2017 Chicago Plenary Thursday March 2, 2017
2017 Chicago Plenary Thursday March 2, 2017 Minutes for the 2017 ECE-RJ Plenary Session Location: The Empire Room
Time: 6:00 pm
ECE-RJ CHORUS sang under the direction of Shira Kline and Billy Jonas WELCOME: Jennie Rubin, President, ECE-RJ Everyone was welcomed to the meeting. Jennie discussed how exciting the year had been, the leaps and bounds the organization has taken, and how exciting it is to be together to share this. She thanked the conference planners, and everyone who attended. D’VAR TORAH & FUTURE VISION: Cathy Rolland, RJE, URJ Faculty, Director, Families with Young Children and Founding President: 2003 – 2007 “This week’s Torah Portion, T’rumah, reminds us of the importance of details, precision... why does it matter? From here to the end of the book of Exodus, the Torah describes, in painstaking detail and great length, the construction of the Mishkan, the first collective house of worship of the Jewish people. Precise instructions are given for each item – the Tabernacle itself, the frames and drapes, and the various objects it contained – including their dimensions. So, for example, we read: “Make the Tabernacle with ten curtains of finely twisted linen and blue, purple and scarlet yarn, with cherubim woven into them by a skilled worker. All the curtains are to be the same size—twenty-eight cubits long and four cubits wide… Make curtains of goat hair for the tent over the tabernacle—eleven altogether. All eleven curtains are to be the same size—thirty cubits long and four cubits wide… Make upright frames of acacia wood for the tabernacle. Each frame is to be ten cubits long and a cubit and a half wide…” (Ex. 26:1-16) Whether you are here with us for your first conference, or like many of us in the room, this is your 10th 11th or perhaps like me your 17th conference!! Either way, what I hope is obvious to all of you is the amount of attention that has been and continues to be paid to the details. Like the curtains of goat hair for the tent over the tabernacle… Or the upright frames of acacia wood for the tabernacle…I would not be standing here before you right now if it wasn’t for many of the women sitting here with us who have given their full attention to the details over the past 17 years!!! One woman has focused on the details of building our tabernacle, our mishkan……. as we honor Elaine tonight…... talk about Elaine and her attention to detail being the cornerstone of what made this organization! DETAILS-DETAILS-DETAILS When God speaks to Moses saying "Tell the Israelite people to bring Me gifts; you shall accept gifts for Me from every person whose heart is so moved." - Exodus 25:1-2 So, no physical space, however large, is big enough. On the other hand, no space is too small. So, says a striking midrash: When God said to Moses, ‘Make Me a Tabernacle,’ Moses said in amazement, ‘The glory of the Holy One blessed be He fills heaven and earth, and yet He commands, Make me a Tabernacle?’… God replied, ‘Not as you think do I think. Twenty boards on the north, twenty on the south and eight in the west are sufficient. Indeed, I will descend and confine My presence even within one square cubit.’ (Shemot Rabbah 34:1)
So, what difference could it make whether the Tabernacle was large or small? Either way, it was a symbol, a focus, of the Divine presence that is everywhere, wherever human beings open their heart to God. Its dimensions should not matter. Precision matters. Order matters. The misplacement of even a few of the 3.1 billion letters in the human genome can lead to devastating genetic conditions. The famous “butterfly effect” – the beating of a butterfly’s wing somewhere may cause a tsunami elsewhere, thousands of miles away – tells us that small actions can have large consequences. That is the message the Tabernacle was intended to convey. God creates order in the natural universe. We are charged with creating order in the human universe. That means painstaking care in what we say, what we do, and what we must restrain ourselves from doing. There is a precise choreography to the moral and spiritual life as there is a precise architecture to the tabernacle. Being good, specifically being holy, is not a matter of acting as the spirit moves us. It is a matter of aligning ourselves to the Will that made the world. Law, structure, precision: of these things, the cosmos is made and without them it would cease to be. It was to signal that the same applies to human behaviour that the Torah records the precise dimensions of the Tabernacle and Noah’s ark DETAILS DETAILS DETAILS! IN FACT, AS I BEGAN TO PUT MY THOUGHTS TOGETHER FOR THESE WORDS OF TORAH, IT DAWNED ON ME THAT WE ALL KNOW THE SAYING “THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS!! Well, Terumah teaches us that without the attention to detail, you can’t build community or even have a natural rhythm to your daily life. Rather, they concern, in painstaking minutiae, the construction of the Tabernacle. This is a parashah about holiness, and in the case of Parashat T’rumah, the holiness is in the details. On behalf of the founding members of ECE-RJ, a special thanks to each one of you who is here with us tonight as we celebrate Elaine and her many contributions to our mishkan. We are grateful to each one of you, whether this is your first conference or your 16th Together let us continue to create a tabernacle that will be fill up with an assortment of colors…. that will and create a space that will hold the rich and meaningful contribution each one of us makes to us to sacred work every day. We love you Elaine!
