Good morning and thank you all for coming.

 

2003 was an incredibly challenging year—and in case it isn’t clear-- I am using the word “challenging” as a euphemism….it was an incredibly difficult year—especially in terms of finances, operations and physical plant issues.

 

A typical synagogue is by nature a financially fragile institution. Even shuls with an affluent membership base struggle to fund programs and services every year, and you can count the number of synagogues that end each year with a surplus on the fingers of no hands. This stems from the service mission of shuls. There are always more worthwhile services and programs than a synagogue can afford, so synagogues typically stretch to the very edge of their financial capacity. And usually beyond. And Shaare Torah is more than typical. Our list of programs and services that we’d like to offer extends to infinity. But the shul’s ability to continue to provide essential programs and services over the long term requires us to set prudent boundaries.

 

It is not unusual for the shul to have cash flow problems, there are certain times of the year when more money comes in than at other times—we are flush with membership dues and contributions right after the High Holidays and we struggle in the Spring to pay the high utility bills incurred over a long winter. For a number of years, the shul also has been spending slightly beyond our means. There has been little planned spending and no budget limits.

 

For far too long, the shul had relied on a modest reserve fund to make up the differences and to handle emergencies. This reserve fund is now on the verge of being reduced to vapor. At this point, our reserve would carry us for less than a month. In May of this year, we were forced to impose a spending freeze. All expenditures except for salaries and benefits and essential utilities are now required to be explained and estimated in advance and must receive approval prior to purchase. The spending freeze enabled us to focus on the basics, to conserve resources and to find alternative resources for many items.

 

And, with characteristic Shaare Torah resilience, we –you --have responded to our fiscal challenges.. Items from our new wish list have arrived in abundance. You may have thought that buying one extra box of envelopes or a couple of packages of paper plates were no big deal, but when ten of you did it over the weeks, our supply expenses were greatly reduced. We—especially Linda Pasternack – cannot thank you enough.

 

We have started to restructure the way we operate and to make the shul’s financial condition more transparent and its procedures more consolidated. The Board has been fully informed of all spending and income issues. Expenditures are carefully reviewed each month and consideration is given to all planned and unplanned payments. In addition, Shul events and activities are now planned so as to be self-sufficient –expenses may not exceed income.

 

Perhaps the most important change in this past year has been our restructuring of the way the Shaare Torah cemetery is operated. As I informed you last year, the cemetery is both our largest source of income and our largest expense. After a thoughtful review of current costs and procedures and after investigating many options, we have changed the way cemetery services are provided and we now contract on an as-needed basis, rather than a full-time basis. Upkeep of the property has also been re-assigned. This restructuring will have no effect on the shul’s services to grieving families, but it will save us approximately $20,000 per year—about 7 1/2% of our annual budget. (If the City of Pittsburgh could make those kinds of cuts, it might not be broke.)

 

While we have worked hard at cutting and controlling expenses, we have worked equally hard at increasing income. The Fundraising committee produces a list of amazingly successful ideas and activities each year. In addition to a raffle that raises more money in each year of its existence, this year also saw the implementation of a Rosh Hashanah basket effort which sold 81 baskets and the Thanksgiving pie initiative that produced almost 200 pies—each activity had a tremendous amount of volunteer support and each brought in a $1000 profit for the shul. There are a number of fundraising events planned for later this year, including a flea market and just maybe …the first annual barbecue bake off. Stay tuned

 

For the moment, for today, we are solvent; we have paid off a large backlog of bills and are current with all vendors. My hope is that when I stand before you next year – assuming you still want to re-elect me— our financial situation will have improved.

 

This year was also the first year of a special category of membership -- our Chai membership. In its first year, we have 10 Chai memberships which have provided an additional $10,000 to support the shul. And in return, the families and individuals have received the following tangible benefits:

 

None.

