Jewish Community of Ojai 2017 Annual Meeting

1. Jewish Community of Ojai2017 Annual Meeting

2. Annual Meeting Agenda: 7:00-9:00pm • Introduction of the New Board of Directors • Overview of JCO • Finances • Year in Review • Facility Rentals • Building Security • Committee Structure/What Can You Do?

3. New Board of Directors • John Allen* • Mario Cepeda • Debby Finley • Lynne Goldfarb • Alan Greenberg • Jerry Hittleman • Natalie Jones • Stacey Jones* • James Osher • Sylvia Raz • Miriam Rosen*

4. What is JCO? • A Do-It-Yourself operation • A small, member supported synagogue • Paid part-time employees: Rabbi, bookkeeper, gardener • Governance is done by Board of Directors

5. A Time of Transition • Refurbished Sanctuary • Stained Glass Windows • New Social Hall • Renewed Engagement of Members**

6. What’s Next? We’ve built our building, now let’s build our community! Active engagement of members in the life of the community!

7. Culture Statement • Intention: The purpose of a written culture statement is to ground the expectations for the behavior of the Board in the highest values of Judaism for the benefit of those we serve and for our own development as responsible members and stewards of this community. We each have the constant opportunity to choose to follow our best impulse (yetzer ha tov) or our evil inclination (yetzer ha ra) in every moment. No one is perfect and we need one another to keep us striving for good.

8. Culture Statement • The Bylaws of the JCO acknowledge the need for rules of conduct for members (see Article VI B ii & iii). As such a document did not exist, the Board has undertaken to create one. We have endeavored to reflect Jewish law (halachah), common sense and an ethic of care in our principles. Input from Board members was requested and is incorporated here.

9. Culture Statement • 1. Board Members are invited to act always from our best and highest self (ruach ha nefesh) activating the qualities of: • - Honesty • - Integrity • - Respect • - Compassion • - Understanding • - Transparency

10. Culture Statement • 2. In all communication -- in person, in writing, email or phone – ask yourself before speaking or writing: • - Is this true? • - Is this caring? • - Is this necessary? • - Is this expression in the best interest of all involved? • - Am I respecting the confidentiality of all parties?

11. Culture Statement • 3. Take responsibility for your own emotions. • - if you become angry or upset, stop yourself, ask for time out, excuse yourself • - take time to locate the source of your distress • - look inward first, are you tired? upset about something in your life? • - find a neutral person to be a sounding board and help you work through it • - apologize sincerely and make amends when necessary • - if you feel wronged, seek the person you feel wronged by and ask for a conversation, do not gossip or speak ill of that person

12. Culture Statement • 4. Stop interactions when negative behavior occurs, your own or that of others. • - when you witness negative speech about others (lashon hara) voice objection • - hold yourself and others accountable with kindness and care

13. Culture Statement • 6. Always consult with the BOD when working on any temple project or program • - decisions are not to be made unilaterally; all decisions are brought to the Board  • - BOD members must follow through in timely fashion on commitments made • - consistent meeting attendance is expected for continuity of work • - response to BOD emails and requests for feedback should be timely • Adopted by the JCO Board of Directors • May 15, 2017

14. JCO’s Financial Picture

15. Finances-Overview of JCO Financial 2016-2017 Budget

16. Finances-Overview of JCO Financial 2016-2017 Budget

17. Finances-Overview of JCO Financial 2016-2017 Budget

18. Finances-Overview of JCO Financial 2016-2017 Budget

19. A Few Highlights

20. Passover- 2018

21. Book Talk At JCO: Barbie and RuthRobin Gerber

22. JCO Band Adds Music to Shabbat

23. JCO Choir & Hanukkah Celebration at the Inn

24. Cabaret

25. Mask Making for Pesach

26. Haroset & Horseradish Making For Passover

27. Managing our Facility

28. Facility Rentals: Rental Committee- and Co-Chair Social Hall Facilities • Margo Haas, Irene Hoos and Jeff Maxson, co-chairs • The Social Hall is available for use by members and non-members. • Capacity is 63 people. • Rental fee varies depending on membership status and type of event.  • Basic rental includes use of tables and chairs.  Additional use of kitchen and audio-visual equipment is allowed for an additional fee.  JCO food and alcohol policy is enforced.   • Approximate  total rental income in fiscal year 2017 was $1,000; all income came from  various Ojai non-profits who are primarily using the social hall for meetings. 

29. Facility Rentals: Review of last year's activities • Requests for use have been through word of mouth; there is no active marketing since this could possibly jeopardize our non-profit tax status and we are not in the property management business. • Moving forward, we will revise our letter of contract, ensure that security protocol is observed by everyone using the JCO facility and streamline the Board's  rental approval process.  • We will also compare our rental fee(s) in comparison to what other Ojai venues charge and revise, as appropriate, subject to Board approval.

30. Facility Rentals: Review of last year's activities • Jeff Maxson has been invaluable in providing on-site help  with our audio-visual equipment and in acting as the audio-visual liaison. • Plan to have  Jeff train a few JCO members in use of the audio-visual equipment as backup on an as-needed basis. • We also need to re-evaluate  the need and cost of having  a person available for on-site supervision during major events (e.g.  a bar mitzvah) and also for showing of Social Hall, and opening/closing of facility. 

31. Security • Ojai Police Patrols • Building Security Procedures • Motion Sensor Cameras (we have) • Video Surveillance (do we want?) • Security Guard for High Holidays • Discussion of Member Concerns (open house)

32. JCO Committees • Finance – Fred Rothenberg • Social Action – Howard & Irene Hoos • Bylaws – Debby Finley • Helping Hands – James Osher • Fundraising – John Allen • Facility Rental – Margo Haas, Irene Hoos, Jeff Maxson • Youth – Kim Hoj • Social* • Program* • Religious Practice* • Membership* – John Allen

33. What Can You Do? • Join a Committee • Chair a Committee • Propose a Program • Host a Holiday Potluck • Invite Your Group to Meet at JCO • Attend Services and Programs • Invite Others to Become Members

34. UPCOMING • HIGH HOLIDAYS: be an usher, do a reading, host an oneg • TASTE OF JUDAISM: Rabbi’s class, tell your friends, open to anyone curious, needs skills, might want to convert • PASSOVER: join the committee, add your talents • QUESTIONS??? SUGGESTIONS?

35. A SHORT LIST: • Book discussions with member authors • Shabbaton with Jewish Studio Project and concert • Stained Glass Window artist talk • JCO at Ojai Day • Food Drive for HELP of Ojai • Shabbat Potlucks • Creative Workshops • Drum Circle • Choir/Band • Outings

37. THANK YOU FOR COMING!