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE ORGANIZATIONAL UPDATE: Tricia Ginis, Executive Director presented: a. 2016 Plenary Minutes b. Annual Report Highlights2015-2016 budget year c. Motion for approval of the 2016 minutes was made by Fern, and seconded by Lori. All were in favor. FINANCIAL REPORT: Marci Sperling Flynn (IL) Vice President of Accounts a . Presented budget 2015-2016 b. Discussed projected budget for 2016-2017 OUTGOING BOARD RECOGNITION & WOMAN OF VALOR PRESENTATION: Jennie Rubin (NJ), President and Lori Kowit (OH), First Vice-President Outgoing Board Recognition Dale Lang (PA), Sari Luck Schneider (NY), Edye Summerfield (GA), Marilynn Yentis (ex-officio) Woman of Valor was presented to Heidi Baker (MA).
“Your leadership and vision brought ECE-RJ through a time of transition, and positioned us for tremendous growth. As President, you solidified our infrastructure, streamlined our processes, and set ECE-RJ on a course that has rocketed it into new frontiers. Your dedication has inspired our membership to be involved, and our leadership to reach for the stars. We thank you for your hard work and dedication to ECE-RJ!”
RECOGNITION OF BOARD MEMBERS INSTALLED AUGUST 2016 were recognized by Shira Kline: Jennie Rubin (NJ) President (7/1/16-6/30/18) Lori Kowit (OH) First Vice President (7/1/16-6/30/18) Heidi Baker (MA) Immediate Past President (7/1/16-6/30/18)
Lisa Samick (NY) Vice President of Membership (7/1/16-6/30/18) Amy Damast (NJ) Vice President of Communications/Marketing (11/1/15-6/30/18) Fern Katz (IL) Vice President of Conferences and Biennials (11/1/15-6/30/18) Sheila Purdin (GA) Vice President of Communications/Marketing (7/1/16-6/30/18) RECOGNITION OF CURRENT ECE-RJ BOARD were also recognized by Shira Kline: Jennie Rubin (NJ) President (7/1/16-6/30/18) Lori Kowit (OH) First Vice President (7/1/16-6/30/18) Heidi Baker (MA) Immediate Past President (7/1/16-6/30/18) Marci Sperling Flynn (IL) Vice President of Accounts (1/1/15-6/30/18) Paula Katz (TX) Vice President of Administration (1/1/15-6/30/18) Amy Damast (NJ) Vice President of Communications/Marketing (11/1/15-6/30/18) Fern Katz (IL) Vice President of Conferences and Biennials (11/1/15-6/30/18) Lisa Samick (NY) Vice President of Membership (7/1/16-6/30/18) Sheila Purdin (GA) Vice President of Communications/Marketing (7/1/16-6/30/18) ENDING BLESSING & SONG: entire assembled community Shira Kline MOTION TO ADJOURN: Jennie Rubin, (NJ), President & Lori Kowit (OH), First Vice President Seconded by Fern Katz (IL) Minutes compiled by Jennie Rubin
Addendums: A. 2016 Plenary minutes
ECE-RJ 2015 Plenary Minutes April 8, 2016 The 2016 Plenary Session of Early Childhood Educators of Reform Judaism (ECE-RJ) was held in Memphis, TN at 1:15 PM on Friday April 8, 2016. Heidi Baker, President, officiated and called the meeting to order. The minutes of the 2015 Plenary Session were approved as presented. Jill Cimafonte motioned to pass the minutes from the 2015 Plenary. Jennie Rubin 2nd the motion. All present vote 'Yes' to approve the minutes. The motion passes so minutes from 2015 are approved as written. Shira Kline lead the Kallah Chorus at the opening of the Plenary Session. Welcome & Brief Retrospective- Heidi Baker, Outgoing President (2014-2016) Heidi Baker, ECE-RJ President, welcomed the membership, congratulated the Kallah planners and spoke of the sacred work in which we are engaged. She introduced our first ever Executive Director, Tricia Ginis. D’Var Torah and Future Vision - Jennie Rubin, ECE-RJ 1st Vice President D’Var Torah: This week's portion is Tazria, from the book of Leviticus. It discusses the sacrifices needed after childbirth, as well as how to deal with lepers. There is reinforcement regarding the purification process after birth that acknowledges the holiness of new life. The contrast is the impurity of those who are ill. The impurity of the soul is directly connected to the impurity of the skin. Like most things in Judaism there is a process, a ritual that accompanies not only a life cycle event, but social issues too. What does this have to do with the future of our organization? What meaning does this have for the future of the Reform movement? The