Annual Report Thursday, May 16, 2019

Table of Contents Opening Prayer ....................................................................................................................4

Agenda .................................................................................................................................4

Senior Rabbi’s Report .........................................................................................................5

President’s Report ............................................................................................................ 11

Treasurer’s Report and Budget ....................................................................................... 14

BHS New Heights Capital Campaign............................................................................... 17

Nominating Committee .................................................................................................... 18

General Donations ........................................................................................................... 19

Tribute Gifts ...................................................................................................................... 24

High Holy Days Schedule ................................................................................................. 28

Executive Director’s Report ............................................................................................. 29

Membership Commitments 2019-20 ............................................................................. 31

Membership Statistics ..................................................................................................... 32

B’nai Mitzvah Students, This Year and Next .................................................................. 36

Associate Rabbi-Educator’s Report on Education at BHS............................................. 37

Religious School Tuition Schedule .................................................................................. 40

Director of Early Childhood Education’s Report ............................................................. 41

“BHS is a special place for our families, friends, and community to come together to celebrate our past, enjoy the present, and build an

even better future.” -Why BHS Matters to Me

Brooklyn Heights Synagogue Annual Meeting May 16, 2019

Opening Blessing:

Agenda:

Report from the Senior Rabbi

Report from the President

Report from the Treasurer and Approval of the Budget

Report from the Nominating Committee and Election of Trustees and Officers

Report from Executive Director

Report from Director of Member Engagement

Report from Associate Rabbi-Educator

Report from Director of Early Childhood Education

New business

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Brooklyn Heights Synagogue Annual Meeting May 16, 2019

Opening Blessing:

Agenda:

Report from the Senior Rabbi

Report from the President

Capital Campaign Report Update

Report from the Treasurer and Approval of the Budget

Report from the Nominating Committee and Election of Trustees and Officers

Report from Executive Director

Report from Director of Member Engagement

Report from Associate Rabbi-Educator

Report from Director of Early Childhood Education

New business

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Senior Rabbi’s Report Tonight, I am grateful to mark twenty-two years of service as the spiritual leader of the Brooklyn Heights Synagogue. Thank you all for the privilege of service. Our 60th program year was marked by constancy in our professional staff and lay leadership as well as some additions and departures in our support positions and custodial staff. Our Director of Early Childhood Education, Pam Karlin, continues to guide the school, its faculty, students, and parents with an expert hand and along with Assistant Preschool Director Jennifer Kendall and Assistant Parenting Center Director Rebecca Leighton, continues to strengthen and expand our program and sharpen our vision. We wish Rebecca Leighton great success as she leaves us to become director of Grace Church’s Preschool! Sue Gold, our indispensable Executive Director will take a well-deserved mini-sabbatical in June. Safe travels and return! Rabbi Molly G. Kane our BHS Associate Rabbi-Educator continued to oversee record enrollment while reviewing, renewing, and expanding our religious education programming. In addition to guiding our religious and adult education programming, Molly brings unbridled energy and vision to our program and community. She also oversees BHS’s ‘The Other Friday Night’ -- a Shabbat Experience for Young Professionals in their 20s and 30s. Our annual BHS Women’s Seder held once again at Grace Church was a huge success. Thanks to Rabbi Kane, Michelle Citrin, and of course our lay leaders. Lena Eson Roe joined us at the beginning of the year as our new Associate Director of the Religious School. Abby Johnson as our BHS Education Program Manager continued her hands-on and steady contributions to our program. Faye Wilbur from JBFCS joined us in a very part time capacity (half a day per week) as BHS’s Social Worker. In that role, working with Myriam Bucatinsky and with the help of the Membership Engagement Team, our Community as Family Program also was initiated. Our Religious School and Preschool once again participated in the UJA Israeli Shinshinim (Sh’nat Sheirut – gap year) Program. Rabbi Hara Person, having been selected as the incoming Chief Executive of the Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR) as of this July 1, concludes her final year as BHS Adjunct Rabbi, facilitating chavurah, study groups, and life-cycle support and coverage. She has offered a lifetime of experiences from here at BHS to our upcoming B’nai Mitzvah families at programs she facilitated throughout the year. We have been blessed to have her in this limited but highly valued role for these past many years as Adjunct Rabbi at BHS. Cantor Bruce Ruben has served as BHS’s Cantor in a part-time (30 hrs/wk) position, bringing good humor, strong chanting skills, a pedagogical background, and his resonant voice to our community. Cantor Ruben has noticeably increased our Adult Choir’s opportunities to perform for us and in the larger community. He has done a masterful job teaching our 7th Grade as well as providing individual one on one tutoring for all of our upcoming b’nai mitzvah students. This year, along with Rabbi Kane, he hired and supervised Rabbinic Student Healy Slakman who provided introductory prep tutoring for our 30 plus students. Cantor Ruben organized a congregant band that has joined us on a number of third Fridays of the month for Shir Shabbat. Cantor Ruben also has recruited Torah and Megillah chanters for Festivals and other occasions. He once again helped organize our participation in Martin Luther King Jr. weekend events with First Presbyterian Church. We wish him success and blessings into the future as he concludes his term of service at BHS. We are blessed that Miriam Daly continues to serve as our Accompanist/Musical Director. Miriam creates and accomplishes tiny unnoticed musical miracles every time she is at the piano. She leads a terrific band and has been a talented rehearser for the choirs. Liann Herder joined us in August as our Executive Assistant to Senior Clergy and Development and has made an outstanding impact upon our synagogue community and organization in these past months!

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Dave Ramos supported an outsized program as our Head Custodian/Building Superintendent. We wish him well as he moves on to a new position closer to home and family in Massachusetts. We saw packed family attendance and participation once a month at Shabbat our B'yachad: Family Service & Dinners thanks to Rabbi Kane’s planning, Lena Eson Roe’s attention, and Student Rabbi Evan Sheinhait’s leadership, vision, and energy, Cantor Ruben’s willingness to jump in, and the assistance of Miriam Daly providing her musical talents. Special Mazal Tov and y’sharkoach to Evan who was ordained at the beginning of May as Rabbi Evan Sheinhait and will serve in this coming Fall as the Reform Rabbi on the campus of Brandeis University! At worship services, we announced the coming of the new Hebrew moon each month, continue the custom of Counting the Omer, and blessed congregants' numerous simchas and publicly recognized good tidings on one Friday of each month. And we have named numbers of infants, children of members and our neighbors on many Friday evenings. LOTS AND LOTS OF BABY NAMINGS!!! We celebrated festivals and holidays, minor and major. Saturday morning Chavurah continued to grow and prosper under myself, Rabbi Molly Kane, Rabbi Hara Person, Rabbi Daniel Lehrman, Rabbi Sue Oren, Student Rabbi Evan Sheinhait, and our rotating pool of facilitators. Thanks to lay prayer leaders and facilitators Ken Roff, David Hirschland, and Laura Szapiro. We celebrated births, namings, birthdays, conversions, weddings, anniversaries, and other simchas in our sanctuary and elsewhere. We worried and prayed through sickness and adversity and celebrated many joys as well. We call to mind the untimely passing of BHS members Grace Gutman and Arthur Radin, as well as BHS Past President Lola Lea. Far too many of us lost a parent, sibling, or close friend in this past year. Both in adversity and in celebration, we at BHS have buoyed each other up and offered the hand of comfort. Our youngsters learned in our religious school, and at Parenting Center programs and family education programs. Our well-attended Tot Shabbat program continued to be led by Lauren Demby. My 'Welcoming Shabbat' program on Friday mornings continues to bring young families and potential new members into early affiliation. Under the leadership of Alycia Zimmerman and Helene Fuhrman-Gold, co-chairs of our Membership Engagement Team and working closely with our extraordinary Membership Engagement Director Amy Leszman, we have introduced a new brief Shabbat Evening service entitled “Shalom Shabbat” at 5:30pm each quarter. Each of these services and dinner celebrations has been fully subsidized. ECE Director Pam Karlin and Assistant Parenting Center Director Rebecca Leighton coordinated a variety of holiday and life-cycle related programming (Bagels & Blocks) for this youngest age range that is open to the entire community. Programmatically, it has been a remarkably busy and exceptional year. Thanks to Cantor Ruben, Rabbi Kane, Rabbi Person, and David Jaroslaw who along with me led summer services in 2018! We prepared for the Days of Awe with Selichot services at Mount Sinai Congregation on Saturday evening, September 1. We gathered for Rosh Hashanah eve at Plymouth on Sunday evening, September 9. On September 11th we gathered on the Promenade with the Brooklyn Heights Interfaith Clergy Association to mark this day of tragedy and memorial. I was privileged to offer a brief reading on that occasion. In between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur on Sunday September 16, Sue Gold organized our efforts to clean up the synagogue’s cemetery section and bury our tattered sacred texts at Maimonides Cemetery. Many thanks to our volunteers.

