Louis Newman – Won’t He Ever Quit Talking About Money?
It seems that it is the fate of synagogue presidents to spend much of their time and energy talking about money—budgets, fundraisers, endowments, and all the rest. I sometimes worry that many congregants, especially those who may only attend services on the High Holidays, will know me only as that guy who asks for their money in the Kol Nidre appeal. And, as if to underscore the point, the Social Justice committee recently asked me to lead a study session after kiddush on Shabbat on Jewish values—about money. So here I am again—in role—writing about money.
We are a shul that prides itself on its modesty, so to speak. There is nothing fancy about our building. We have a minimal staff and rely heavily on volunteer hours to run our office and manage other essential functions. We do not charge people to attend services on the High Holidays. We do more programming on a tighter budget than most any other synagogue our size. We have been clear that in this shul wealth does not buy you influence and need does not preclude you from participating fully.
We have not put money at the center of our communal lives, and that is certainly a virtue. But in many ways this very low-key attitude toward money has hampered us. Because, while money is not the focal point of our community, it is essential to its flourishing. Our professional staff needs to be liberal in estimating expenses and conservative in estimating revenues, lest we find ourselves (as we have in some years past) with a significant deficit. As lay leaders we need to explain to congregants what our dues pay for, what our financial situation is, and how our budget compares with other congregations. We did this last spring in a series of town hall meetings that were attended (unfortunately) by relatively few congregants. In this issue of Kol Yaakov (see page 4) we have again published our most recent financial report. We need to be transparent about what running the synagogue actually costs per household and ask everyone to do their part in paying this cost to the best of their ability. We did this with the new dues (ASC) structure that was put in place at the beginning of this fiscal year, on July 1.
And we need to be clear with one another that financial responsibilities to the synagogue are no different than those to any other business we deal with. We cannot expect to continue having access to the services of the synagogue if we do not make a good faith effort to pay our dues and other financial obligations promptly. Given that costs are going to continue to rise over time, we need to expect that the same will be true of our dues to the synagogue. Expecting that the synagogue is somehow exempt from the economic forces that every other business contends with is unrealistic. In short, we need to develop a mature relationship to the synagogue as a financial enterprise, recognizing that it will continue to require increasing levels of our monetary support.
What can we all do to ensure that our synagogue has the resources to be there when we need it? There are several steps you can take today that will help:
1. Pay your synagogue statements when they arrive—promptly. The synagogue cannot pay its bills if we do not pay ours—it’s as simple as that. This is especially important when you owe money for special events (e.g., a sponsored Kiddush).
2. Sign up for ACH (automatic withdrawal from your checking account). It is simple to set up—ask Sean Murphy in the office for a form. You’ll never miss a payment again and the synagogue’s cash flow will be much more predictable.
3. Pay ahead. If you can pre-pay some portion of your outstanding balance before year-end, this can sometimes have tax advantages for you and will help the synagogue meet its obligations to its vendors.
4. Come to our fundraising events and encourage your friends to do so, as well. This November we will have our second annual bake sale and craft fair. It is the perfect time to buy the sweets you’ll want to serve for Thanksgiving and the gifts you’ll want to give for Hanukkah. Look for more details soon.
5. Respond generously when you are called on for our “L’Dor V’Dor” (From Generation to Generation) major gifts and endowment campaign. The long-term financial viability of the synagogue depends on a healthy endowment, which will generate income in perpetuity and lighten the burden on the synagogue’s operating budget. This is something that all of us can do—you do not need to be very wealthy, you do not even need to have a will. There are many easy ways to give to Beth Jacob. Contact me (president AT beth-jacob DOT org) or one of the co-chairs of our L’Dor V’Dor committee: Stuart Bear (sbear AT chestnutcambronne DOT com) or Darla Kashian (darla.kashian AT rbc DOT com) for more information.
So, let’s remember that “money” is not the password to answer all our problems, but neither is it a dirty word to be avoided. It is an essential part of our vocabulary at Beth Jacob. Until the synagogue has all the resources it needs to grow and sustain itself, I will keep talking about money. It’s part of my job. Actually, it’s part of all of our jobs.
B’shalom,
Louis Newman
President