reform movement has made a conscious effort to include others, recently embracing the issue of gender identity, and reaching beyond the walls of Reform Judaism to strengthen the relationships and communication with the other sects of Judaism. ECE-RJ has been a model of acceptance, as the only affiliate to include orthodox, conservative, JCC and unaffiliated. Our organization needs to think about whether our outside image matches our internal message. How do we relay that there are no "others" and that we are all one? In the coming year your voices will be necessary to ensure the message is clear. A new name for the organization is in the near future, and breaking down the silos between all of the affiliates is a necessity too. With our executive director in place, and a dues structure that allows for better service to our membership, the possibilities are limitless for us. Our friends at ARJE have decided that they are "the voice of Jewish education". In contrast, ECE-RJ is the voice of Jewish EDUCATORS. Together we will continue to make a huge difference in the lives of families with young children, through the sacred work that we do, and the commitment to offering the best programs possible. The future of Judaism is literally in our hands.
Future Vision: It is really my pleasure to talk to you about what we have accomplished, and
where we, ECE-RJ and the Reform movement, is heading. Under the amazing leadership of Heidi Baker, ECE-RJ has climbed mountains. We are standing at the precipice of an exciting, and monumental time. In her tenure as President, she enacted great change through thoughtful leadership, and clear vision. We recognize that it is the shoulders of all of the Presidents of ECE-RJ that enabled us to get here, but the significance of Heidi’s presidency is historical. The restructuring of the board, the new dues structure, the hiring of our executive director, and the development of a clearer, and more modern mission statement, has allowed us to focus in on the work that we can accomplish, and move us into the future. Early Childhood and Family engagement is a top priority for the URJ. The continued focus of Communities of Practice, resources, and the commitment of the URJ leadership, has created an environment where our membership has a voice, and that voice is being requested. The incredible Cathy Rolland has kept Early Childhood and Family Engagement in the spotlight, and without her dedication and commitment, we would certainly not be in the place we are at. With all that being said, as we move into this new phase, it is imperative that our members know that they need to be part of this conversation. This organization does not want to be board driven. It is through our membership that we can have the biggest impact, and affect change across this country. And I will share with you, that I feel strongly that the work we are doing is going to change how early childhood is viewed, and increase our accessibility to all professionals that work in Early Childhood Jewish Education. I probably shouldn’t say it, but part that process is that will be creating a name that accurately reflects the people within our organization. ECE-RJ does not do that. Creating a new name will be a collaborative experience, and I look forward to being part of the co-constructive process. We can do this. In a few months, I will become the President of this organization, and it my goal to continue Heidi’s work, and ensure that as the organization grows, you feels empowered, and that we are meeting your needs. Your voice is not only welcome, but valued. You need to know that together we are powerful and strong, and there is nothing we cannot do. ARJE thinks that they are the voice of Reform Jewish Education. We are the voice of the educators, the children, and the future. The future of Judaism is literally in our hands. What a bright future it will be. Financial Report - Marci Sperling Flynn, VP of Finance and Paula Katz, VP of Accounts A. The 2014-2015 Proposed vs Actual Budget was presented. B. Announcement that the new fiscal year is July 1 - June 30 annually. C. The 2015-2016 budget was presented and approved. Kallah Report- Dale Laing, VP or Learning