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On Yom Kippur, Tuesday evening September 18, we were again inspired by our choir which is now lifting up its voices at both morning and evening services of the high holy days. This year, in addition to having repositioned the choir and the pulpit to enable us to better hear and appreciate their musical efforts, we added in a few professional anchor voices. We also continued to enjoy an improved sound system that Cantor Ruben, Sue Gold, and member Ray Raskin made happen. And we heard moving Spiritual Journeys from our fellow members Monica Elias, Julie Irwin, and Dahlia Locke. We celebrated Sukkot with our outdoor sukkot including the large Sukkah in the backyard of 127 Remsen Street and enjoyed many Sipping in the Sukkah events in each other’s sukkot. We consecrated new students in our Religious School program. We danced on Remsen Street with the Torah Scrolls accompanied by our Klezmer band once again on Simchat Torah. On Saturday, October 27, as we read the story of Abraham welcoming strangers, tragedy struck the American Jewish community, as Congregation Tree of Life—Or L’Simcha in Squirrel Hill, Pittsburgh PA was attacked by an anti-Semitic-terrorist, murdering 11 peaceful worshippers. We gathered as a community on #ShowUpForShabbat and saw the support of our neighbors and all the other Houses of Worship in our community to stand fast against antisemitism and hate. We also formed a security task force under Executive Director Sue Gold’s leadership which has taken significant (though not inexpensive) measures to further protect everyone in our synagogue community. The recent attack by another anti-Semitic-terrorist in Poway, CA added a twelfth victim to the list of our martyrs. The world around us has turned darker and stormy, but we remain both confidant in our Jewish commitments and ever vigilant. Both on the High Holidays at Plymouth and in our own sanctuary on Shabbat, we worshipped and celebrating with those present and those not present, through the ‘live-streaming’ of our services over the internet. We continued with Visual Tefillah on most Friday evenings, projecting the words of the prayers up on the front wall of the Sanctuary during most Friday evening Shabbatot from September through June. I also offered and taught a number of Lifelong Learning classes including: “The Reign of Hezekiah: King of Judah” from Everett Fox’s Translation of the Book of Kings, as well as Adult Intermediate and Adult Advanced Prayerbook Hebrew. Our BHS Homeless Shelter continued to meet the unfortunate need and reality of NYC for a 37th year. Thanks to all our lay coordinators and volunteers all under the guidance of our Shelter Team leaders Anne Landman and Sasha Burgansky. It is one of our most significant undertakings and it is all done by the laity of the congregation. You inspire me and the rest of the clergy team and staff! In January, we once again celebrated Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday weekend for a fourth year with joint choir performances by our choir and the choir of First Presbyterian Church on Friday evening at BHS and on Sunday morning at First Presbyterian. Rev. Adriene Thorne preached on Friday evening at BHS and I offered a sermon at First Presbyterian on that Sunday morning at their worship service. Thank you to Cantor Ruben and First Presbyterian Church’s music minister Amy Neuner and all the members of both choirs for very powerful presentations at those services. On Saturday, January 19, we screened the film ‘Rosenwald’ in our sanctuary, followed by a discussion between Rev. Thorne and myself. We re-met each other at the hugely successful 'Getting to Know You' dinners at the very end of January. On Wednesday evening, February 28th, a large contingent of members once again chanted from the Megillah aloud followed by our completely original Purim Shpiel “Esther Day.” On Sunday, March 4th, I lead our annual Tot Megillah reading followed by an absolutely terrific and jam-packed carnival, with many, many thanks to all the volunteers for the event.

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On Saturday evening March 9th, we celebrated the kick-off of our New Heights Capital Campaign with great fanfare. We were entertained by our Preschoolers and ‘walked’ through a virtual tour of the projected newly renovated and conjoined buildings. Following Passover, on Wednesday, May 1st, we observed the community-wide Yom HaShoah Commemoration at Kane Street Synagogue. We co-sponsored and participated in the Yom HaZikaron (Israel Memorial Day to Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terror) on Tuesday, May 6th at Union Temple and we celebrated Yom HaAtzma’ut the next evening at PSJC with a performance of Nava Tehilah. Our Religious School ninth grade class will be journeying to Israel on Monday evening, May 20th for our 12th Annual week-long High School Israel Trip this year lead by me. A big shout out THANK YOU to the special group of congregants who stepped forward previously to help the congregation and Board keep its commitment to this program by donating the dollars to keep this program afloat over the next several years. It is an extraordinary pledge of dedication!!! I continued to mentor a number of students (some congregants) seeking to become Jews by Choice, a tremendously time intensive but rewarding process. In addition to my regular 10th Grade/Confirmation Class teaching role, I continue to offer 11th & 12th Grade at my home twice a month, which sees a dozen of our students continue on beyond Confirmation in their studies. BHGSY under the leadership of the BHGSY Board’s Co-Presidents Violet Kopp and Ruby Kopel and Advisor Jenny Singer, wonderful programming was offered to our youth and the congregation as a whole. BHS is held together by the regular ongoing and outstanding work of committees like the Chesed Caring Committee that touches so many of us individually (thanks Lauren Smetana and Justine Block), the Ritual Committee (thank you Jeremy Primer), the Religious School Committee, the College Outreach Committee (thanks Ross Brown and Lisa Securo), the Preschool Committee, the Shelter Committee and THANK YOU to all the members whose names aren't printed here but are the glue that we depend upon. Last week the Preschool held its Sweet 17th annual benefit, this year at the “other BHS” – the Brooklyn Historical Society. It was an amazing and energetic success, surpassing all expectations and previous years (including last year’s)! Just this past Monday, May 13 we will once again have invited members of the Dawood Masjid to join us here at BHS for their observance of Iftar (the break the fast at sundown each night of Ramadan) for the twelfth annual occasion. The Social Justice Committee has been hard at work under the leadership of Barbara Arky and Jane Meyers. Half a dozen of our members will be traveling to the Religious Action Center’s Consultation on Conscience in Washington DC this May 19 thru May 21. Many members participated this year in efforts to learn about and reform bail practice in State courts and finally prevailed in this year’s legislature! Judith Winn, Lale Odekon, Susan Leboff and others have been supporting our involvement with the Brownstone Brooklyn Synagogue Coalition for Refugees. We are participating right now in work with HIAS to support a local asylee family from Chad. Our Cantorial Search Committee worked tirelessly under the leadership of chair Michael Lasky. Many thanks to committee members: Andrew Ball, Deborah Baruh, Debra Sapp, Eve Hall, Jeremy Primer, Karen Brody, and Natalie Green Giles. Also special thanks to Liann Herder, Executive Assistant to the Senior Clergy and Development for coordinating meetings, interviews, and so much more!!! We are ever indebted to your extraordinarily dedicated and meticulous work! We look forward to greeting Cantor Ayelet Porzecanski as she joins us as of July 1st.

