Weak Dollar In Israel Threatens Jewish Conservative Temple Hod Ve-Hadar


By David Marcus
Israel News Agency

Kfar Sava , Israel --- October 3, 2008 ..... During its 30 years of existence, Hod Ve-Hadar (HVH) has become the leading center of Conservative and Masorti Judaism, religious pluralism, and informal Jewish education in the Kfar Sava, Ra’anana, Hod Hasharon region of Israel.

Through its varied programs, related to holidays, special needs Bar mitzvahs, eco-Judaism, tzedakah, youth and children programs, and adult learning – Hod Ve-Hadar regularly reaches its 200 member families and hundreds of non-members. Over the years it has also succeeded in becoming a home in Israel away from home for many Jews in the United States and around the world. The Hod Ve-Hadar Jewish Conservative shul regularly hosts and helps new Olim coming to Israel via Nefesh B’Nefesh, teenagers from Young Judea providing social services to needy residents in Kfar Sava and young adults spending extra time in Israel on the Taglit-Birthright Israel program.

You may be aware that the state of many non-profit institutions in Israel has become precarious. I wish I could say that the financial situation at Hod Ve-Hadar was healthy, but this would be far from true.

Every year we need to raise funds for around $60,000 (or more than 210,000 shekels) just to balance our carefully managed budget. This year, however, the budget gap has grown dramatically. Unfortunately, in the first half of 2008 the dollar depreciated about 20 percent against the shekel, following a 9.3 percent drop in 2007. In addition, we were recently told by one of our leading contributors that after many years of funding HVH, they will be turning their focus to other organizations in the United States. Meanwhile, our energy, maintenance and programming costs have risen by about 15 percent in shekel terms.

"Your financial contribution to American, Canadian, South African and English Conservative Jews living and working in Israel will act as water being poured around a tree. It will strengthen their roots and help ensure that these Jews and many others who have made or plan to make Aliya stay firmly planted in the State of Israel."

What does this mean for Hod Ve-Hadar and many other Conservative and Reform synagogues in Israel?

Simply put, it means that we will be forced to significantly cut back on many essential programs, including the special hosting of Bar and Bat mitzvah programs for mentally and physically-challenged children, adult education, programming for Jewish children, Shabbat weekends in Mercaz Tamar for NOAM youth, our tzedakah programs to distribute critically needed food to the needy and our innovative eco-Judaism Green project.

In order to maintain these and other programs at their current levels, we have set up an enlarged fundraising committee, whose charter it is to increase revenues from existing members, bring in new Orthodox, Conservative and Reform members in Israel, generate new sources of revenue, and turn to the larger community in the Israel Sharon area and to our current and new supporters around the world. The Hod Ve-Hadar Board has been charged with reducing expenses wherever it can.

As part of this effort, we are turning to our longtime and new friends from the US, England, South Africa, France, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Spain, Argentina, Russia, Turkey, Denmark and many other countries abroad. We accept all contributions and there are various ways in which a contribution will be recognized, whether by a leaf or pomegranate on our beautiful Tree of Happy Occasions, by a bronze plaque in memory of a loved one, or by a contribution to any of several worthwhile projects we have established. In all cases, contributions are tax deductible for US and Israel tax purposes.

Please make your contribution today payable to The Foundation for Conservative Judaism in Israel and send it to Hod Ve-Hadar, POB 516 Kfar Sava, 44104 Israel. You can also make a contribution to Kehillat Hod Ve-Hadar on-line using the Masorti Movement Website.

The members of Hod Ve-Hadar will highly appreciate your donation for this Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur holiday period. Please notify us by email (hdvhadar@inter.net.il) that you have made an on line donation so that we can follow up.

Your financial contribution to American, Canadian, South African and English Conservative Jews living and working in Israel will act as water being poured around a tree. It will strengthen their roots and help ensure that these Jews and many others who have made or plan to make Aliya stay firmly planted in the State of Israel.

Thank you, Shana Tova, Gmar Hatima Tova and Chag Sameach.

 

David Marcus, was the immediate past president of the Jewish Conservative Hod Ve-Hadar Beit Knesset in Kfar Saba, Israel. He is a practicing attorney, a journalist and is the president of Own the Zone sporting goods, a company in Israel that manufactures and distributes the innovative OTZ band vibration dampeners for tennis racquets. David made Aliya to Israel 21 years ago and is a respected leader in the Sharon community in Israel.


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