A. Thanked everyone for attending the Memphis Kallah B. Gave a special presentation to all Kallah Committee members in recognition of their hard work and dedication in planning the Memphis Kallah 2016. Outgoing Presidential Recognition – Jennie Rubin, First Vice President/ Incoming President A. Outgoing President, Heidi Baker was recognized with a certificate of appreciation for her years of service and leadership to ECE-RJ. Presentation of Awards and Certificates - Heidi Baker, Outgoing President (2014-2016) A. Outgoing Board Member, Edye Summerfield, VP of Communications, was recognized with a certificate of appreciation for her years of dedication to ECE-RJ. B. Women of Valor Award was presented to Marci Sperling Flynn, VP of Finance, for her work in revamping the budget reporting process and developing the new dues structure. Marci has gone above and beyond in
working with members to make membership possible during the transition year. She helped build on our strong financial base and has moved us into the future! Motion to Adjourn – Lori Kowit, VP of Membership Lori Kowit (OH), VP of Membership, made a motion to adjourn, which was seconded by Fern Katz, (IL) Installation of Incoming ECE-RJ Board Members – Shira Kline & Mark Horowitz A. Installation of Fern Katz (IL), VP of Conferences B. Absent: Sheila Purdin, (GA), VP of Communications and Amy Damast, VP of Marketing Closing Blessing of Entire Board and the ECE-RJ Community and Guests st
Announcement of the 2017 Conference: ChicaGO! Early Childhood Education in the 21 Century. Chicago Directors including Marci Sperling Flynn, Fern Katz and Susie Wexler sang a song and announced the theme/location for 2017. March 1-4, 2017 The Palmer House Hotel in Chicago, IL. Recorded by Edye Summerfield, VP of Communications, ECE-RJ.
Time: 6:00 pm
ECE-RJ CHORUS sang under the direction of Shira Kline and Billy Jonas WELCOME: Jennie Rubin, President, ECE-RJ Everyone was welcomed to the meeting. Jennie discussed how exciting the year had been, the leaps and bounds the organization has taken, and how exciting it is to be together to share this. She thanked the conference planners, and everyone who attended. D’VAR TORAH & FUTURE VISION: Cathy Rolland, RJE, URJ Faculty, Director, Families with Young Children and Founding President: 2003 – 2007 “This week’s Torah Portion, T’rumah, reminds us of the importance of details, precision... why does it matter? From here to the end of the book of Exodus, the Torah describes, in painstaking detail and great length, the construction of the Mishkan, the first collective house of worship of the Jewish people. Precise instructions are given for each item – the Tabernacle itself, the frames and drapes, and the various objects it contained – including their dimensions. So, for example, we read: “Make the Tabernacle with ten curtains of finely twisted linen and blue, purple and scarlet yarn, with cherubim woven into them by a skilled worker. All the curtains are to be the same size—twenty-eight cubits long and four cubits wide… Make curtains of goat hair for the tent over the tabernacle—eleven altogether. All eleven curtains are to be the same size—thirty cubits long and four cubits wide… Make upright frames of acacia wood for the tabernacle. Each frame is to be ten cubits long and a cubit and a half wide…” (Ex. 26:1-16) Whether you are here with us for your first conference, or like many of us in the room, this is your 10th 11th or perhaps like me your 17th conference!! Either way, what I hope is obvious to all of you is the amount of attention that has been and continues to be paid to the details. Like the curtains of goat hair for the tent over the tabernacle… Or the upright frames of acacia wood for the tabernacle…I would not be standing here before you right now if it wasn’t for many of the women sitting here with us who have given their full attention to the details over the past 17 years!!! One woman has focused on the details of building our tabernacle, our mishkan……. as we honor Elaine tonight…... talk about Elaine and her attention to detail being the cornerstone of what made this organization! DETAILS-DETAILS-DETAILS When God speaks to Moses saying "Tell the Israelite people to bring Me gifts; you shall accept gifts for Me from every person whose heart is so moved." - Exodus 25:1-2 So, no physical space, however large, is big enough. On the other hand, no space is too small. So, says a striking midrash: When God said to Moses, ‘Make Me a Tabernacle,’ Moses said in amazement, ‘The glory of the Holy One blessed be He fills heaven and earth, and yet He commands, Make me a Tabernacle?’