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By the end of this June we will have celebrated 26 B’nai Mitzvah students being called to Torah: Sam Richardson, Mia Silverstein, Micah Parnass, Jack Kramer, Casey Glickman, Tybee & Eden Feiler, Avery Epstein, Isaac Houts, Charlotte Leibowitz, Zach Weinschel, Evan Komitee, Noah Cooper, Zoey Ojalvo, Alex Rosenzweig, Willa Hart, Claudia Jackson, Allison Goldblum, Eli Grubin, Eli Germain, Eli Zolan, Lucie Robinson, Holden Callif, Logan Reiman, Sloane Lipton, and Abigail Wiener. This coming year 5780 (2019-20) we will call 35 B’nai Mitzvah to Torah from September 2019 through June 2020. A great deal of my time, attention, and energy has been and will continue to be devoted to the planning and oversight and individual solicitations for our “New Heights” Capital Campaign. Many thanks to Campaign Co-Chairs Susan Chadick and David Smetana and to Anne Landman our Campaign Secretary, as well as to all our solicitors, and to Liann Herder whose long title only hints at her work for Development at BHS. Many thanks to Project Management Committee Chairs Rachel Loeb and Alan Schiffres and all the members of that extraordinarily hard working and important committee. And Still Upcoming: Tomorrow, Friday evening, May 17 we celebrate Trustee Installation Shabbat and thank out-going officers and trustees. Join us at 6pm, before services, to again enjoy the animated renderings video, previewing our construction plans for joining 127 Remsen with our synagogue at 131 Remsen! On Sunday morning, June 9, at 10:30am our 10th Grade Confirmation class will lead Shavuot morning services. Please plan on attending! On Friday evening, June 14 – we will observe our seventh annual LGBTQ Pride Shabbat with guest speaker Rabbi Michael Moskowitz, the Scholar-in-Residence for Trans and Queer Jewish Studies at Congregation Beit Simchat Torah. As summer nears, we can take pride that we are sending a score of campers to our regional URJ Camps Crane Lake and Eisner, as well as Six Points Sci-Tech. Rabbi Kane and I will be dropping in to visit our campers during the summer months. So, thank you! My personal thanks to Amy Leszman our Director of Member Engagement and to Abby Stein our soon-departing BHS Office Operations Manager, Abby Johnson our Education Program Manager, and Liann Herder, our Executive Assistant to the Senior Clergy and Development. Your teamwork is exemplary! Thanks to our hard-working custodial team, Nevin Perez, Shakiyl Smith, and Frederick Utley for all your hard work. And thank you to our security guards from Security USA and the NYPD for keeping us safe and warmly welcomed. To all the members of the Executive Committee, and most especially to my partner in all things BHS - our President Karen Gordon - who offers not only hours upon hours of her time and attention, but also her enthusiasm, expertise, dedication, and vision. Thanks to Sue Gold – thank you for ably guiding the operations of the synagogue. Our program and our commitments, like our building, look smaller from the outside. Many thanks for your professionalism and commitment, your personal warmth, and your collegiality. You have taken the synagogue to a new and far improved level of service and operation. To my colleagues Rabbi Molly Kane and ECE Director Pam Karlin whose dedication inspires me daily, thank you!!!

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To my partner in liturgy and on the bimah, Cantor Bruce Ruben: I could not have asked for a kinder, more menschlich partner over these past five years. It has been my pleasure and honor to work alongside you. Thank you for your professionalism, talent, and heart! B’hatzlacha b’atid! And thank you to the entire congregation for such a constantly warm, supportive, and truly loving embrace!!! To my wife Deb, who is the not-so-secret foundation of my religious and spiritual commitment: I love you. To my children – Michael, Alex and Risa – who, though graduated from the Preschool now for many years, still joyfully roam the rooms of BHS with the joy and comfort of their own home. They are my greatest inspiration in all I do! Lastly, I give thanks to You, Eternal God, the Foundation Place of Existence, for blessing me, and my family with health and well-being, and for finding Your Presence manifest every day in serving this congregation and community.

Rabbi Serge A. Lippe May 13, 2019/ 8 Iyyar 5779

PS - A very special Mazal Tov to Rabbi Molly G. Kane and Michelle Citrin whose marriage I will have the joy of officiating at the end of this summer! PPS - Erev Rosh Hashanah is Sunday evening, September 29, 2019. Mark your calendars now!

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“BHS has been our Jewish home for over 36 years; the community has helped us celebrate the most important milestones in our lives and comforted us when we suffered losses. We met our best friends at

BHS and our children’s Jewish values were instilled here.” -Why BHS Matters to Me

President’s Report As my first year as President draws to a close, I reflect on our journey over the past year. BHS has grown to almost 500 member units, including 257 religious school students, 26 B’nai Mitzvah, 49 BHGSY members, and 100 preschool students. In step with our growth, our annual operating budget for the coming fiscal year has topped $4M for the first time. But BHS is so much more than numbers. What experiences have we shared that reflect and strengthen our community? What are some of the highlights of this past year? And what are we doing now to shape BHS for the next generation? BUILDING OUR FUTURE “New Heights” Capital Campaign We kicked off our campaign, chaired by Susan Chadick and Dave Smetana, on March 9 with a festive Saturday night event creatively headed up by Jen Germain, as well as Maggie Ball and Lauren Smetana, and attended by over 200 people (the largest gathering ever in our building!) and received over $4M in donations and pledges before the doors even opened. Guests previewed an inspirational -- but attainable -- virtual tour of the new space we will create for 127 and 131 Remsen that continues to play on our digital lobby screen. As part of this effort, our past presidents helped draft our Donor Recognition guidelines, thus ensuring that our efforts to invest in our future will be consistent with our history, culture, and values. Project Management Committee This committee launched last summer and is working closely with our owner’s representative Seamus Henchy Associates, architects Sage and Coombe, key staff, Finance Committee, Executive Committee and Board of Trustees to help ensure our vision for our combined building will be delivered on budget, on time, and with the high quality we expect. REINVIGORATING EFFORTS A Vibrant Membership & Engagement Team Led by Alycia Zimmerman and Helene Fuhrman-Gold with Amy Leszman, our Director of Member Engagement as staff liaison, this team helped assess, design, and develop strategies to sustain BHS as a welcoming community for all current and prospective members and ensure that new members were assimilated into congregational life. It has helped us to think about what engagement means each time we come together, whether for long-running programs or new programs, such as:

•Sipping in the Sukkah — a joyful event for members to come together in smaller groups—making new acquaintances and being with old friends— in the sukkot of fellow congregants to enjoy nature, to appreciate the harvest, and to simply be together to celebrate Jewish unity; •Pizza in the Hut — for BHS and neighborhood families to celebrate Sukkot in in community—through various arts & crafts and other activities outside on the street and a brief service indoors and, of course, accompanied by family-friendly foods; •Havdalah in ‘micro neighborhoods’— services in a congregant’s home either in large residences with many BHS families or on neighborhood blocks populated by members, with several more gatherings in the works; •Shalom Shabbat—on four Shabbats, our sanctuary was bursting as we welcomed our families with 2-8-year-olds to a half-hour Friday night service followed by a family-friendly group dinner; •Shuffleboard Schmooze and Booze— Forty young member families had a wonderful time coming together to build community in this event which is slated to be an annual event; •Cooking by the Book—three Shabbat lunches that have been an opportunity for members to share food, personal stories and time with Rabbi Kane; •Getting to Know You Dinners—record number of participants with an increase in younger cohort in attendance and as hosts;

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•BHS Men’s Group — reimagined and renewed under some new leadership and sailing forward with strength!

