NHS Welcomes Rabbi Simon
For Installation Weekend
Friday Evening, April 30, 2010
Saturday Morning, May 1, 2010
Northern Hills Synagogue - Congregation B'nai Avraham welcomed Rabbi Charles Simon as its special guest for its Installation of Officers Weekend, April 30 and May 1. Rabbi Simon has served as Executive Director of the Federation of Jewish Men's Clubs (FJMC), representing over 250 men's clubs and brotherhoods at Conservative congregations throughout North America, since 1981. He joined Northern Hills for its installation of officers because of the important role Karroll Miller, who was installed as the new congregational president, has played in FJMC's Keruv project. Through this initiative, FJMC has taken the lead on behalf of Conservative congregations in reaching out and "bringing close" people in religiously mixed families and others who have been on the margins of synagogue life.
Installation of officers took place on Friday evening, April 30, at a special 8:00 PM service, followed by a gala Oneg Shabbat reception. Rabbi Simon spoke about the importance of listening to and working with volunteers. Officers being installed that evening included President Karroll Miller, Vice-Presidents David Goldstein, Joe Lazear, Barry Wolfson, and Lynn Kohel; Treasurer Phyliss Shubs: Financial Secretary Matt Lee; Recording Secretary Michelle Shapiro; Corresponding Secretary Judy Knapp; and Cemetery Warden Matt Yosafat.
Trustees installed include Jeff Bassin, David Bernstein, Arnold Horowitz, Dennis Manes, Ron Richards, Orly Rumberg, George Smulian, Warren Shapiro, Steve Weiss, Mark Bratslavsky, Sonia Milrod, and Herb Brass. Chanan Jaakobovitch, Fred Joffe, Brian Leshner, Henry Spitz, Margie Stayton, Marc Tyler, and Joseph Zukor will continue to serve as trustees. Barb Goldstein, Steven Pentelnik, and David Zucker will serve on the Board as Past Presidents.
Rabbi Simon installed the new officers and trustees of the Men's Club. They are Brett Handmaker, President; Hal Winkler, Vice-President, Gerry Shubs, Treasurer; Norm Nevins, Secretary; and Mitch Weisberger, Joshua Frankel, and Ron Richards, Trustees. Jeff Gushin and Warren Shapiro will serve on the Men's Club Board as Past Presidents.
Northern Hills' Sisterhood also installed officers and trustees on Friday evening. They included Co-Presidents Roberta Handwerger and Sandra Spitz; Programming Vice-President Rosalyn Shapiro; Programming Committee Amy Frankel, Marina Davar and Susan Cohen; Treasurer Diana Fenichel; Financial Secretary Sophia Ziburtovicz; Recording Secretary Eileen Metz; Corresponding Secretary Ellen Warm; and Trustees Susan Cohen, Debbie Kaplan, and Toni Winston. Sarah Barnard will serve on the Sisterhood Board as Past President.
On Saturday, May 1, Rabbi Simon spoke at the morning service, discussing FJMC's Keruv project and the importance of being welcoming to interfaith families. Karroll Miller, incoming president, observed, "I am delighted to become President of Northern Hills Synagogue-Congregation B’nai Avraham as we celebrate our 50th Anniversary. I look forward to working with Rabbi Barnard, our Board, and Tracy Weisberger, our award winning educator, as we begin our next 50 years. We are financially sound, have been attracting new members, and continue to offer outstanding programs and services for our members. I want to continue to enable, strengthen and ignite all aspects of congregational life. It's an exciting time." |
