ENHANCING THE FLAME:
BUILDING OUR JEWISH COMMUNITY
last updated 05/22/2008
 

Enhancing the Flame Quick Facts

• Providing resources to meet needs that are now unmet and sustaining

• Enhancing the community that is the foundation of BJC

• Supporting the infrastructure of the congregation through building financial

Campaign Purposes and Goal Through this voluntary campaign, Enhancing the Flame (ETF), BJC seeks to realize

What Do We Need? What Will the Enhancing the Flame Funds Be Used For? The funds will be used for necessary

improvements and enhancements beyond those covered by the annual operating budget As we start the campaign, we

• Ensuring and strengthening the fiscal health of our congregation

• Providing for needed physical improvement, such as paying for our share of security upgrades (e.g. parking lot lighting

• Enhancing our worship through procuring another Torah, the newly revised Reform prayer books, and upgrading the

• Facilitating learning through making improvements for the school, endowing a speakers and program fund, and

Having Fun While Building the Fund Throughout the course of the ETF campaign, we intend to augment our efforts with

Nuts and Bolts BJC is a religious organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and gifts to the

Governance The Board of Trustees has appointed “Shomrim” or guardians from the ranks of Past Presidents to make

Dear Friends,

“Why belong to a synagogue?” One answer is that an individual cannot do the things that a community can do to provide inspiration, satisfaction, respect, and fulfillment. As Jews, we are part of a community whose collective memories stretch back past Mount Sinai. We understand that there are things we cannot do alone. We create institutions to nurture us. Sometimes we must nurture them.

Almost a decade ago, with our spiritual siblings at Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church, BJC created the Celebrate the Light campaign. This joint effort raised the funds necessary to build our own Jewish worship space, new offices, and support social action activities. What a joyous occasion it was when we dedicated Covenant Hall in a worship service so befitting the covenant between our two congregations.

While our spiritual community has flourished in the ensuing years, our physical space is showing the wear and tear of extensive use. It is again time for us to invest in our surroundings, as well as to enhance our ritual and educational opportunities. This is also the right time for us to establish financial reserves and ensure the congregation’s financial stability. To this end, BJC is launching Enhancing the Flame.

As members of BJC, we have a great deal to be proud of since Hazzan Sunny Schnitzer became our spiritual leader. Under his leadership we have greatly expanded the type and variety of our religious services and dramatically enhanced their attendance. In addition, during this time we have continued to strengthen our religious school and adult learning opportunities, accelerated our social action commitment, and enhanced our position within the greater Washington Jewish community.

The Board of Trustees has worked diligently for many years to keep synagogue support payments at the lowest possible levels. But synagogue support payments only cover BJC’s cost of operation and cannot support building fiscal reserves, program expansion, and major improvement projects.

We have enclosed a fact sheet about Enhancing the Flame, but it only introduces the story of our efforts. There will be several information sessions on the details to provide opportunities for you to ask questions. In addition, a volunteer fellow congregant will be reaching out to you to discuss Enhancing the Flame and the ways that you can help. If you are so inclined, please do not wait to be called. There are many volunteer opportunities The campaign depends upon all of our members to make it a success. We thank you, in advance, and hope you will please come, learn, and get involved.

Sincerely,

Karen L. Jerome, President, Board of Trustees
Harri j. Kramer  Chair, Fundraising Committee

Remarks of Harri j. Kramer President, Board of Trustees
to the Congregation on Rosh Hashana 5765

Bethesda Jewish Congregation is now embarking upon its 40th year. Over this time, we have continued to develop and grow in ways that our founding members likely could not have envisioned. Most notably, in the last three years alone, we have enjoyed the many benefits of having a fulltime spiritual leader, Hazzan Sunny Schnitzer, as well as Covenant Hall, a magnificent worship space.

BJC has always been first and foremost about its members and not about physical structures. Yet, who can deny the spirituality and simple pleasure of having our own worship space?

Covenant Hall was the result of our partnership with our spiritual siblings, Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church, and our joint effort 7 years ago, “Celebrate the Light.” From that joint campaign came Covenant Hall, other needed improvements to the physical plant, and funding for social action projects.

Because BJC does not have its own building per se, we do not have a building fund, such as you find in many other congregations. Our contributions above our synagogue support and tuition are and will be voluntary. While we always appreciate the many and generous donations that have supported our various dedicated tzedakah funds, such as support for our mission to Cuba, the Maran Gluckstein Family Education Fund, or our general fund, we have not asked.

We are at time in our history where we need to consider additional ways to enhance BJC and its meaning for all of us.

Enhancing the Flame, Building our Jewish Community will launch in the next few months. As with Celebrate the Light, this will be a voluntary effort over the next few years to enhance our worship and public spaces, as well as make capital improvements to benefit our school and insure the long-term health of our congregation.

Enhancing the Flame will have phases.

The first phase, already underway, is to enhance Covenant Hall. The Board of Trustees has approved the designs recommended by the Hiddur Bimah Committee to expand the actual Bimah platform by a few feet, which will make a mile of difference to those up there. The Board has also approved the committee’s recommendations to commission two pieces of furniture unique to our congregation and suited to our style of worship.

We are commissioning one piece that is Torah reading table and lectern. A second, complimentary piece will be a Torah stand that will also serve as a stand for Shabbat candles. I encourage you to look at the drawings on display as you leave, as my words can’t do the vision full justice.

While the Board and the staff have many ideas about later phases of the campaign, much will depend upon you and the ideas that flow from our long-range planning effort. As news of these intertwined initiatives come out in the coming months, please pay attention. More importantly, please, please, please get involved. Bethesda Jewish Congregation is about its members. Your ideas matter. We all need each other and your support.

L’Shana Tova.