The membership team has also launched two subcommittees:

•Young Family Committee—focused on the needs and interests of young families; •Welcoming Committee— dedicated to ushering new families into our community with intention and attention, with more rigor and vigor.

‘Community as Family’ For Our Members Who Are 55+ Dedicated offerings as determined by the members themselves and organized, in part, by our part-time social worker from the Jewish Board, Faye Wilbur. Successful New Lifelong Learning Offerings As led by Karen Brody, the Lifelong Learning Committee offered a four-session workshop on Lifelong Learning—addressing family, friendship, health, and thriving as we age. In addition, we offered a course on Wise Aging for Couples, as facilitated by Rabbi Lisa Grant. Social Justice Efforts Led by Barbara Arky and Jane Meyers, we have begun to engage in important social justice advocacy work—directed towards improving the world through creating alliances, lobbying for legislative changes, and changing unjust policies. We focused on passing state legislation that would allow undocumented immigrants to obtain standard driver licenses, and also became involved in reforming the cash bail system. Next year we will build on these efforts and introduce one or more initiatives. We have long been involved in social action, providing assistance to those who are homeless, hungry, or otherwise in need. We run a coat drive, toy and food drives, and participate in other service initiatives. Our homeless shelter, led by congregants Anne Landman and Sasha Burgansky, is entering its 37th consecutive year of operation…evidence of our deep social justice commitment! Reinvigorated Chesed Committee Led by Lauren Smetana and Justine Block, this 11-person committee is supporting members of our community who are home-limited or struggling through sickness, grief, or other challenging moments. Whether it’s a meal, a card, a tree planted in Israel, an errand taken care of, this committee is taking root anew. ENGAGING WITH OUR BROADER COMMUNITIES #ShowUpForShabbat A Shabbat morning service that was attended by a large and diverse community, well beyond our members, and was focused on fighting anti-Semitism and the memory of the Pittsburgh Tree of Life Synagogue martyrs. Iftar Our 12th year to welcome our Dawood Mosque friends to join us during their Ramadan week for one day to offer their evening prayers in our space and break their daily fast with us. MLK Weekend with our First Presbyterian Church Friends Our fifth year together to commemorate the weekend with our choirs united in song and our communities worshipping together in services held in our sanctuary on Friday night and the church’s sanctuary on Sunday morning.

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OFFERING NEW SERVICES New Preschool Engagement and Tuition Offer Based on the extensive research and analysis by the Preschool Tuition and Engagement Ad Hoc Committee, we have restructured our tuition discount program for preschool families. New in the coming fiscal year, we will offer one full year of synagogue membership for families new to our preschool so that they can experience BHS as ‘their synagogue’ and we offer a deeper tuition discount to member preschool families in subsequent years. First BHS Full Time Cantor Approval by the Board of Trustees of the new position of a full time Cantor, as well the approved hire of Cantor Ayelet Porzecanski, who will begin on July 1. The recommendation of Cantor Ayelet to the Board was the result of the extensive work of the Cantor Search Committee, chaired by Michael Lasky. That Committee worked closely throughout the process with Rabbi Lippe and Rabbi Kane and gathered input from a large and diverse set of congregants who responded to an online survey, participated in listening sessions, and/or engaged in conversation with individual Committee members. Part-Time Social Worker Faye Wilbur is working with us on a weekly basis to provide more support for the needs of our home-limited and hospitalized members, as well as members who are coping with elder care or other life challenges. She coordinates closely with our clergy and Chesed Committee. Enhanced Security In light of recent events, and based largely on the recommendations of a newly formed Security Task Force as well as our lay leadership, we continue to make enhancements to our infrastructure, staffing, and processes to remain diligent about the safety of our community. Our past year could not have become a reality without not only the hard work of the Executive Committee and Board, but also the extraordinary efforts and devotion of our staff:

•Our clergy team, led by Rabbi Lippe, including Rabbi Kane, and Cantor Ruben, as well as the support they received from our Student Rabbi Evan Sheinhait, rabbinic student Healy Slakman, accompanist Miriam Daly, and Senior Clergy Executive Assistant Liann Herder. •Our office staff, led by our Executive Director Sue Gold, who has been supported by Amy Leszman and our Office and Operations Manager Abby Stein. •Our religious school staff, including Lena Eson Roe and Abby Johnson and our terrific religious school teachers. •Our Early Childhood Education Director Pam Karlin, supported by Jen Kendall and Rebecca Leighton and our extraordinary preschool teachers and early childhood education office staff. •Our facilities staff, including Nevin Perez, Shakiyl Smith, and Frederick Utley, whose work is often behind the scenes and yet enables us to do what we do in our challenging limited space.

As we end our year, we recognize Cantor Bruce Ruben, whose five years of dedicated service come to a close at the end of June. He has served as our kind, loyal, and talented Chazzan, B’nai Mitzvah tutor, and choir leader. We wish him only the very best going forward. In the coming year, I do hope that you will discover at least one more meaningful point of engagement for yourself and/or your family in our BHS community! And don’t be shy about bringing friends and relatives to worship and celebrate with us! With the sincerest of wishes for connection and health and peace for one and all,

Karen Gordon President

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Treasurer’s Report Overview of the Current (2018-2019) Fiscal Year On March 31 2019, we had cash balances in operating accounts totaling $1,801,517. The capital campaign account balance was $602,732. Restricted fund account balances totaled $89,882. The outstanding balance on the mortgage is $755,073. The synagogue’s fiscal year ends June 30 and usually at the end of the third quarter (March 31) we are running a deficit. This time last year we had a deficit of $253,010. This year at the end of the third quarter we had an operating surplus of $166,062. As of March 31, 2019, revenues were $2,812,138 and expenses were $2,646,076. Each year we do a reforecast at mid-year and we project for the full fiscal year 2019 (ending June 30) we will run a surplus of $67,000 vs. our original budget surplus of $11,000. We project full year revenues of $3,769,000 and expenses of $3,702,000. The primary reasons for this year’s stronger (than budget and last year) performance are:

•Continued growth in membership; currently 495 member units vs. 476 at this time last year (at March 31 membership income was $106,000 greater than last year) •Continued full capacity in our pre-school, a larger summer camp enrollment and more participation in parenting center programs •Lower fundraising costs in the operating results •Fewer and less costly building repairs •Lower mortgage interest costs

