Hello everyone
What a busy month it has been since my last message!
Firstly, a topic on everybody’s mind…Security Infrastructure Upgrades
Thanks to Marc Kranat’s work, I am pleased to announce that we have hired Wilson’s Security who will begin the implementation of our new Security Camera and Alarm Systems and upgrades next week. The work is scheduled to be completed by the end of April … hopefully in time for Pesach! From time to time Marc may require volunteers to assist. I hope that you will respond if asked to assist. Thank you Marc for volunteering to lead this daunting and important challenge.
Your Board has been active in meeting with government officials related to safety and security.
Ayten Kranat, Daniella Lazarev, Daniel Chippin and myself met with Kris Austin, Minister of Public Safety and his staff to thank the Minister for his statements of support during the time of the synagogue window vandalism and to discuss our concerns about acts of bullying and hatred. Minister Austin stated that if there was something we needed assistance with at the provincial level relating to Public Safety, they would be happy to review options with us. We would need to engage with the Moncton and Saint John Jewish Communities to see if we have any provincial public safety issues which Minister Austin’s office would be able to assist with.
Police Chief Martin Gaudet and Detective Martin Gallant were invited to our February Board Meeting to discuss the work the Police have been doing with regards to the vandalism at our Synagogue. While the police cannot label it as a hate crime, they are treating this as more than just broken glass. It is an important and active case which is high on the radar of all Patrol Fredericton Police Officers. Chief Gaudet stressed that the police force’s primary focus is to serve and protect and police patrols have been increased around the synagogue neighbourhood. Most importantly, Chief Gaudet has offered to set up what he called a run, hide, and fight presentation, which entails active attack response training for our members at the synagogue. When we are ready, we can let him know how many people are interested and when. Once our security system is up and running we will look in to seeing how much interest there is and setting this up.
So far there have been some interesting findings from the Synagogue Questionnaire sent out last month. For those of you who have not filled in the questionnaire, I encourage you to do so. We will be going over the questionnaire results at the next board meeting currently planned for the end of March.
One thing that is clear from the questionnaire is that, to use old familiar idiom, “one size does not fit all”. We are experimenting with trying different approaches. For example, on the question regarding Shabbat Services, we received suggestions of everything from Leave as it, to Progressive/Reform Style Services with a mix of English and Hebrew, to Orthodox Style, to Sephardi Style, to Chabad Style with more chanting to something called Partnership Minyons. While it is great to see such an expression of interest, none of these options can be pursued without a commitment to be part of a group to organize whatever the group defines as a minyon and be actively involved in planning and executing the Service with the help of our Rabbi. These Services would not be regular occurrences but rather occasional different style services for those who have expressed an interest in a different type of Service periodically.
Given that we can count the number of minyonim on one hand since the Jewish Holidays last Fall and that two of our members were prepared to gather together and organize a minyon, we decided to give it a try. The Orthodox Style Service was held one windy, icy Saturday morning in February. In spite of the weather, the Service was a success with about 25 people in attendance. It was nice to see some new faces with a leaning towards a younger adult demographic. Following the Service, the Lazarev family sponsored a very nice kiddish. Thank you to Daniella Lazarev and Daniel Chippin for organizing this Shabbat Morning Service and Kiddish.
As a second initiative, as you would expect there were several responses to Interest in Social Activities. Again the message is clear “one size does not fit all”. Once again, while your enthusiastic response for more events is appreciated, I stress that these events will only take place if there are a sufficient number of volunteers who step up to organize and execute the event.
In celebration of Purim, we are going to try out having two separate events on the same day – the afternoon event will be targeted to children in our Hebrew School Program and the evening event will be targeted to our adult population. More information will follow. So watch for the flyers from our email distribution list AND most importantly SAVE THE DATE MARCH 24. Thank you to Shelley Stephens and her team for the afternoon event and to Daniella Lazarev and Ayten Kranat and their team for the evening event.
While we have many other exciting things planned over the next little while, they are still in the early stages. However there are 4 important dates to keep in mind.
Shaindy Goldman and her team want everyone to know that there will be two Pesach Sedars planned for the evenings of April 22 and April 23 at the synagogue.
Plans for Yom Ha’Atzmaut (Israel Independence Day) are in the works for Tuesday Evening May 14. Save the date.
One other important date is the Annual Holocaust Commemoration Event which is being held on May 5 this year at the Capital City Church. More information will be sent out by the Holocaust Commemoration committee.
One more announcement – Shelley Stephens and Marisa Blanchard for the General Meeting, Sisterhood to be held at the synagogue on March 20. The announcement with details was sent out this morning.
One final item….Larry Finkelman, one of our members, has written a letter to the editor in response to the featured letter in the Sat. Feb. 10 Gleaner…it has not yet been published. It is attached here.
Happy Spring everyone!
Ruth Chippin
President, Sgoolai Israel Synagogue
presidentfrederictonsynagogue@gmail.com
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