Congregation Beth Ami

About Us

The History of Congregation Beth Ami

CONGREGATION BETH AMI was incorporated as the religious congregation of the Santa Rosa Jewish Community Center in 1943. The institution sought to embody and promote the totality of Jewish life in Santa Rosa. Jews were a small minority of the overall population and Beth Ami was indeed the “center” of their Jewish lives. They would come together to worship at the Synagogue, share life’s joys and sorrows, entertain each other and work, play and relax there. We are fortunate to still have many of these “old-timers” as members.

Since then, the community has grown. In 1962, we acquired the present campus property and in 1963, dedicated the Synagogue building. For many years the small, but committed membership stretched to the limit to keep the Synagogue alive. At times a rabbi was affordable. At other times, our members served the needs of their neighbors. Sonoma County began to boom at the end of the 70’s and early 80’s. The local Jewish population and membership at Beth Ami kept pace. The Nursery School was begun in 1978. The Religious School grew, and in 1985 the new classroom wing was dedicated. Inspired by the growth of the congregation and concerned for its future, Benny, Rosemary and Joe Friedman donated the Friedman Center in 1987.

Our Mission

Through celebration, learning, prayer and community, we seek to enrich our lives, transform our hearts, help heal the world and sustain our Jewish heritage.

Our Vision

A vibrant, growing campus for Jewish living where the joys of Jewish values and rituals are made accessible and relevant to the everyday lives of our members. A flourishing, prospering congregation enjoying the wholehearted support, commitment and involvement of all our members.

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Our Values

• Teshuvah: We value the opportunity, through careful attention to our lives, to make every moment meaningful and to increasingly avoid harmful acts.
  
• Tzedakah: We value the opportunity to use our wealth and resources to benefit other people.
  
• Gemilut Chesed: We value the opportunity to perform acts of loving kindness through speech and deed.
  
• Talmud Torah: We value the insight and inspiration we get through the study of our sacred texts and our people’s culture.
  
• Mishpacha: We value the strength that our congregants derive from forming relationships with each other and sharing in each other’s joys and sorrows.
  
• Hagim and Simchot: We value the opportunities to mark together the passage of time, the changes of seasons, the continuing story of our people and the cycles of our own lives.
  
• Tikkun Olam: We rejoice in the role we play in helping to make the world an ever better place.
  
• K’vod Habriyot: We value our responsibility as God’s stewards to protect and preserve all life on Earth.
  
• Eretz and Am Yisrael: We value our participation in the unfolding history of our people, rich in culture, diverse in practice and bound through time by the Hebrew language. We are inspired by the challenge of creating a Jewish state that strives to express the truest values of our people and provides refuge for all Jews.
  
• Kehillah Kadosha: We are humbled and heartened that through the concrete expression of all our values we can indeed create a community in which holiness can be expressed and brought into the world.

Our Purpose

The purpose of this organization is to foster the growth and fuller expression of Jewish life in our community by:

• Nurturing Jewish culture, heritage and family life.
  
• Providing intellectual stimulation and ongoing Jewish education.
  
• Integrating Jewish law and ritual into modern life.
  
• Seeking spiritual and religious experiences.
  
• Developing a sense of community by working together despite diversity.
  
• Accepting and integrating non-Jewish partners.
  
• Meeting social, recreational and human needs of people in all life stages.
  
• Developing commitment to extended Jewish community and Israel.
  
• Developing Jewish social conscience as a stimulus to social and political action.
  
• Developing positive relations with the general community.
  
• Providing and maintaining facilities and programs to accomplish these aims.

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Committees at Congregation Beth Ami

A synagogue is a community. It is an institution that provides diverse services and fulfills diverse functions for its members. It is a beit midrash (a school for adult and youth education), and a beit Knesset (a house of assembly). It is a social center for events and celebrations, and it is a social service center, for life cycle events, counseling, and care. It is a cultural center and it is a youth center. It is a community’s spiritual center.

The mechanism that is vital to the fulfillment of these functions, and the synagogue’s mission, is the network of committees that helps the organization do its work. There are 12 committees established at Beth Ami that are answerable to the Board, and help implement its directives. Members of committees learn skills that help support the synagogue’s activities, and build bonds of friendship by working with others to achieve results. The time, energy, talent, and enthusiasm that members bring to their committee work are a priceless contribution to the health of their Jewish community.

A brief description of the committees and their roles follows:

Religious Practice

In conjunction with the Rabbi, determine the schedule and other details pertaining to the religious services and practices at Beth Ami. Encourage and develop higher levels of participation and skill in all matters of religious observance at the synagogue and in the home. Assist the Rabbi in implementing decisions of halacha and liturgy.
Chair Betty Boyd

Sub committee: Music Committee
Explores and discusses the advisability and possibility of adding choral and instrumental music to services. Organizes and schedules solos and ensembles. Attempts to enhance services, both by the beauty of talented performances and by educating and encouraging participation by congregants during services.
Chair: Patrice LePera

Sub Committee: Cemetary Committee
Supervises arrangements for membersﾒ needs.
Chair: Bob Raful