There is one area where we have experienced significant cost increases: this is security. This has been necessary in the wake of events in Pittsburgh, Poway and elsewhere in the past year. Capital Accounts and Capital Campaign As of March 31, 2019, the cash balance in the Capital Campaign account was $602,732 and the balance in the Weissler endowment fund was $446,620 (which has been designated by the Board for building expansion). Capital campaign donations through March 31, 2019 is $1,008,677 and expenses were $322,668. The public phase of the capital campaign kicked off in March 2019 and to date we have commitments totaling $4.6 million. Budget for FY 2020 (July 2019-June 2020) The operating budget for the next fiscal year, 2020, is significant because for the first time we expect the Brooklyn Heights Synagogue to have operating revenues and expenses exceeding $4,000,000. We are projecting revenues of $4,047,623 and expenses of $4,044,130. The key assumptions in the FY 2020 budget are as follows:

•Hiring a full-time Cantor for the first in BHS history •A new security fee of $190 per family (Preschool families already pay a security fee of $275 and will not pay the new $190 fee); security costs in the original FY2019 budget were $70,000, for FY2020 they are projected at $160,000 •A 4% increase in membership dues and a net increase of 12 in membership units •A 4% increase in Preschool and in Hebrew School tuition •An average 3% increase in staff salaries •An 8% increase in health insurance costs

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The FY20 budget is shown below:

FY 2020 Budget

Revenue DONATIONS & FUNDRAISING $ 265,300 GENERAL & FACILITY INCOME 123,200 MEMBERSHIP INCOME 1,162,900 EARLY EDUCATION INCOME 2,001,623 ADULT ED & REL. SCHOOL INC 366,000 RITUAL INCOME 128,600 Total Revenue 4,047,623 Operating Expenses DONATIONS & FUNDRAISING EXPENSE 22,740 FACILITIES EXPENSE 617,159 GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSE 623,134 MEMBERSHIP EXPENSE 85,900 PARENTING CENTER & ECE EXPENSES 1,462,660 ADULT ED & RS NON-PERSONNEL 446,157 RITUAL EXPENSE 786,380 Total Operating Expenses 4,044,130 Operating Income (Loss) $ 3,493

The following graphs illustrate the source of our funds (Income) as well as how funds are expected to be used (Expense), according to our 2020 budget:

DONATIONS & FUNDRAISING

7%GENERAL &

FACILITY 3%

MEMBERSHIP 29%

EARLY EDUCATION

49%

ADULT ED & REL. SCHOOL

9%

RITUAL 3%

Where it comes from...

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Other matters During FY2019, a Finance Committee was established, in charge of managing financial matters and preparing relevant documents for the BHS Board of Trustees. These documents/reports are intended to explain the financial performance of BHS and to provide relevant financial information for decision-making. The Treasurer chairs the Finance Committee that is held at a minimum quarterly.

Diego Cransy Treasurer

DONATIONS & FUNDRAISING

1%

FACILITIES 15%

GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE

15%

MEMBERSHIP 2%

EARLY EDUCATION

36%

ADULT ED & RS NON-

PERSONNEL11%

RITUAL 20%

Where it all goes...

16

“After my kids graduated from high school, BHS became my community anchor. Where else would my community be?”

-Why BHS Matters to Me

BHS NEWHEIGHTSCAPITAL

CAMPAIGNRaised to Date:

EXPANDING USABLE SPACE:

BUILDING COMMUNITYSTEP BY STEP

MA

Y 20

19 -

BY T

HE N

UMBE

RS

Our Goal: Our Current DonorsJoined BHS in...

EXPANDING ACCESSIBLE SPACE:

12.5%

12 months

100%

17

Brooklyn Heights Synagogue Nominating Committee Report

April 2019

The Nominating Committee proposes as Trustees the following individuals:

Andrew Berger

Jen Germain

Aaron Zimmerman

Each is a current Trustee, and will be entering his or her second term in that capacity. The Nominating Committee makes no further nominations of either Trustees or Officers.

David Jaroslaw Chair, BHS Nominating Committee

Save the Dates!

Friday, May 17, 6:30 PM Shir Shabbat Evening Service with Simcha Blessings and Board Installation & Appreciation

Saturday, June 8, 8:00 PM Shavuot Tikkun Leil and Services

Sunday, June 9, 10:30 AM Shavuot Festival Morning Service and Yizkor and Confirmation

Friday, June 14, 6:30 PM Pride Shabbat Evening Services

Friday, June 21, 6:30 PM Shabbat Evening Services and Rabbi Molly Kane and Michelle Citrin’s Auf Ruf

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“As a practicing Jew, I can feel almost comfortable in any synagogue, but I had never felt I belonged to a community of caring kindred spirits until I stepped through the threshold of this wonderful spiritual com-

munally- satisfying place. I feel blessed to have found it.” -Why BHS Matters to Me

Thank you to all of our supporters – August 30, 2018 through May 3, 2019 (Excludes gifts made as tributes)

2016-17 Annual Congregational Appeal Ednalyn Bragin Ross Brown & Lisa Securo 2017-18 Annual Congregational Appeal Rhonda Epstein Spencer Kurn Mark Lenetsky & LouAnn Smith Jeffrey Miles & Madeline Schwartzman David & Lauren Smetana Benjamin Schak & Dory Weiss 2018-19 Annual Congregational Appeal Hilary Ackermann & Paul Goldberg Martin & Ellen Adelman Andrew Akers & Jennifer Wilkov Mans Angantyr & Rebecca Fisher Amy Appelbaum David & Barbara Arky Cristian & Anne Bartoc Glen & Jennifer Basner Michael & Marcia Beck Barry & Judith Beil Alex & Emily Bellos Allan Brilliant & Marcia Bellows Andrew & Emily Berger Jan Erica Bertisch Joshua Birnbaum Jason & Justine Block Dana Dratch & Esther Bloustein Ervin & Susan Braun Jill Braver David Brodsky & Roanne Mann Karen Brody James & Jessica Brown Steven & Pamela Brown-Inz Myriam Bucatinsky Sheryl Buchholtz David Cerruti & Gale Cantor Clifford Chanin Barbara Charton John Chism Gregory Clarick & Jodi Hauptman Daniel Cogan & Elizabeth Garbus Amy Cohen Jonathan Kopp & Nancy Cohen Steven Cohen & Lisa Melmed Cohen Edward & Madeline Cohn William & Marjorie Coleman Sy & Harriet Colen Peter DeChiara & Sara Horowitz

Jack DeHovitz & Lisa Goldfarb Gary DeWaal David & Lisa Dince Eileen Dirnfeld Joel & Marilyn Duckoff Paul Egerman Justin Elghanayan & Alexa Cato Rhonda Epstein Bruce Feiler & Linda Rottenberg Stuart & Randi Feiner Jack Wright & Linda Feldman Michael First & Leslee Snyder Zachary & Haley Fisher Alan & Judith Fishman Cliff Fonstein & Nadia Burgard Jonny Frank & Terry Haas Stuart Freedman & Carla Craig Paul & Judith Fried Mark & Marjorie Fuerst Ned & Jeanine Futterman Adam & Emily Gasthalter Jeffrey & Paula Gaynor Dan Shalev & Amanda Geller Shalev Paul & Jennifer Germain Douglas & Natalie Giles Michael Gillespie & Lauren Glant Jeffrey Ginsberg & Jane Smith David Black & Melissa Glass Jeffrey Gold & Helene Fuhrman-Gold Shirley Gold Steven & Susan Gold Eugene & Anita Goldstein Elissa Goldstone Bob & Karen Gordon Frances Gottfried David Goldstein & Sherri Greenbach Harry Greenwald & Babette Krolik Scott & Dana Grubin Jeffrey & Elizabeth Hafter Lynn Harmon Seth & Jessica Harris Joseph & Rella Hartman John Herzog Michael & Lori Hiller Jill Holder Daniel Horwitz & Shari Hyman David Houts & Rebecca Berman Richard & Anita Inz Douglas Woodward & Fran Jacobs David & Ilene Jaroslaw Marilyn Kahan

