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, Raanana,
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 BNefesh, 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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