… God replied, ‘Not as you think do I think. Twenty boards on the north, twenty on the south and eight in the west are sufficient. Indeed, I will descend and confine My presence even within one square cubit.’ (Shemot Rabbah 34:1)
So, what difference could it make whether the Tabernacle was large or small? Either way, it was a symbol, a focus, of the Divine presence that is everywhere, wherever human beings open their heart to God. Its dimensions should not matter. Precision matters. Order matters. The misplacement of even a few of the 3.1 billion letters in the human genome can lead to devastating genetic conditions. The famous “butterfly effect” – the beating of a butterfly’s wing somewhere may cause a tsunami elsewhere, thousands of miles away – tells us that small actions can have large consequences. That is the message the Tabernacle was intended to convey. God creates order in the natural universe. We are charged with creating order in the human universe. That means painstaking care in what we say, what we do, and what we must restrain ourselves from doing. There is a precise choreography to the moral and spiritual life as there is a precise architecture to the tabernacle. Being good, specifically being holy, is not a matter of acting as the spirit moves us. It is a matter of aligning ourselves to the Will that made the world. Law, structure, precision: of these things, the cosmos is made and without them it would cease to be. It was to signal that the same applies to human behaviour that the Torah records the precise dimensions of the Tabernacle and Noah’s ark DETAILS DETAILS DETAILS! IN FACT, AS I BEGAN TO PUT MY THOUGHTS TOGETHER FOR THESE WORDS OF TORAH, IT DAWNED ON ME THAT WE ALL KNOW THE SAYING “THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS!! Well, Terumah teaches us that without the attention to detail, you can’t build community or even have a natural rhythm to your daily life. Rather, they concern, in painstaking minutiae, the construction of the Tabernacle. This is a parashah about holiness, and in the case of Parashat T’rumah, the holiness is in the details. On behalf of the founding members of ECE-RJ, a special thanks to each one of you who is here with us tonight as we celebrate Elaine and her many contributions to our mishkan. We are grateful to each one of you, whether this is your first conference or your 16th Together let us continue to create a tabernacle that will be fill up with an assortment of colors…. that will and create a space that will hold the rich and meaningful contribution each one of us makes to us to sacred work every day. We love you Elaine!
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE ORGANIZATIONAL UPDATE: Tricia Ginis, Executive Director presented: a. 2016 Plenary Minutes b. Annual Report Highlights2015-2016 budget year c. Motion for approval of the 2016 minutes was made by Fern, and seconded by Lori. All were in favor. FINANCIAL REPORT: Marci Sperling Flynn (IL) Vice President of Accounts a . Presented budget 2015-2016 b. Discussed projected budget for 2016-2017 OUTGOING BOARD RECOGNITION & WOMAN OF VALOR PRESENTATION: Jennie Rubin (NJ), President and Lori Kowit (OH), First Vice-President Outgoing Board Recognition Dale Lang (PA), Sari Luck Schneider (NY), Edye Summerfield (GA), Marilynn Yentis (ex-officio) Woman of Valor was presented to Heidi Baker (MA).
“Your leadership and vision brought ECE-RJ through a time of transition, and positioned us for tremendous growth. As President, you solidified our infrastructure, streamlined our processes, and set ECE-RJ on a course that has rocketed it into new frontiers. Your dedication has inspired our membership to be involved, and our leadership to reach for the stars. We thank you for your hard work and dedication to ECE-RJ!”