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Thank you to all of our supporters – August 30, 2018 through May 3, 2019 (Excludes gifts made as tributes)

Rabbi Molly Kane & Michelle Citrin Gerald & Jerilyn Kaplan Joshua & Pam Karlin Miriam Katowitz Mark Katz & Jennifer Zaslow Ellen Kaufman-Nuzzi Eugene Keilin & Joanne Witty Gregory Keilin Gordon Kingsley & Dahlia Radley-Kingsley Judith Knie Ed & Andrea Kopel Blanche Krakowski David & Shelley Kruth Mark & Dorothy Lahm Mark & Anne Landman Michael Lasky & Peggi Einhorn Nancy Lazar Carol Lazarus Bruce Weiner & Susan Leboff Paul & Stacey Leibowitz Maxwell & Rebecca Leighton Mark Lenetsky & LouAnn Smith John Levy & Victoria Westhead Lewis Lieberman & Ina Ratner Rabbi Serge Lippe & Deborah Speyer Bobye List Mali List Matthew Mallow & Ellen Chesler Kenneth & Susan Mandelbaum Aaron Marcu & Mary Lu Bilek Benjamin Marcu Michael & Meredith Marcus Andrew & Bethany Martin Gary & Monique Marton Ari & Anna Meisel Jane Meyers Alan & Karen Neuberg Michiko Neufeld Joel Nowak & Wendy Lebowitz Jason & Holly Ojalvo Raymond Ojserkis & Gina Taylor Jerome Oliner & Wendy Weil Kenneth Olshansky & Margot Owett Rebecca Palley Felix & Alexandra Partow Christopher Lyon & Debra Pearlman Helen Pearlstein Anne Pollack Michael Pollack & Barbara Marcus Jeffrey & Jennifer Powers Jeremy Primer & Sandra Wertheimer

Hannah Rabinowitz Linda Rapchik Boris & Jennifer Rapoport Joyce Raskin Raymond Raskin & Rosary Morelli Stuart Reich & Kate Davis Gail Ressler John & Jennifer Richardson Marsha Rimler Ellen Rittberg Rachel & Richard Robbins Maxine Rockoff Kenneth & Sandra Roff Arthur Rose Patricia Rosenblum Daniel & Lisa Roth Julia Rubin Edward & Susanne Sack Stephen & Christy Sacks Scott Sager & Sharon Nelles David Salpeter & Jennifer Rosen Andrew & Katherine Saltoun Michael & Debra Sapp William Socolov & Sheila Scharfman Abraham Schmutter Bruce & Mila Schmutter Peter & Carol Schulhof Andrew & Leslie Schultz Dan Schwartz Gabriel & Jolie Schwartz Rita Schwartz Jeffrey Miles & Madeline Schwartzman Don Shacknai & Eve Hall Eric & Maria Simon Joshua Sirefman & Thanh Bui Benjamin & Veronique Sobel Lawrence & Judi Sobel Alex Gelinas & Linda Sosnowitz Richard & Susan Sporer Bradley Manier & Karen Stiefel Harriet Stollman Adam & Vanessa Sussman Ken Sutak Jenny Swift Laura Szapiro Steve & Mary Tager Michael & Joyce Thomas Susan & Doug Warsett Lawrence & Irene Waxman David Weinkrantz Benjamin Schak & Dory Weiss

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Thank you to all of our supporters – August 30, 2018 through May 3, 2019 (Excludes gifts made as tributes)

Steve Boyer & Emily Weiss Robert Weiss & Susan Chadick Jonathan & Jessica Wiener Judith Winn Andrew & Vicki Wittenstein Andrew Wolff & Andrea Perlman Michael Swift & Tessa Woodward Stephen Yankauer & Rachel Schnoll Jonathan Lonner & Lauren Young Stuart Zagnit & Carolyn Sloan William Miller & Anna Ziegler Richard & Carolyn Ziegler Aaron & Alycia Zimmerman Michael & Barbara Zimmerman Joseph Zito & Elizabeth Gould BHS High School Israel Trip Fund Allan Brilliant & Marcia Bellows David Brodsky & Roanne Mann Steven Cohen & Lisa Melmed Cohen Michiko Neufeld Paul Hinton & Andrea Phillips Scott Sager & Sharon Nelles Laura Szapiro Cantor's Discretionary Fund Mark Greenfield & Laura Barnett Chesed Caring Fund Mark Greenfield & Laura Barnett Donation for Shabbat Oneg Andrew & Emily Berger Sheryl Buchholtz Diego Crasny & Olga Timoshkina Bob & Karen Gordon Miriam Katowitz and Arthur Radin z”l Eric & Jennifer Komitee Mark & Anne Landman Joel Nowak & Wendy Lebowitz Raymond Raskin & Rosary Morelli David Salpeter & Jennifer Rosen Jonathan Lonner & Lauren Young Education Fund Alex & Emily Bellos General Fund Simone Amber Santander Bank Randall & Deborah Baruh

Barbara Charton Heather Cohen Patrick & Alexa Conway Laura Dattner Gary DeWaal Bruce Feiler & Linda Rottenberg Reva Golden John Herzog Scott & Carol Himes Steven Landis & Julie Irwin Stephen & Lucia Larson Michael Lasky & Peggi Einhorn Carol Lazarus Mark Lee Rafi Musher & Lara Seligman Matthew & Ronit Prince Stuart Reich & Kate Davis Carrieann Reilly Sheldon Siporin Larry Swertloff & Anna Fong Laura Szapiro David & Vanessa Wise Steven Dovas & Marie Wolpert Homeless Shelter Daniel Cogan & Elizabeth Garbus Brad Epstein Steven & Susan Gold Mark Greenfield & Laura Barnett Ellen Kaufman-Nuzzi Rafi Musher & Lara Seligman Gail Ressler Harriet Stollman Mishloach Manot Martin & Ellen Adelman Amy Appelbaum Allan Brilliant & Marcia Bellows Gary Dolan & Wendy Bellus Arlene Brown Myriam Bucatinsky David Cohen & Andrea Feller Jeffrey Gold & Helene Fuhrman-Gold Steven & Susan Gold Bob & Karen Gordon Mark Greenfield & Laura Barnett Dan Haft & Ellen Pemstein Lynn Harmon Richard & Anita Inz Douglas Woodward & Fran Jacobs Arthur & Judith Keller

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Thank you to all of our supporters – August 30, 2018 through May 3, 2019 (Excludes gifts made as tributes)

