Temple Israel Annual Report
2014 – 2015/5775
Mission & Values
Our Mission:
Living Judaism together through discovery,
dynamic spirituality, and righteous impact.
Our Values:
We build community and encounter the sacred through RELATIONSHIPS.
We embrace TORAH in all its dimensions as our enduring source for inquiry, discovery, and
inspiration.
We explore SPIRITUALITY and innovate our traditions of ritual and prayer.
We pursue JUSTICE, in partnership with others, to realize our vision of what the world ought
to be.
We are Ohavei Yisrael, Lovers of ISRAEL, committed to the vitality, peace, and well-being of
the Jewish people in Israel and throughout the world.
We draw strength from our DIVERSITY, and wisdom from all who walk through our open
doors.
Life Cycles
Life Cycle
Events
B‘nai Mitzvah
44
Confirmations
15
Baby Namings
32
Conversions
21
Weddings
15
Funerals
31
Worship & Community
MLK Shabbat Service
with Mayor Marty Walsh
Interfaith Service for those
considering conversion
Open Door High Holy Days
engaging 600 young adults
Nashim Women’s Seder
Changes to Qabbalat Shabbat
included fuller musical
accompaniment every week
Education: Elementary
Restructured Family Education for grades K-4 to address feedback
received from parents
Successfully re-launched Shabbat Mishpachah program
Implemented new assessment tools to measure educational outcomes
271 K-7 students
Education: Teen
109 Enrolled (MNS, RYFTI, and
Madrichim Program)
“TIKKUN: To Take on the World” won
2015 Fain Social Action Award
Wellness Seminar Series for TI teens
and parents
Senior class trip to Mayyim Hayyim
“RYFTI means the world to me. It has been that
way since I joined the community in eighth
grade, and that feeling has only grown and
strengthened in the years since. I see RYFTI as a
home away from home, a family, and a
community of which I am proud to be a part.”
- Rebecca Wishnie, RYFTI VP of
Social Programming
Education: Adult Learning
Feinberg Lecture (with David Harris, AJC)
Wyner Lecture (with Marietta Cambareri,
MFA)
Steinbaum Lecture (with Judith
Rosenbaum, JWA)
Modern Midrash
Men’s & Women's Study Groups
Meah (with Hebrew College and CJP)
Trip to Cuba
Temple Israel Lifelong Learning
Initiative (TILLI):
23 peer-led study groups
12 Lunch & Learn programs
4 winter sessions
TILLI Salons, trips and pre-negs
Education: Frances Jacobson
Early Childhood Center (FJECC)
Full enrollment for 22 years
Created Rita and Adam J. Weiner and Family
Outdoor Classroom for discovery & learning
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering &
Math) learning, with the use of small “robots”
in the classrooms
Implemented “Social Thinking” curriculum
Selected Tzedakah projects: Books collected
for Reach Out and Read!; class trip to the
Brookline Food Pantry; Tzedekah funds
collected for Gesharim Letikvah/Bridges for
Hope in Israel; Havdalah event raised
donations for Room to Grow
Tzedek & Chesed
GBIO's Rededication Assembly & Action with 90
Temple Israel members, the largest delegation of any
synagogue
Mother’s Day Walk for Peace (5th graders)
Aging: Celebrations and Challenges
Social Justice Accomplishments:
Gun violence prevention legislation
Earned sick time law
Minimum wage bill
Act promoting housing and support services to
unaccompanied homeless youths (7th graders)
Significant Direct Service Efforts:
Serving food to those in need at "Sunday's
Bread“ each month
8,028 pounds of food donated to Greater
Boston Food Bank during High Holy Days
Tzedek & Chesed
Caring Community
Meals and calls to congregants in need