 

Indeed, they have received nothing more than the personal satisfaction of supporting the shul. And, of course, our sincere gratitude and appreciation for all that they do for Shaare Torah. Without exception, these members would have preferred to remain anonymous, but I very much wanted to acknowledge them for their remarkable, selfless, commitment to the shul. Their names are listed on the handout you received (on the back of the committee listings). Please join me now in applauding their support. We hope that more of you will become Chai members next year, and I am willing to guarantee you all of the same benefits that the current Chai members enjoy.

 

Our list of accomplishments this year is long. First and foremost, Rabbi Wasserman signed his new five-year contract, which will make him the highest paid congregational Rabbi in a shul adjacent to a Starbucks on Murray Avenue. His contract includes bonus clauses for achieving certain milestones, including number of Shabbos guests and sermon brevity. His leadership, creativity and energy continue to inspire us daily and I am overjoyed that he and his family will be with us for these coming years.

 

Our membership this year stands at 114 full members and 22 associate members. We have been especially successful this year at adding new members through the process of reproduction with a veritable bounty of new babies. Keep up that good work!

 

Our dinner and silent auction were a rollicking success -- and a certified innovation. It was the first time that a dinner honored a concept, rather than an individual -- recognizing pioneering women in Jewish community service. Lynn Cullen discussed weather girls and occluded fronts. And the assembled Rabbis managed to keep themselves from laughing. We are already well underway in planning next year’s dinner. It will fall on erev Yom Yerushalayim, Tuesday, May 18, and will honor local organizations that support the State of Israel, so please mark your calendar.

 

This past year also brought our second annual Purim seudah, with our second annual Purim Shpiel – but our first Purim Shpiel to be held on Purim. Don’t ask. We made a little money, we had a lot of people but mostly we had a lot of fun. This year’s third annual Purim Shpiel – but the second to be held on Purim – will be held on Purim. Which falls on a Sunday. So please make plans to be with us.

 

This has also been a remarkable year for the Kiddush committee, which has been rejuvenated (and returned to profitability) by an uncanny combination of veterans and rookies working together, learning from each other, and building community within the shul. The Kiddush committee now has a volunteer data base of people who have agreed to help out on an occasional and rotating basis. The Kiddush committee was responsible for one of the shul’s biggest social events of the year – the Kitchen clean up. Some 40 volunteers showed up to wash and scrub and clean and sort and label and stock. Some volunteers expanded on the concept and cleaned and sorted and raked and swept and cut and trashed in the basement and on the front lawn. Many thanks to all of you that helped that day.

 

Our Building and Facilities Committee has had what can only be described as a wet and wild year. Having abandoned plans to turn the Social Hall into a swimming pool- slash- hockey rink (as appropriate to the season), water containment became an obsession. I believe that we have solved the worst of the problem but we are only as certain as the latest weather condition. They also dealt with two refrigerator breakdowns, back alley clean up issues and heating and cooling concerns. Major improvements have been made to lighting and general maintenance tasks have been kept on track. This building is our greatest asset and may be our greatest liability. Working on our Building and Facilities Committee and dealing with our endless Physical Plant issues is probably a more thankless job than being President, so I thank everyone involved with those activities tremendously.

 

I would like to conclude by talking about our volunteers. Many of you have heard me say that it shouldn’t always be the same people. This year I’d like to report that we have more volunteers than ever. But we could use more. Among the papers you received when you came in today is a sheet that describes each of our committees. Now being passed around is a sign up sheet --- please volunteer to be on a committee, to work on an event or activity. And ask your friends to volunteer. Volunteer to work on projects you’ve never worked on before, and with people you haven’t yet gotten to know.

 

I’d like to quote myself from last year’s State of the Shul address:

 

We should bite our tongues hard, really, really hard, before we criticize our volunteers. They’re working hard. They’re working for free. And they’re working for us.

 

In the coming years, may the ranks of our members swell, may our daily minyanim grow stable. May our volunteers be plentiful, our simchas numerous, and our annual meetings brief.

 

Thank you.