Blanche Krakowski Evan & Meredith Kresman Mark & Anne Landman Stephen & Lucia Larson Scott Sager & Sharon Nelles Alan Schiffres & Lynda Davey Philip Schneider Charlotte & Laurie Simon Marvin & Phyllis Starkman Nelson & Diana Tebbe Judith Winn New Heights Capital Campaign Anonymous Geri & Cynthia Armine-Klein Maggie & Andy Ball Michael & Marcia Beck Andy & Emily Berger Matthew Bloom Jill Braver Alan Brilliant & Marcia Bellows Karen Brody Arlene Brown Jessica & Jim Brown Sheryl Buchholtz Gale Cantor & David Cerutti Susan Chadick & Bob Weiss Barbara Charton Steve Cohen & Lisa Melmed-Cohen Harriet & Sy Colen Diego Crasny & Olga Timoshkina Lynda Davey & Alan Schiffres Lisa & David Dince Marilyn & Joel Duckoff Mark Elliot & Julia Bovey Larry & Nina Epstein Rhonda Epstein Bruce Feiler & Linda Rottenberg Cliff Fonstein & Nadia Burgard Brian & Joy Gelbman Paul & Jennifer Germain Melissa Glass & David Black Sue & Steve Gold Jeff Gold & Helene Fuhrman-Gold Karen & Bob Gordon Jennifer & Andrew Gordon Frances (Fran) Gottfried Harry Greenwald & Babette Krolik Scott & Dana Grubin Jeff & Liz Hafter Peter Heller

Rick & Anita Inz David & Ilene Jaroslaw Keith Kleinick Erik & Jen Komitee Jonathan Kopp & Nancy Cohen Blanche Krakowski David & Stacy Kramer David & Meredith Kurnov Anne & Mark Landman Michael Lasky & Peggi Einhorn Susan Leboff & Bruce Weiner Bobye List Jonathan Lonner & Lauren Young Mary Lu Bilek & Aaron Marcu Jane Meyers Sydney & Harry Neuhaus Diane Person Rabbi Hara Person Jeff & Jenny Powers Jeremy Primer & Sandy Wertheimer Arthur Radin z”l & Miriam Katowitz Linda Rapchik Yigal Rechtman & Marnita Robinson Ellen Rittberg James Rosenfeld & Cathryn Galanter Lewis & Irene Rosenthal Susanne & Edward Sack Scott Sager & Sharon Nelles David Salpeter & Jennifer Rosen Andrew & Katie Saltoun Robert Schachter & Wendi Lazar Sheila Scharfman & Will Socolov Leslie & Andy Schultz Gabe & Jolie Schwartz Rita Schwartz Sandra Shap Dave & Lauren Smetana Deb Speyer & Rabbi Serge Lippe Harriet Stollman Liesje Ten Houten Dory Weiss & Ben Schak Andrew & Vicki Wittenstein Steven Yankauer & Rachel Schnoll Jennifer Zaslow & Mark Katz Michael & Barbara Zimmerman Aaron & Alycia Zimmerman Scott & Beth Zucker Rabbi Kane Discretionary Fund Steven & Pamela Brown-Inz Jack Wright & Linda Feldman

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Thank you to all of our supporters – August 30, 2018 through May 3, 2019 (Excludes gifts made as tributes)

William & Sarah Sobel Rabbi Lippe Discretionary Fund Gary Dolan & Wendy Bellus Deanna Dauber Mark Greenfield & Laura Barnett Henry & Karoly Gutman Peter Sneider & Jennifer Hoguet Edward Janger & Victoria Eastus Keith Kleinick Carol Lazarus Jeff Isreeli & Karen Metzger Kenneth & Michele Newman Sandra Palley-Brandt Lewis & Sheila Skolnik William & Sarah Sobel Stanley Person Preschool Fund Rafi Musher & Lara Seligman Diane Person Security Fund Harvey & Phyllis Klein

If we have inadvertently left you off this list or listed your name incorrectly, please accept our

sincere apologies. Please contact the office to remedy this error.

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“My marriage, baby namings, children’s B’nai Mitzvah and confirmation have all been here! Even have a plaque for the future.

Blessed to have all life cycles here- beginning to end.” -Why BHS Matters to Me

Tribute Gifts – August 30, 2018 through May 3, 2019

2018-19 Annual Congregational Appeal Norman & Arlene Basner

in honor of Jennifer & Glen Basner Richard & Robin Baum

in honor of Karen Baum Gordon Diego Crasny

in memory of our father, Felipe Crasny Hope Dana

in memory of Arthur Radin Joel & Judy Dorfman

in honor of Dana & Scott Grubin Steven & Jennifer Eisenstadt

in appreciation of Sue Gold David & Meryl Hirschland

in appreciation of Rabbi Lippe Sandra Palley-Brandt

in honor of Avika Palley in honor of Amicai Palley

Diane Person in memory of my husband, Stanley Person

Sandra Shap in memory of my husband, Mark Andrew Shap

Phyllis Widder in honor of Jonathan Kopp & Family

Marc Zelanko & Rhonda Weiner in memory of our fathers, Burton Weiner and Seymour Zelanko

BHS High School Israel Trip Fund Anonymous

in memory of Lee Feldman Barbara Charton

in memory of Dr. Howard Moshman David & Lisa Dince

in memory of Art Radin

Cantor's Discretionary Fund David & Stacy Kramer

in honor of Jack Kramer's Bat Mitzvah Mark & Anne Landman

in appreciation of High Holy Day services

Rita Schwartz in memory of my husband, Allen Schwartz

Capital Campaign Bruce and Cheryl Goldhirsch

in honor of Mark and Anne Landman's anniversary

Richard & Anita Inz in honor of the anniversary of David's Bar Mitzvah on May 4th, 2000

Chesed Caring Fund Michael & Judith Geller

in memory of Henry Roberts Susan & Steven Gold

in memory of Karen Gordon's parents in memory of Julio Bucatinsky,

husband of Myrian Bucatinsky in memory of Frances Wolff, mother of

Andrew Wolff in memory of Eleanor Vogel

Donation for Shabbat Oneg Martin & Ellen Adelman

in honor of our 50th wedding anniversary

Michiko Neufeld in honor of simcha blessings

Scott Sager & Sharon Nelles in honor of Rabbi Hara Person, services and dinner, on May 10, 2019.

Robert Weiss & Susan Chadick in honor of our anniversary and in support of Show Up for Shabbat

Education Fund David & Meryl Hirschland

in honor of Rabbi Hara Person upon her selection as the Chief Executive of the CCAR

Kim Messina in memory of my father, Randolph Pace

Susan & Doug Warsett in appreciation of BHS Chavurah

General Fund James & Jessica Brown

in honor of our anniversary Ruth Clapper

in celebration of In honor of Liora Connor and Sam Selinger on the occasion of their marriage

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Tribute Gifts – August 30, 2018 through May 3, 2019

David & Barbara Cohen in appreciation of our daughter's attendance at High Holiday Services

Monica Elias & Roy Walter in support of BHS' conversion to "green" serviceware at Onegs

Claire Fishkin & Marjorie Berman in memory of Grace Gutman

Jeffrey & Paula Gaynor in honor of our 40th wedding anniversary

Barbara & Cliff Gerber in memory of Eleanor Vogel

Susan & Steven Gold in memory of David Bennick

Caren & Steven Horowitz in memory of Rozanne Reiman

Phyllis Kass in honor of Eli Grubin becoming a Bar Mitzvah

Mark & Anne Landman in memory of Art Radin

Nancy Lazar in memory of Dr. Howard Moshman

Ellen Lippmann in appreciation of the leaders and members of the weekly Shabbat Chavurah