Chanukah packages for college students, Mishloach Manot for the elderly
Reached out to those who are isolated, lonely, and housebound
Membership & Engagement
Focused on relationships and belonging, the penetrating axis from the Temple Israel Project –
Shaping Our Future
Dr. Ron Wolfson, Burstein Scholar-in-Residence Weekend
Author of Relational Judaism: Using the Power of Relationships to Transform the Jewish
Community
Addressed congregation and worked with Board and Leadership Council
Year 1 Included:
TI Tent Talks
Website redesign to tell the TI story and showcase clergy and community
New Director of Communications (Emma Sandler) and Director of Membership and
Engagement (Julie Unger)
Dan Deutsch, new Executive Director, reached out to re-engage members and opened
his door to congregants
Membership & Engagement
477 Initiative: Connecting people in
their 50’s and 60’s (empty-nesters,
singles, and partners without children)
Potluck dinners after Qabbalat
Shabbat 5 times per year
Museum tours at the ICA and MFA
French Film Series facilitated by
Susan Ridker
Evening with the Director of Awake
and Sing
Wine & Apps party hosted by Rich
Kalish and Liz Keller
Salon with Cam Kerry on privacy and
data security
Membership & Engagement
Riverway Project (20’s & 30’s)
Engaged more than 1,000 young
adults across Boston in Jewish life
Provided 600 young adults a
meaningful High Holy Day experience at
"Open Door" Services
Monthly Soul Food Fridays (160
people on average)
Riverway Cafe: Caffeinated Torah Time
Sukkot Harvest Celebration with
Moishe Kavod House and Ganei
Beantown
Neighborhood Shabbat gatherings
Mining for Meaning (intensive
learning groups)
Membership & Engagement
Families with Young Children
Me & My Parent program for
1 and 2 year olds (in partnership
with CJP and the FJECC)
Monthly Tot Rock Shabbat
geared for ages 5 and under
Monthly Mahjong Group
Thank Goodness It’s Shabbat (TGIS)
for kids up to 6 years old
Weekly Meet-Ups
Baby and Me
Jewish Rituals for Expectant Parents
Family TGIS Sha-Bar-BQ
Membership & Engagement
Membership Committee
Over 150 new members
Rolling out Neighborhood Networks
Calls to new members to welcome
them and facilitate their entry into
the TI community
Calls to prospective members to
answer question and connect them
with members and clergy
Brookline meetup.com group meets
once a month for dinner-led by Josh
Konoff
New Qabbalat Shabbat name tags
that stimulate conversations
Building & Grounds
Capital Projects on the 1957 section of
the Education Wing, including:
Replaced five old rooftop HVAC units
Replaced lower portion of the roof
Replaced carpeting in Slater
Migration from mechanical to
electronic energy control system to
reduced energy use
Maintenance and improvements to
exterior property
Safety:
Improved Fire Safety Systems
FJECC Project:
Added a toddler bathroom
Safety
See Something, Say Something
Continued to work with ISA and
partner with the FJECC and Beacon
Academy to keep our community
safe
Technology
Chose new Congregant Relationship Management (CRM) system
After extensive investigation of options and due diligence, the technology
committee and staff selected Congregation Connect
Benefits will include:
Cloud based with automatic upgrades
Member portal with self-maintenance of personal data
Event management and RSVP capabilities
Billing and payments
Members’ interests identified for further engagement
New CRM will be implemented over the next year
Communications
Story Telling and Visibility
ChaiLights: New design for the weekly