Subcommittee: Kitchen Committee
Encourages the use of the synagogue kitchen by and for congregants. Ensures that all users of the committee are familiar with synagogue policies regarding Kashrut, safety, hygiene and security. Seeks to establish a vibrant culinary community and provide rich and varied feasts for onegs, Kiddush luncheons, and other synagogue events.
Co-Chairs: Jeffrey and Janet Stein-Larson

Adult and Family Education and Programming

Creates and implements new classes and programs that encourage participation in Jewish learning.. Develops the schedules, engages the instructors, produces the publicity, and assumes all responsibility for the creation of new programs. Advises the Board and Staff on matters of program generation and execution.
Chair: Eric Uriarte

Subcommittee: Nursery School
Works with the Nursery School director to develop, implement, and support school programs and activities.
Chair: Chelsie Uriarte

Subcommittee: Religious School
Works with the Religious School Director to develop and support Religious School programs and activities
Chair: Laura Alexander

Subcommittee: Youth Activities Committee
Works with Youth Advisors to support youth programs and activities
Chair: Julie Simkovitz

Subcommittee: Chavurah Committee
Actively engages congregants (who wish to be included) in existing Chaverot, and creates new Chaverot as members request. Communicates guidelines for choosing a Chavurah. Reviews existing guidelines for membership and programming, and makes suggestions as appropriate.
Chair: Jane Meyer

Membership

Welcomes new members to the synagogue, and acquaints them with various aspects of synagogue programs. Encourages unaffiliated Jews to consider joining the synagogue. Seeks out inactive members to renew their interest and participation in synagogue life. Interviews members who have recently left the synagogue, and discusses their comments with the Board. Advises the Board on policies that may impact the attraction and retention of members.
Chair: Esther Baruch

Subcommittee: Welcoming Committee
May supplement the Board as greeters at Shabbat services. May provide a table with information for visitors to our synagogue. Assures that visitors are noticed, introduced, and made to feel at home. Follows up, where possible, with visitors.
Co-Chairs: Mark Rosen, Mieneke Drake

Subcommittee :Chesed Committee
Supervises the well being synagogue members in times of need and difficulty. May visit the sick, visit the physically and socially challenged, and may assist and comfort in times
of bereavement, family illness, or other need.
Chair: Joslyn Metzger

Fund Raising, Development, and Special Events

Responsible for organizing and coordinating activities to generate revenue for operation and endowment, consistent with the values of the synagogue. Supervises the Gift Shop.
Chair: Mark Sutter

Israel Affairs Committee

 The Israel Affairs Committee has a CLEAR mission to: 
Communicate with the community regarding Israel-related and Masorti issues,
Learn more about current affairs related to Israel, including the Masorti movement,
Educate the community about Israel, including the Masorti movement,
Act positively to provide a love of the Jewish State and
React in response to political anti-Semitism.
Chair: Eli Cohen

Building and Grounds

Responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of synagogue-owned buildings and grounds, Advises the Board on matters of insurance coverage, renovations, repairs, possible economies in utility usage, and long term capital improvements. Supervises renovations and construction projects.
Chair: Richard Kahn

Social Action

Develops programs to further the commitment to the entire extended Jewish Community, and to Israel. Organizes social and political action consistent with our Jewish values. Develops positive relations with the general community
Chair: Lyla Nathan

Subcommittee: North Bay Sponsoring Committee:Core Team
Chairs: Ellen Mundell, Barbara Tomin

Personnel Committee

Establishes policies for employment at CBA: provides leadership in hiring and terminating employees, including Rabbi and Executive Director; establishes vehicles and timetables for annual reviews of all employees; creates and updates employee handbook.
Chair: Juli Sherer

Subcommittee: Rabbinic Search committee
Find a Part Time Rabbi, to begin Aug 1 2012
Chair: Barbara McGee

Leadership Development/ Board Operations

Develops and administers training programs for synagogue leadership roles. Supervises Board Trainings for new Board members. Monitors compliance with current By-Laws, and recommends By-Laws changes when appropriate. Functions as the parliamentarian at Board meetings. Acts as the Nominating Committee for elections.
Chair: Alan Krubiner

Communications Committee

Supervises the synagogue web page. Makes suggestions for web page changes, and supervises their implementation. Develops, as appropriate, suggestions for on line resources and on line learning. Supervises the Cyber Shul and the Shofar. Develops and maintains communications with members. Is responsible for publicity for CBA events, both to the Sonoma County Jewish Community, and the General Community.
Chair: Leanne Schy

Subcommittee:Library Committee
Oversees the operation of the library. Encourages appropriate use of the library. Supervises the use of library supplies and materials, including computer and on-line sources. Supervises the recruiting and training of volunteer staff. Advises the Board on all issues relating to the library.
Chair: Susanne Batzdorff

Subcommittee: Web maintenance
Chair: Gabor Por

Board of Directors

President, Arnold Drake
Vice President, Administration, Juli Scherer
Vice President, Facilities, Stan Feingold
Vice President, Ways and Means, Mark Sutter
Vice President, Youth and Education, Erik Uriarte
Secretary, Betty Boyd
Treasurer, Barbara McGee

© 2010 Congregation Beth Ami
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