President's Message
July - August 2024
![Picture](/uploads/1/1/1/7/11173905/published/jenn-lampron.jpg?1698783392)
Dear Temple Emanu-El Community,
As we start out 2024-2025 Financial Year, which runs July 1st of 2024 to June 30th of 2025, we are planning for this year and beyond. For this year, we look forward to another full calendar of already scheduled events. Our 2024-2025 calendar begins this week with services run by Elli Pripas this Saturday, more activities this summer (including an outdoor potluck with Havdalah and a challah-baking workshop), plus a full schedule for the Fall including High Holidays, adult educations programs, religious school, and more. We are very excited to have our High Holiday celebrations include Rabbi Ashira Stevens, Phil Platcow as shaliach tzibur, and Lisa Jane Lipkin as cantorial soloist. We know the services will be spiritually fulfilling!
You may have heard that there have been 3 community-wide meetings recently (1 on Zoom and 2 in-person) to discuss the future of Temple Emanu-El beyond 2025. For those in our wider community who may not be aware, the temple has struggled financially for many years due to changes in regional demographics, declining membership, and the difficulty in keeping a tenant for our school building. We are facing a significant budget shortfall for the coming year: With our current operations, we will not be able to continue as a community for more than one or two years.
During our recent community meetings, it became abundantly clear that we need a committee to take the next steps in planning our future. We need 1-2 committee chairs, as well as members and interested community partners to volunteer for the following tasks:
1. Real Estate (the future of the 514 Main Street building)
• Working with the Temple’s real estate agent on renting and/or selling the building
2. Merger with another Merrimack Valley Synagogue
• Setting up and attending meetings with area congregations
• Discussing what a possible merger could look like between our communities
3. Shared Space Model
• Making contact with other faith groups and community organizations (e.g., art collectives) that may be interested in
sharing a space
• Discussing what that shared space could look like
4. Re-Homing Sacred Objects
• Ensuring sacred objects—including Torah scrolls, megillot, yahrzeit plaques, and more—find a permanent home
The committee will pursue all tasks listed above to gather the information our community needs to make informed decisions. Once the committee and Board know what pathways are available and feasible, the Board will produce proposal(s) and schedule votes on proposed next steps.
Please note that according to the Temple Emanu-El bylaws, only members in good standing (i.e., members who are not behind on dues payments) are able to vote for any proposal made by the Board. However, we actively welcome and encourage committee participation by non-dues paying community partners—we need your support, your expertise, and your effort in order to thrive as a holy community.
To get involved—whether as a committee chair, committee or sub-committee member, or to volunteer for a specific task—please contact me at [email protected] with your contact info.
B’Shalom,
Jenn
As we start out 2024-2025 Financial Year, which runs July 1st of 2024 to June 30th of 2025, we are planning for this year and beyond. For this year, we look forward to another full calendar of already scheduled events. Our 2024-2025 calendar begins this week with services run by Elli Pripas this Saturday, more activities this summer (including an outdoor potluck with Havdalah and a challah-baking workshop), plus a full schedule for the Fall including High Holidays, adult educations programs, religious school, and more. We are very excited to have our High Holiday celebrations include Rabbi Ashira Stevens, Phil Platcow as shaliach tzibur, and Lisa Jane Lipkin as cantorial soloist. We know the services will be spiritually fulfilling!
You may have heard that there have been 3 community-wide meetings recently (1 on Zoom and 2 in-person) to discuss the future of Temple Emanu-El beyond 2025. For those in our wider community who may not be aware, the temple has struggled financially for many years due to changes in regional demographics, declining membership, and the difficulty in keeping a tenant for our school building. We are facing a significant budget shortfall for the coming year: With our current operations, we will not be able to continue as a community for more than one or two years.
During our recent community meetings, it became abundantly clear that we need a committee to take the next steps in planning our future. We need 1-2 committee chairs, as well as members and interested community partners to volunteer for the following tasks:
1. Real Estate (the future of the 514 Main Street building)
• Working with the Temple’s real estate agent on renting and/or selling the building
2. Merger with another Merrimack Valley Synagogue
• Setting up and attending meetings with area congregations
• Discussing what a possible merger could look like between our communities
3. Shared Space Model
• Making contact with other faith groups and community organizations (e.g., art collectives) that may be interested in
sharing a space
• Discussing what that shared space could look like
4. Re-Homing Sacred Objects
• Ensuring sacred objects—including Torah scrolls, megillot, yahrzeit plaques, and more—find a permanent home
The committee will pursue all tasks listed above to gather the information our community needs to make informed decisions. Once the committee and Board know what pathways are available and feasible, the Board will produce proposal(s) and schedule votes on proposed next steps.
Please note that according to the Temple Emanu-El bylaws, only members in good standing (i.e., members who are not behind on dues payments) are able to vote for any proposal made by the Board. However, we actively welcome and encourage committee participation by non-dues paying community partners—we need your support, your expertise, and your effort in order to thrive as a holy community.
To get involved—whether as a committee chair, committee or sub-committee member, or to volunteer for a specific task—please contact me at [email protected] with your contact info.
B’Shalom,
Jenn