e-newsletter
Website: New concept and design officially
launched on May 29
Relational Design: “Find Your
Community” page, Live Chat with
receptionist
Accessible Design: Mobile friendly,
improved menu navigation
Reflects Our Community: Celebrates
current and past clergy, Featured Members,
Lay Leaders, Temple 101
Interfaith Clergy Snow Video: Went viral with
20,451 views, and was covered by The Weather
Channel, Huffington Post, Fox News, The Boston
Globe
Rabbinic Transition Committee
Kathryn Madden and Michele Fishel, Co-Chairs
Will work with members to manage change during rabbinic transition so we stand
together as a congregation during this milestone event
Led a work session on transition with the Leadership Council and coordinated with TI
Tent Talk leaders and Rabbinic Search Committee
Researched best practices with other congregations, URJ and professionals expert in
transitions
Fiscal Year 2016: TI Revenue Budget
$2,475
Dues
45%
$355
Friends
Annual Fund
6%
$1,030
MASCO
19%
$1,289
Endowments
& Special
Funds
23%
$374
Other
7%
Fiscal Year 2016: TI Expense Budget
$1,796
Worship
33%
$954
Education
17%
$480
Other
9%
$1,305
Administration
24%
$959
Building &
Grounds
17%
Development
Friends Annual Fund
Pledges and gifts now total over $420,000
Stepping Out produced 10% of the Friends
Annual Fund and over 200 people attended
100% participation of Board and Senior Staff
Supported by 30% of the congregation
Ner Tamid Society
Friends Annual Fund FY 2015
As of June 5, 2015
Wisdom ($25,000)
Denise and William Finard
The Richard and Susan Smith Family Foundation
Susan and Richard Smith
Amy Smith Berylson and John Berylson and James Berylson
Jennifer Berylson Block and Jonathan Block
Elizabeth Berylson Katz and Robert Katz
Debra Smith Knez, Jessica Knez and Andrew Knez
Dana and Robert Smith
The Robert Lloyd Corkin Charitable Foundation
Understanding ($15,000)
Anonymous
Strength ($10,000)
Anonymous (3)
Lisa Gross and Richard Hoffman
Kathy Weinman and Cameron Kerry
Kindness ($5,000 - $9,999)
Ashley and Paul Bernon
Marina Kalb and David Henry Feinberg
Irene Friedman and Rabbi Ronne Friedman
Abi and Mark Goodman
Jill Medvedow and Richard Kazis
Pam and Dean Richlin
Jane Stiles and Mitchell Shames
James M. Stoneman
Meryl LeBoff and Mark Williams
Genevieve and Justin Wyner
Ellen Rovner and Michael Zimman
Inspiration ($3,600 - $4,999)
Jennifer and Jonathan Block
Ellen Kaplan Kardon
Carol and Robert Mayer
Carol Michael
Mary and Gary Pforzheimer
Nancy Raphael
Gerri and Kenneth Sweder
Michele Fishel and Barry Weisman
Judi Ross Zuker and Ed Zuker
Vision ($1,800 - $3,599)
Jennifer Weber and Laurence Bailen
Robert Bechek
Christine and Leonard Bierbrier
Century Bank
Barbara and Marshall Sloane
Linda and Jonathan Kay
Bette and John Cohen
Dayl Cohen
Suzanne Salamon and Alan Einhorn
Rabbi Elaine Zecher and David Eisenberg
Glenda and Robert Fishman
Donna and David Frieze
Abby and Brett Gordon
Allison and Andrew Hirsch
Jessica Greenfield and Paul Hummel
Allyson and Andrew Jaffe
Nada and Steven Kane
Anita Feins and Steven Lampert
Lauren and Aaron Lapat
Lori and Eric Lass
Susan Edgman Levitan and Richard Levitan
Shirley Libby
Marc Maxwell and David Passer (z’l)
Susan and Robert Michaels
Peggy Morrison
Leah Rosovsky
Sandy and Donald Perrin
Shari and Chris Noe
Dana Gershon and Rabbi Jonah Pesner
Fran and Don Putnoi
Susan and Paul Ridker
Erinn and Jason Rhodes
Jeane Ungerleider and William Stone
Carol and Stanley Riemer
Elizabeth Skavish and Michael Rubenstein
Elisabeth Keller and David Savitz