RECOGNITION OF BOARD MEMBERS INSTALLED AUGUST 2016 were recognized by Shira Kline: Jennie Rubin (NJ) President (7/1/16-6/30/18) Lori Kowit (OH) First Vice President (7/1/16-6/30/18) Heidi Baker (MA) Immediate Past President (7/1/16-6/30/18)
Lisa Samick (NY) Vice President of Membership (7/1/16-6/30/18) Amy Damast (NJ) Vice President of Communications/Marketing (11/1/15-6/30/18) Fern Katz (IL) Vice President of Conferences and Biennials (11/1/15-6/30/18) Sheila Purdin (GA) Vice President of Communications/Marketing (7/1/16-6/30/18) RECOGNITION OF CURRENT ECE-RJ BOARD were also recognized by Shira Kline: Jennie Rubin (NJ) President (7/1/16-6/30/18) Lori Kowit (OH) First Vice President (7/1/16-6/30/18) Heidi Baker (MA) Immediate Past President (7/1/16-6/30/18) Marci Sperling Flynn (IL) Vice President of Accounts (1/1/15-6/30/18) Paula Katz (TX) Vice President of Administration (1/1/15-6/30/18) Amy Damast (NJ) Vice President of Communications/Marketing (11/1/15-6/30/18) Fern Katz (IL) Vice President of Conferences and Biennials (11/1/15-6/30/18) Lisa Samick (NY) Vice President of Membership (7/1/16-6/30/18) Sheila Purdin (GA) Vice President of Communications/Marketing (7/1/16-6/30/18) ENDING BLESSING & SONG: entire assembled community Shira Kline MOTION TO ADJOURN: Jennie Rubin, (NJ), President & Lori Kowit (OH), First Vice President Seconded by Fern Katz (IL) Minutes compiled by Jennie Rubin
Addendums: A. 2016 Plenary minutes
ECE-RJ 2015 Plenary Minutes April 8, 2016 The 2016 Plenary Session of Early Childhood Educators of Reform Judaism (ECE-RJ) was held in Memphis, TN at 1:15 PM on Friday April 8, 2016. Heidi Baker, President, officiated and called the meeting to order. The minutes of the 2015 Plenary Session were approved as presented. Jill Cimafonte motioned to pass the minutes from the 2015 Plenary. Jennie Rubin 2nd the motion. All present vote 'Yes' to approve the minutes. The motion passes so minutes from 2015 are approved as written. Shira Kline lead the Kallah Chorus at the opening of the Plenary Session. Welcome & Brief Retrospective- Heidi Baker, Outgoing President (2014-2016) Heidi Baker, ECE-RJ President, welcomed the membership, congratulated the Kallah planners and spoke of the sacred work in which we are engaged. She introduced our first ever Executive Director, Tricia Ginis. D’Var Torah and Future Vision - Jennie Rubin, ECE-RJ 1st Vice President D’Var Torah: This week's portion is Tazria, from the book of Leviticus. It discusses the sacrifices needed after childbirth, as well as how to deal with lepers. There is reinforcement regarding the purification process after birth that acknowledges the holiness of new life. The contrast is the impurity of those who are ill. The impurity of the soul is directly connected to the impurity of the skin. Like most things in Judaism there is a process, a ritual that accompanies not only a life cycle event, but social issues too. What does this have to do with the future of our organization? What meaning does this have for the future of the Reform movement? The reform movement has made a conscious effort to include others, recently embracing the issue of gender identity, and reaching beyond the walls of Reform Judaism to strengthen the relationships and communication with the other sects of Judaism. ECE-RJ has been a model of acceptance, as the only affiliate to include orthodox, conservative, JCC and unaffiliated. Our organization needs to think about whether our outside image matches our internal message. How do we relay that there are no "others" and that we are all one? In the coming year your voices will be necessary to ensure the message is clear. A new name for the organization is in the near future, and breaking down the silos between all of the affiliates is a necessity too. With our executive director in place, and a dues structure that allows for better service to our membership, the possibilities are limitless for us. Our friends at ARJE have decided that they are "the voice of Jewish education". In contrast, ECE-RJ is the voice of Jewish EDUCATORS. Together we will continue to make a huge difference in the lives of families with young children, through the sacred work that we do, and the commitment to offering the best programs possible. The future of Judaism is literally in our hands.
