Presidents’ Message

I know last month I said that Spring was here. But then it snowed. So I lied. Oops! Sorry about that.

But now it’s May and I can almost, positively, absolutely, categorically, guarantee that it won’t snow this month.

At least I hope it doesn’t.

Anyway, it better not, because May is a busy, busy month for us:

· Friday the 3^rd, Arza leads services on Yom Yerushalayim (Jerusalem Day).

· Sunday the 5^th (besides Cinco de Mayo) is the joint breakfast and meeting of the
Women of PTBAS & the Brotherhood. NYC Councilman David Greenfield will be speaking.

· Don’t forget Mother’s Day on the 12^th .

· Shavuot is here! Services on Tuesday night the 14^th and Wednesday morning the 15^th
(and don’t forget the Dinner before services on the 14^th!)

· Our Musical Gala is on Saturday the 18^th.

· Memorial Day weekend (break out those barbecues!) comes on the last weekend of the month (24^th-27^th) and….

· Please don’t forget our Semi-Annual Congregational Meeting on Tuesday May 28^th.
There are no special votes scheduled at this meeting, but all congregants should make every effort to attend—if, for nothing else, than to keep current on all the great stuff that’s happening at Temple.

A few more related things.
I’ll bring this up at the Congregational Meeting and I’ll mention them again in the June issue of the Voice; but they’re important and I don’t want it to come as a shock to anyone, so I want to keep repeating them:

· Our fiscal year ends on June 30^th. Please have all your past due charges paid up by then. Please have a little rachmones on the financial staff by being current. It makes everyone’s job that much easier.

· Also, if you’re not paid up in full by the High Holidays (which come early this year!) it will get embarrassing when it’s time for tickets to be mailed out. Please! Don’t make a hard job any tougher. And last, but not least –

· If you have been on dues reduction this past year, don’t assume it will automatically be renewed for the coming year. It won’t. All requests for dues reductions must be reapplied for in the coming year. Please talk to me on or soon after July 1.

Thank you.



Sam Silverman

New Access-a-Ride Policy

We’ve had some problems with Access-A-Ride. Everyone who’s ever had to deal with Access-A-Ride knows what a wonderful benefit it is. And everyone who’s ever had to deal with it has at least one (if not many!) horror story. Well, it’s finally come home to us. The problem occurs when a congregant or visitor’s ride hasn’t arrived by the time the Temple event has ended. Sometimes it’s not a problem, an officer or volunteer who has Temple keys will offer to wait until the bus arrives. But sometimes those people have other plans or commitments and CAN’T stay late.

As such we are unfortunately going to have to enact a new rule: EVERY TEMPLE ACTIVITY, FROM NOW ON, WILL HAVE BOTH A STARTING TIME AND A STOPPING TIME.

The stopping time does not necessarily mean that the event will end at that time, but it does mean that the Temple CANNOT GUARANTEE THAT THERE WILL BE ANYONE TO WAIT WITH YOU AFTER THAT TIME. No one wants to miss the end of an activity or have to skip dessert, but if you come by Access-A-Ride, please make sure that you order your ride to arrive at Temple BEFORE THE SPECIFIED END TIME.

Remember that Access-A-Ride often comes late, so please plan accordingly. We’re not happy about having to institute this policy, but it’s not fair to our officers and staff and it’s not safe for our Congregants. Please do your best to comply.

 As an alternative option, it is also possible to take Access-A-Ride to the Temple and ask for a VOUCHER TO TAKE A TAXI HOME. I understand that you will have to lay out the money for the taxi yourself, but if you mail in the voucher, you will be reimbursed.

Thank you all for your cooperation.