Committees of Temple Beth El
Board of Education
Sandi Kupperman Learning Center
Chair: Maxine Bernstein – The Board of Education has overall responsibility for directing and overseeing educational activities throughout Temple Beth El, from preschool through adulthood. The Board is charged to discuss and review:
- decisions on major educational themes and curriculum;
- approaches to and evaluation of educational programs across the range of ages;
- policies for educational activities (predominantly regarding the religious school); and
- funding issues, including budget planning.
The Board is composed of volunteers who meet on a monthly basis to discuss past, current, and future educational efforts broadly categorized according to the religious school, teen education, family education, and adult education. Sub-committees exist for each of these areas with an additional sub-committee focused on fundraising. Sub-committees focus on specific activities and functions within their domains.
Sub-Committees:
- Adult Education Chair: Phyllis Levenson – Responds to congregants’ interests in learning experiences by coordinating, planning, and implementing class and activities.
- Family Programming Chair: Marja Barr – Helps to plan and implement activities and programming that brings families together for education and fun.
- Fundraising Chair: Larry Rubin – Organizes projects and events to raise funds to support all education at the Sandi Kupperman Learning Center.
- PTO Chair: Jill Cayen - Organizes fundraising opportunities that directly support the religious school, particularly for teacher professional development.
- Youth Chair: Marianne Kornblum – Supports the work of youth advisor and serves as a liaison to other parents to help improve communication.
Cemetery
Chair: Allen Mackler – Oversees the maintenance of the cemetery and coordinates burials.
Finance
Chair: Rick Ratner – Manages the finances of the congregation, including investments, and prepares annual budget.
Hesed
Chair: Ellen Ratner – Coordinates outreach to our congregants who are ill, are new parents or who have suffered a loss, through calls, notes or meals.
House
Chair: Danny Plotkin – Oversees maintenance and repair of building operational systems, such as HVAC, sound, plumbing, landscaping, kitchen equipment and roofing.
Sub-Committee:
- Architecture and Design Co-Chairs: Susan Firestone & Howard Smithline – Advises the temple on renovation and repair projects in public areas.
Legacy
Co-Chairs: Stuart Anfang & Jeff Mandell – Solicits requests for members to remember TBE in their estate plans and stewards those who have made such a commitment.
Membership
Chair: Esta Farkas – Responsible for recruitment, welcoming and engagement of new members.
Program
Co-Chairs: Beth Danforth & Esta Farkas – Plans the annual Nechamen/Chernick Breakfast as well as other social programming.
Ritual Life
Chair: Ellen Ratner – Sets policy, with the clergy, on ritual matters, such as B’nei Mitzvah, Shabbat and holiday services, and kashrut.
Sisterhood
Chair: Vickie Donovan – Plans activities and fundraisers which benefit the Torah Fund and the Sandi Kupperman Learning Center.
Social Action
Chair: Suzanne Rosenberg – Coordinates tikkun olam (repairing the world) activities for the greater community, such as serving lunches and dinners at shelters.
Shomrei Adamah
Chair: Heather Wasilewski – Responsible for bringing issues related to the environment to the synagogue and for making TBE as "green" as possible.