Present
Rabbi Raachel Jurovics (RJ)
Peter Gabor, President (PG)
Janet Isaacs, Secretary (JI)
Margie Sved, Treasurer  (MS)
Carol Gabor  (CG)
Stephen Jurovics (SJ)
Les Taylor (LT)
Lewis Copulsky, Vice President   (LC)
Jonathan Kodack (JK)

Absent
Caro Foulkrod
Helene Stoll
Stacy Grove

PG noted a quorum (9) was present at 12:55 pm for this board meeting held after Sabbath services at St. Mark’s, as summer traveling interfered with the usual Sunday afternoon board meeting and location this month.  PG provided the agenda and recognized newly elected board member Jonathan Kodack and guest Cantor Karen Kumin.  The board minutes from the last June 15, 2014 meeting were not yet available. 

PG started the President’s Report by continuing the discussion of the Center for Deep Ecumenism (“the Center”), started at the June 15, 2014 board meeting.  LC was not present at that time when his willingness to take over book-keeping services for Yavneh (and for the Center) was mentioned, replacing Number Crunchers in these duties.  LC is elected for the term 7/1/14 to 6/30/17 on the Yavneh Board, served for the last three fiscal years in the office of Vice President, and was voted to be the Director of Operations for the Center at the June Board meeting.  LC would be providing book-keeping services through his existing business.  Further investigation is needed based on the Yavneh By-laws for how consultants, employees, and board service are to be handled.  

After further discussion, JI moved the following: The board authorizes a committee composed of PG, LC, RJ and MS to make financial recommendations concerning these topics: how routine financial records are to be organized for the Center and Yavneh; relationship of currently elected Yavneh board members and officers to the Center; updated insurance needs and costs; annual donation IRS letters; personnel payroll and IRS requirements.  The committee will meet prior to the August Yavneh board meeting, so that there can be a preliminary report.  CG seconded the motion.  A vote was taken and the motion passed unanimously.

RJ and the rest of the board thanked LT for his activities during the last fiscal year in updating the website.  LC passed around a preliminary draft of the updated Yavneh website page, and collected comments. 

MS passed around preliminary fiscal summaries about Yavneh’s account balances over the last month (no fiscal reports were available from Number Crunchers).  Discussion about the need for returning updated membership forms, religious school registration forms, and High Holy Days schedules resulted in this plan:  membership information will be both emailed and sent by regular mail to previous members, as well as available on line.  High Holy Day information will be separated out in emails and regular mail.  Only those with children will be provided the school information by email.

The Secretary will provide an updated list of the Yavneh board contact information.  RJ will provide board orientation at the September board meeting, as she and SJ will be out of town for the August meeting.

Under Social Action, RJ called attention to the Saturday August 2, 2014 New Hope Alliance Picnic.  RJ lead the board in a remembrance of her mentor and Renewal leader, Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi.

JI moved to adjourn this meeting at 2:15 pm

Minutes prepared August 20, 2014 by Janet Isaacs, Secretary
Approved at the August 24, 2014 Board meeting as edited. 

Present and Absent:
Rabbi Raachel Jurovics (RJ)
Stacy Grove (SG)
Peter Gabor, President (PG)
Janet Isaacs, Secretary (JI)
Margie Sved, Treasurer  (MS)
Carol Gabor  (CG)
Stephen Jurovics (SJ)
Les Taylor (LT)

Absent:
Caro Foulkrod
Lewis Copulsky, Vice President
Jeff Land
 
PG noted a quorum (8) was present at 4:17 pm and called the meeting to order. PG provided the agenda.  RJ discussed how the weekly portion about the Levites, Korach and Moses’ leadership, is applicable to all organizations.

The minutes from the last Board meeting on Sunday April 20, 2014 were circulated and reviewed.  Then CG moved them to be accepted and they were unanimously approved.  JI thanked RJ for her edits on draft minutes.

PG started the President’s Report by providing an overview of the May Annual General Meeting, noting the high level of participation.  Next draft papers about the Center for Deep Ecumenism were circulated.  The main points discussed were: 1) This Center is separate from Yavneh membership. 2) For grant-seeking opportunities, this Center needed officers at this time, so that proposals are coming from officials of this 501(c)3 organization who are capable of receiving funding. 3) LC has agreed to be an unpaid officer of this Center, along with RJ. 4) The official name of the Center is proposed as “Center for Deep Ecumenism: A project of Yavneh, A Jewish Renewal Community.”  After discussion CG moved and SG seconded this motion: The Board approves creation of the Center for Deep Ecumenism as a project of Yavneh, with an Executive Director and a Director of Operations. The motion was unanimously approved.  The Center officers are RJ as Executive Director and LC as Director of Operations.

The Treasurer’s Report was presented by MS.  Number Crunchers had not been able to provide a fiscal report in time for this meeting.  (See previous minutes regarding this ongoing problem.)  PG stated that LC is willing to perform the duties now performed by Number Crunchers.  This discussion was tabled (LC was not present).  MS demonstrated her tracking system for dues payers, member classes, member donors, and non-member donors, which was appreciated by the Board.  Yavneh financial status was reviewed, noting that the Spring Fund-raising revenue was $11,000 so far.  PG mentioned the plan to send letters with the membership forms to remind all of our fiscal year starting in July. 

The Board then went into executive session. 

When the regular board meeting resumed, musical preparations for the 2014 High Holy Days were briefly discussed. Next the Rabbi described the good turnout for the first and second dinners with the Rabbi events, which are social and community functions for Yavneh supporters, some of whom do not come often to other more religious functions.

Under Social Action, RJ called attention to the Saturday August 2, 2014 New Hope Alliance Picnic.  Yavneh Board Members are encouraged to participate in this new Alliance activity.  RJ will provide Board Orientation as part of the next Board meeting after services on Saturday July 26, 2014, as that is the first meeting that the newly elected Board members attend.  When LC is available, he will be asked to report about any proceeds to Yavneh from AmazonSmile announced in the weekly updates and the last Board meeting.

JI moved to adjourn this meeting at 6:05 pm.

Minutes prepared July 18, 2014 by Janet Isaacs, Secretary
Approved as edited at the August 24, 2014 Board meeting.