make something happen.

And they did.  Marc and Kim Press recognized that many of the congregation’s programs cannot exist without additional financial support.  So they did what comes naturally:  they contacted about ten families with whom they shared common ground. Many of them had young kids, they all had a close relationship to Rodef Sholom, and they all participated in temple programs that made a difference in their lives.  Says Kim, “We’re passionate about so many of the programs: Danny Nichols at Shabbat services, the open tent committee, the conversion mentor program, and the challah baking on Thursday afternoons.  Without additional funds, these programs could not exist.”  Adds Marc, “The fact that our wonderful clergy can each be engaged in unique and special programs is a direct result of having the extra funds that come from Chai Circles.”

The concept of Chai Circle giving initially grew out of a need to cover a specific budget shortfall and the financial commitment was $10,000, each year for 3 years. But Marc always thought it should be a continuous level of giving. So when the 3-year commitment was up, he approached their Chai Circle “family” again and almost every member willingly agreed to the funding again.  According to Marc, “They were proud to be included.”

Notes Marc, “The goal of Chai Circles was never to increase membership but to see fellow congregants more deeply involved in meaningful activities. These additional resources directly translate into greater connections for many more families like ours.”

Marc and Kim are passionate about making this choice and leading the way for other congregation members.  They are keenly aware that additional resources are necessary to keep alive the rich array of activities and programs that mean so much to so many families.  Many of these are not simply an extra class or fun activity but are what make a big difference in people’s lives:  The Nichum program of meals for congregants in need, Mitzvah Day that benefits dozens of Marin County agencies, and meals for the homeless through our Religious School, among many others. These would not be possible without the additional funds from the Chai Circles.

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­As a former Board and Chai Circle member, I am aware of the financial realities Rodef Sholom faces in doing its important work.  It was an honor to interview Marc and Kim who have shown great dedication and leadership by giving their time, talent and resources.  I am inspired by their generosity and I hope others will be as well.—Cindy Ostroff

If you would like to learn more about Chai Circle giving to Rodef Sholom, please contact Jane Friedman, Development Director, at 479.3441 or jane@rodefsholom.org. 

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Shanah Tova to my fellow congregants.  I’ve received several requests to share this year’s Erev Rosh Hashanah speech.  It’s reprinted here.  I wish everyone a happy and healthy new year.

- Jan
 
Shana tova.  My name is Jan Luxenberg and I have the honor of serving a 2nd year as president of the board of directors of our congregation.

You may remember my “GPS speech” from last year.  Ever enamored with technology, I’d like to show you the latest Luxenberg family device.
 
This is our iPhone. This is the all-in-one “telephone - internet connection -  email –computer”  part of my life.  It can, in an electronic kind of way, keep us feeling very connected with everything and everyone that is important and significant in our lives.   You might have heard the iPhone commercials that proclaim “We have an application for that”.  The iPhone does have tons of applications for just about everything – you want to hear bird calls?  There’s an application for that.  Maybe you need a street map of Jerusalem?  They’ve got an app for that.  There’s even an application that will let you read the entire Torah, with commentary if you desire.
 
Rodef Sholom has a unique application too.  It’s not one that you can install on your iPhone, but it is even more valuable to me than anything on my iPhone, because it lends strength and meaning to our lives.  It is the “people to people application”.  Our strength is you.  YOU!  And that is why Rodef Sholom is the place to be.  Our connections to each other make us the caring and holy community – the kehilla kedosha – that we are now and aspire to always be.  
You feel this holy connection when you walk up the steps of the synagogue porch on a Friday night and receive warm Shabbat greetings from fellow congregants, sharing that sacred bond of friendship. You feel it tonight, a part of this holy congregation, sharing a very spiritual and moving beginning to our new year, filled with the songs and prayers that our parents and grandparents have recited for generations, bridging our past and our future in the company of so many people.
 
Every one of you deserves thanks and appreciation for making us who we are and for sustaining us.   You do this through your gifts of time, treasure and talent. You do this through caring for Rodef Sholom and for each other.  You do this by being involved in Women of Rodef Sholom. You do this by taking your children to religious school.  You do this by helping with mailings and by making meals for the homeless. You do this with your generous donations.  
Not everyone has the same ability to give, and not everyone gives in the same way, and that’s ok. All our ways of contributing are vital to our thriving community. It’s amazing, reassuring and gratifying to see the ways in which you help to support Rodef Sholom and make this holy community so strong, for us, for our children, and for their children.  Look around this sanctuary tonight.  Each of us is a valuable, treasured part of this holy community.
 
Thank you for being who you are, for doing what you do.  You bring hope for a strong and secure future for Congregation Rodef Sholom, and your commitment allows us to remain the strongly connected, holy community we are.
 
The iPhone, with its many applications, can keep you connected to the world, it’s true. But Congregation Rodef Sholom keeps you connected to something much more powerful and enduring.  We are a holy community, connecting people to people, offering strength and support, connecting us to the most important values we know.  You make us more than a fancy electronic device - you make us Congregation Rodef Sholom.
 
I wish every one a happy and healthy new year.

Thank you and shana tova.

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