Jennifer and Bram Shapiro
Melissa Bayer Tearney and Gary Tearney
Cheryl and Donald Warner
Roberta and Stephen Weiner
Connection ($1,000 - $1,799)
Judith and Robert Armell
Janet and Bernard Aserkoff
Meryl and Dennis Beckingham
Joan and Richard Benjamin
Barbara and Carl Berke
Rima Burroughs
Kelly and Eric Davidson
Debra Kocar and Gerald Davis
Jean and Steven Dubowsky
Cantor Jodi Sufrin and Cantor Roy Einhorn
Sarah Kianovsky and Frank Friedman
Sylvia Green
Dru and Ted Greenwood
Kathryn Madden and Roger Herzog
Ellen Cohen and Daniel Haber
Judith Bond Herman
Jane Holtz
Beverly and Crandall Huckins
Nanette and Daniel Jacobson
Elisabeth Keller and Richard Kalish
Lisbeth Tarlow and Stephen Kay
Lisa and Roger Krakoff
Jill and Shawn Kravetz
Saul Kurlat
Naomi Aberly and Laurence Lebowitz
Nicole and Paul Lipson
Jessica and Josh Lutzker
Beth Lowd and Jerome Medalie
Carol and Rabbi David Mersky
Molly Schmitt and Rabbi Jeremy Morrison
Deborah and Sy Raboy
Robert D. Roy
Nancy and Ron Shaich
Russell Lopez and Andrew David Sherman
Lisa Danetz and Craig Smith
Jodi and Rob Sokoloff
Emily and Michael Speicher
Karen and Benjamin Stern
Sarah and Marc Zimman
Friends Annual Fund FY 2015
As of June 5, 2015
Friend ($500- $999)
Carol and Howard Anderson
Theresa and David Banash
Jonathan Benjamin
Sarah and Andrew Bishins
Beth and Michael Davis
Wayne Diamond
Georgia and Jesse Feldman
Arlene Sharpe and Gordon Freeman
Joanne Tuck and Stuart Freedman
Nancy Gertner
Hui Deng and Steven Goldstein
Casey Knight and Blake Gottesman
Judith Jaffe
Amy Kaplowitz
Christine Keegan
Ronni Sachs Kotler
Sally Kaplan Levy and Bruce Levy
Deborah Polansky and Eric Putnoi
Florence and Joseph Steinberg
Esther and Robert Rosenthal
Michelle Ephraim and Marc Rysman
Suzanne and David Samuels
Aviva Sapers and Judith Sydney
Claire and Edward Saxe
Patricia and David Squire
Erica and Donald Stern
Carol and Steve Targum
Valerie Zimber and James Waldroop
Don Cornuet and Stephen Weiner
Catherine Mitkus and Howard Wishnie
Sarah Minden and Stephen Wright
Rose Zoltek-Jick
Friend ($1- $499)
Anita and Stephen Adelson
Stefanie Greenfield Allen and Mark Allen
David Around
Elizabeth Ascoli
Alison and Mathew Avram
Phyllis Baker
David and Theresa Banash
Judith and Henry Banks
Beverly Barisano
Linda and Richard Barnes
Rochelle and Lewis Barr
Elayne and Marc Baskin
Marion and Merwyn Bear
Anita Bender
Sheila Berenson
Marilyn and Barnett Berliner
Richard Bertman
Galina and Yuly Blank
Stephanie Pearl Bloom and Laurence Bloom
Ann Bookman
Mallory Bram
Joanna Brinton
Martin Broff
Susan Brown
Irma Bubis
Priscilla Golding and Barbara Burg
Jeanne Burmon
Amy Richman and James Caron
Emily and Robert Carroll
Barbara and Carlos Cevallos
Judith and Herman Chernoff
Anneliese Cohen
Helen and David Cohen
Barbara and Terry Cohen
Carol Cohen
Nancy and Gerald Cutler
Brenda Hochberg and David Dalgarno
Ellen Steinbaum and James Dalsimer
Richard M. Dana
Remi and Michael Dansinger
Phyllis and Sumner Darman
Eric and Kelly Davidson
Lisa and Dan Davis
Rose Goldman and Alan Drabkin
Sara Barcan and Marc Draisen
Sam Dreyfus
Susan and Ronald Ebert
Wendy and Howard Ecker
Lisa Mirowitz and Bruce Ehrlich
Marian and Bob Ettl
Loraine Obler and Margaret Fearey
Marsha Feinberg
Charlotte Fellman
Lois Finn
Becca and Mike Fishbein
Joan Florsheim
Ali and Ezra Freedman
Louise and Howard Freedman
Linda and John Freeman
Miriam and Ralph Freidin
Deborah Gandre
Karen and Jeffrey Garb
Sharon and Irving Gates
Nancy and Steven Gerber
Phyllis Giller
Jill and Michael Glazer
Fran and John Godine