Future Vision: It is really my pleasure to talk to you about what we have accomplished, and
where we, ECE-RJ and the Reform movement, is heading. Under the amazing leadership of Heidi Baker, ECE-RJ has climbed mountains. We are standing at the precipice of an exciting, and monumental time. In her tenure as President, she enacted great change through thoughtful leadership, and clear vision. We recognize that it is the shoulders of all of the Presidents of ECE-RJ that enabled us to get here, but the significance of Heidi’s presidency is historical. The restructuring of the board, the new dues structure, the hiring of our executive director, and the development of a clearer, and more modern mission statement, has allowed us to focus in on the work that we can accomplish, and move us into the future. Early Childhood and Family engagement is a top priority for the URJ. The continued focus of Communities of Practice, resources, and the commitment of the URJ leadership, has created an environment where our membership has a voice, and that voice is being requested. The incredible Cathy Rolland has kept Early Childhood and Family Engagement in the spotlight, and without her dedication and commitment, we would certainly not be in the place we are at. With all that being said, as we move into this new phase, it is imperative that our members know that they need to be part of this conversation. This organization does not want to be board driven. It is through our membership that we can have the biggest impact, and affect change across this country. And I will share with you, that I feel strongly that the work we are doing is going to change how early childhood is viewed, and increase our accessibility to all professionals that work in Early Childhood Jewish Education. I probably shouldn’t say it, but part that process is that will be creating a name that accurately reflects the people within our organization. ECE-RJ does not do that. Creating a new name will be a collaborative experience, and I look forward to being part of the co-constructive process. We can do this. In a few months, I will become the President of this organization, and it my goal to continue Heidi’s work, and ensure that as the organization grows, you feels empowered, and that we are meeting your needs. Your voice is not only welcome, but valued. You need to know that together we are powerful and strong, and there is nothing we cannot do. ARJE thinks that they are the voice of Reform Jewish Education. We are the voice of the educators, the children, and the future. The future of Judaism is literally in our hands. What a bright future it will be. Financial Report - Marci Sperling Flynn, VP of Finance and Paula Katz, VP of Accounts A. The 2014-2015 Proposed vs Actual Budget was presented. B. Announcement that the new fiscal year is July 1 - June 30 annually. C. The 2015-2016 budget was presented and approved. Kallah Report- Dale Laing, VP or Learning A. Thanked everyone for attending the Memphis Kallah B. Gave a special presentation to all Kallah Committee members in recognition of their hard work and dedication in planning the Memphis Kallah 2016. Outgoing Presidential Recognition – Jennie Rubin, First Vice President/ Incoming President A. Outgoing President, Heidi Baker was recognized with a certificate of appreciation for her years of service and leadership to ECE-RJ. Presentation of Awards and Certificates - Heidi Baker, Outgoing President (2014-2016) A. Outgoing Board Member, Edye Summerfield, VP of Communications, was recognized with a certificate of appreciation for her years of dedication to ECE-RJ. B. Women of Valor Award was presented to Marci Sperling Flynn, VP of Finance, for her work in revamping the budget reporting process and developing the new dues structure. Marci has gone above and beyond in
working with members to make membership possible during the transition year. She helped build on our strong financial base and has moved us into the future! Motion to Adjourn – Lori Kowit, VP of Membership Lori Kowit (OH), VP of Membership, made a motion to adjourn, which was seconded by Fern Katz, (IL) Installation of Incoming ECE-RJ Board Members – Shira Kline & Mark Horowitz A. Installation of Fern Katz (IL), VP of Conferences B. Absent: Sheila Purdin, (GA), VP of Communications and Amy Damast, VP of Marketing Closing Blessing of Entire Board and the ECE-RJ Community and Guests st
Announcement of the 2017 Conference: ChicaGO! Early Childhood Education in the 21 Century. Chicago Directors including Marci Sperling Flynn, Fern Katz and Susie Wexler sang a song and announced the theme/location for 2017. March 1-4, 2017 The Palmer House Hotel in Chicago, IL. Recorded by Edye Summerfield, VP of Communications, ECE-RJ.
