President's Message
August / September 2023
Dear Chaverim,
As we start a new fiscal year, I am optimistic and humbled by the opportunities and challenges ahead. Our current Board of Directors has 5 new members, bringing new energy and ideas to the table. Our returning Board members bring experience and continuity, but every organization needs fresh blood and new ideas. I think we have the right combination.
As I stated at our congregational meeting in June, we do face some financial challenges. Skyrocketing property insurance costs and extra expenditures for security have significantly increased our operating expenses. These costs are unavoidable – everyone’s property insurance bills in the state of Florida have shot up in the last several years; as antisemitism has increased, we must continue to provide security at the Temple.
Despite these headwinds, the congregation has taken the courageous step to eliminate tuition for religious school students of Temple members. This is a strong statement that TBS supports young families. We have had 2 recent Shabbat services – Happy Hour Shabbat and Shabbat for Tots – aimed at young families and their children. We want a vibrant religious school with children and young families attending our services. They are the future of our synagogue. Our Temple membership currently stands at 208 families, with a net increase of 7 over where we stood at the end of fiscal 2022.
We continue to face many of the same issues other synagogues and churches face. Everyone is busy and there is great competition for people’s time, energy, and financial resources. Some of the things that worked in the past to sustain and expand membership no longer work. The world is changing and we must change with it if we are to grow and thrive. I will again challenge our Board members and committee chairs to make our services and programs more attractive to our congregants, potential congregants, and the larger Jewish community. I welcome all ideas, and even better, your time and energy to help us. Please feel free to forward your thoughts to me at President@MyTBS.org.
I hope you all enjoy the rest of your summer, and look forward to the start of the school year and the upcoming High Holidays in the fall.
L’Shalom Paul Newman
Paul Newman
Dear Chaverim,
As we start a new fiscal year, I am optimistic and humbled by the opportunities and challenges ahead. Our current Board of Directors has 5 new members, bringing new energy and ideas to the table. Our returning Board members bring experience and continuity, but every organization needs fresh blood and new ideas. I think we have the right combination.
As I stated at our congregational meeting in June, we do face some financial challenges. Skyrocketing property insurance costs and extra expenditures for security have significantly increased our operating expenses. These costs are unavoidable – everyone’s property insurance bills in the state of Florida have shot up in the last several years; as antisemitism has increased, we must continue to provide security at the Temple.
Despite these headwinds, the congregation has taken the courageous step to eliminate tuition for religious school students of Temple members. This is a strong statement that TBS supports young families. We have had 2 recent Shabbat services – Happy Hour Shabbat and Shabbat for Tots – aimed at young families and their children. We want a vibrant religious school with children and young families attending our services. They are the future of our synagogue. Our Temple membership currently stands at 208 families, with a net increase of 7 over where we stood at the end of fiscal 2022.
We continue to face many of the same issues other synagogues and churches face. Everyone is busy and there is great competition for people’s time, energy, and financial resources. Some of the things that worked in the past to sustain and expand membership no longer work. The world is changing and we must change with it if we are to grow and thrive. I will again challenge our Board members and committee chairs to make our services and programs more attractive to our congregants, potential congregants, and the larger Jewish community. I welcome all ideas, and even better, your time and energy to help us. Please feel free to forward your thoughts to me at President@MyTBS.org.
I hope you all enjoy the rest of your summer, and look forward to the start of the school year and the upcoming High Holidays in the fall.
L’Shalom Paul Newman
Paul Newman