Nina Godles
Leslie and Stan Mark Godoff
Jeanne Traxler and Robert Goisman
Arthur Gold
Shoshanna and Andrew Goldberg
Lauren Cadish Griffin and Patrick Griffin
Tanya Goldwyn
Amy Mitman and Andrew Goloboy
Ruth Gordon
Naomi Gordon
Joan Gordon
Jamie Scarborough and Daniel Green
Caroline and Edward Greene
Joanne and Marvin Grossman
Jill Hahn
Susan and Mitchell Halpert
Joan Marie Hinrichs
Phyllis and Robert Hoffman
Tamara Indianer
Friends Annual Fund FY 2015
As of June 5, 2015
Shirlee Isenberg
Mark Kaplan
Linda Pearlman Karlsberg and Mark Karlsberg
Richard and Leslie Kates
Sharone Jelden and Yoram Katz
Deborah Rivlin and Thom Kidrin
Rosalie Phillips and Jon Kingsdale
Barbara Smith-Koff and Laurence Koff
Josh Konoff
Jamie and Bruce Koplan
Rhiannon Kopynec
Martha Koster
Lily Koufman-Frederick
Isabel and Russell Kushner
Eve Alpern and Brenda Morris
Barbara LaPotin and Molly Murphy
Ruth Lapin
Miriam Ledley
Judith and Alan Leichter
Ellen Hass Levine and Barry Levine
Doris S. Lewis
Jane and John Lewis
Kathryn Sillman and Raphael Lewis
Deb Goldman and Ben Linas
Merna and Don Lipsitt
Lauren Backman Locke and Taylor Locke
Susan Mann and David Lowe
Sharon Schumack and Michael Luckens
Catherine and Michael Malamut
Candice and Donald Malkin
Dan Manchester
Sandra Ellenbogen Marcus and Robert Louis Marcus
Nancy and Joseph Marglin
Carol and Roger Marks
Bruce Mazo
Elissa Barr and Milan Merhar
Gabrielle Meyer
Leonore and Macey Miller
Sarah and David Moir
Gail Williams and JP Monneray
Lynn and Paul Morris
Cecily and Alan Morse
Em Aronowitz Mueller
Linda and Mitch Myers
Linda Myers
Paula Martin and Adam Narva
Shahar Hecht and Lior Neiger
Carol Nesson
Linda and Henry Okun
Gabriel Padawer
Susanna Victoria Stern and Felipe Miguel Pait
Rhoda and Saul Palder
Elenore Parker
Ann and Robert Peck
Carole Pesner
Susan Porter
Pamela Parkinson Kellogg and Stephen Porter
Josh Portuondo
Susan Powers and Brad Gerratt
Nancy Israel and Lonnie Powers
Effie Chan and Daniel Rabinovitz
Arlene and Richard Rachins
Michael Rein
Susan Richman
Rita Richmond
Jami Huryan and Elliot Rice
Julia Rickey
Jane Rocamora
Leila and Jamie Rome
Diane and Gerald Rose
Irene Ross
Cindy and Martin Rowe
Murray Sackman
Phyllis and Robert Sage
Walter J. Salmon
Linda Samuels
Nancy and Michael Sandman
Natalie and Arthur Schatz
B.J. Scheff
Andrew and Marina Scherr
Angeline Warner and Frederick Schoen
Sara Sclaroff
Karen Victor and Robert Sege
Sharon and Craig Sender
Roberta Steinberg and Avishai Shafrir
Freema Shapiro
Joan and Carl Shiffman
Selwyn Shine
Gal Shulkind
Pam Goodman and Michael Shwartz
Maureen and Stanley Siegel
Carol and Stephen Silver
Barbara Sisson and Steven Silverman
Leslie and Warren Simmons
Sarah Singer
Joan Rachlin and Seymour Small
Lynne and Gary Smith
Lisa Smith
Miriam and Jerome Smulow
Bess and James Soffer
Nicole and Rabbi Matt Soffer
Stacey Sperling and Robert Soiffer
Mindy Berman and Dan Solomon
Samuel Solomon
Robert Sperber
Ina and Sam Starobin
Raine Figueroa and Sherman Starr
Gabriella Strecker and John Strecker
Ellen Seely and Jonathan Strongin
Ellen Beth and Detlev Suderow
Melissa Swindel
Myra Tattenbaum
Bridget Samburg and Andrew Tarsy
Nancy and Tony Tauber
Alisa Gardner-Todreas and Ian Todreas
Rona Troderman-King
Rhoada Wald
Helene and Sidney Wartel
Mindee Wasseman
Rhonda and Milton Weinstein
Helene Weitzenkorn
Naomi Wernick
Marilyn and Michael Winer
Karen and Gil Winn
Steven Cohen and Bruce Withey
Sarah Minden and Stephen Wright
Marlene and Mark Yesley
Jane Zolot-Gassko and Joseph Zolot
Temple Israel Annual Report