Lisa North in memory of Arthur J. Radin, beloved husband of Miriam Katowitz

Joel Nowak & Wendy Lebowitz in memory of Inez Janger

Diane Person in memory of Larrie Goetz in memory of my father, Harold Goetz

Joyce Raskin in honor of Nine and Larry Epstein's wedding anniversary

Maxine Rockoff in memory of my parents, Hilda Kahan

Lieberman & Arnold Leo Lieberman

in memory of my husband, Wesley A. Clark

Kenneth & Sandra Roff in memory of Charles Shoiock

Rita Schwartz in memory of Henry Roberts, father of

Dan Shalev in memory of Dr. Howard Moshman

Phyllis & Marvin Starkman in honor of Giving Tuesday

Lisa and Bill Stromberg in memory of Arthur J. Radin

Rebecca Swartz in memory of Arthur Radin

Liesje Ten Houten in appreciation of Sue Gold in honor of Sam Richardson

becoming a bar mitzvah in memory of my beloved children

Homeless Shelter Sandra Ellington-Cole

on behalf of David J. Smetana Steven Rissman & Ilisa Katz-Rissman

in memory of Barbara Susan Katz Kathleen Roberts

in honor of Barbara Deinhardt Rita Schwartz

in honor of Giving Tuesday Susan & Doug Warsett

in appreciation of the warmth and hospitality of Phyllis and Marvin Starkman

in honor of warmth and hospitality of Mark and Anne Landman

Joseph Zito & Elizabeth Gould in memory of my father, Larry Gould

Music Fund Eric Fried

in memory of Arthur Radin Hilda Scroggins

in appreciation of High Holy Days Barbara Stob

in memory of Arthur Radin

New Heights Capital Campaign Matthew & Jamie Bloom

in honor of the 40th wedding anniversary of Michael Lasky & Peggi Einhorn

Bob & Karen Gordon in celebration of Eli Germain becoming a Bar Mitzvah

Frances Gottfried in memory of Mary McKey in memory of Ben Goldberg

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Tribute Gifts – August 30, 2018 through May 3, 2019

Michael Lasky & Peggi Einhorn in honor of the birth of Robin Samuel Boyer

Richard & Carolyn Ziegler in memory of Arthur Radin

Rabbi Kane Discretionary Fund Cliff Fonstein & Nadia Burgard

in memory of Beba Wishnia in memory of Abraham Citrin

Bob & Karen Gordon in memory of Abraham Citrin

Jennifer & John Richardson in celebration of Chanukah 2018

Steven Rissman & Ilisa Katz-Rissman in memory of my father, Arthur David Rissman

Rabbi Lippe Discretionary Fund Hilary Ackermann & Paul Goldberg

in memory of my son, Ben Goldberg Morrell & Maria Avram

in memory of my brother-in-law, Larry Friedman

in memory of my father, Mendel Avram

Marcia Bellows & Allan Brilliant in memory of Arthur Radin

William & Marjorie Coleman in honor of Etta Barnard's babynaming

David & Lisa Dince in appreciation of Rabbi Lippe on the occasion of the auf ruf of Molly Dince and Max Bryer

Eileen Dirnfeld in memory of my mother,

Dora Dirnfeld in memory of my parents, Julius and

Dora, and brother, Louis Zelcah Farsijany

in memory of Ellen Cohen Arthur & Ellen Gang

in honor of Kent Sanderson, Joanna Gang, and Asher Gang Sanderson

Jeffrey Gold & Helene Fuhrman-Gold in appreciation of Karen Gordon, the Board, and Rabbi Lippe for your Mi Shebeirach and kindness

Bob & Karen Gordon in honor of Eli Grubin becoming a Bar Mitzvah

Frances Gottfried in support of engraving Torah ornaments

Karen and David Hoguet in appreciation of Rabbi Lippe

Maureem & Hilton Israelson in appreciation of Rabbi Lippe

Pearl and Paul Kane in celebration of the engagement of Rabbi Molly G. Kane to Michelle Citrin

David & Stacy Kramer in honor of Jack's Bar Mitzvah

George Menken in honor of the warm and moving service Rabbi Lippe conducted at the unveiling of Audree's stone

Stanley & Karen Moshman in memory of Dr. Howard Moshman

Joel Nowak & Wendy Lebowitz in memory of Irwin Speyer

Debra Pearlman & Christopher Lyon in memory of my parents, Willard and Beverly Pearlman and in celebration of Rachel and John's wedding

Ricki Pearlman in celebration of the life of Ellen Cohen

Raymond Raskin & Rosary Morelli in memory of Art Radin

Marsha Rimler in memory of my father, Moe Rimler

Matthew & Alison Rosenzweig in honor of Alex Rosenzweig's Bar Mitzvah

Sheila Scharfman & William Socolov in honor of Karen Gordon as the new

Congregational President in memory of Irwin Speyer

Andrew Silver in appreciation of Brooklyn Heights Synagogue on the occasion of Sophie Adela Silver's baby naming

Linda Sosnowitz & Alex Gelinas in memory of Charles Shoiock, father of Sandra Roff

Robert Teich in memory of Matthew Puccio

Liesje Ten Houten in appreciation of Rabbi Lippe

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Tribute Gifts – August 30, 2018 through May 3, 2019

Robert Weiss & Susan Chadick in honor of the bris of Robin Samuel Boyer

Stephen Yankauer & Rachel Schnoll in appreciation of Rabbi Serge Lippe

Lauren Young & Jonathan Lonner in appreciation of Rabbi Molly Kane

Stanley Person Preschool Fund Chaim Lieberman & Jenni Person

in memory of Arthur Radin Linda Sosnowitz & Alex Gelinas

in celebration of the birth of Noa Setton, granddaughter of Sheryl Buchholtz

in honor of Rabbi Hara Person in honor of the birth of Robin Samuel,

son of Emily Weiss and Steven Boyer

If we have inadvertently left you off this list or mistakenly listed your dedication, please accept our sincere apologies. Please contact the office to remedy this error.

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“It is the most wonderful place and warm community within which I can honor and support my heritage.”

-Why BHS Matters to Me

Join us for the High Holy Days 2019/5780!

SELICHOT Saturday, September 21 7:30 pm: Selichot Evening Program and Service

EREV ROSH HASHANAH Sunday, September 29 at Plymouth Church 6:30 pm: Evening Service & Childcare* (babysitting will be available)

ROSH HASHANAH Monday, September 30 at Plymouth Church 9:30 am: Morning Service* 9:30 am: Services & Activities for Grades K-7, Childcare,

& BHGSY Activities Tashlich at Fulton Landing immediately following services 2:00 pm: Community Family K-3 Service at Plymouth

Community Tot (0-5) Service at BHS Monday, September 30 at Brooklyn Heights Synagogue 6:30 pm: Evening Service (babysitting will be available)

ROSH HASHANAH - 2nd Day Tuesday, October 1 at Brooklyn Heights Synagogue 9:30 am: Morning Service (babysitting will be available)

SHABBAT SHUVAH Friday, October 4 at Brooklyn Heights Synagogue 6:30 pm: Evening Service (babysitting will be available) Saturday, October 5 at Brooklyn Heights Synagogue 12:00 pm: Shabbat Shuvah Minyan and Study Lunch – bring your own

“brown bag” KOL NIDRE Tuesday, October 8 at Plymouth Church

6:30 pm: Kol Nidre Service & Childcare*

YOM KIPPUR Wednesday, October 9 at Plymouth Church 9:30 am: Morning Service* 9:30 am: Services & Activities for Preschool to Grade 7, Childcare,

& BHGSY Activities Study Session following Yom Kippur Morning Service 2:00 pm: Community Family K-3 Service at Plymouth

Community Tot Service (0-5) at BHS 3:15 pm: Afternoon, Healing, Yizkor & Closing Service

Break Fast follows concluding service at sunset - reservations required

*Tickets are required ONLY for our services at Plymouth Church. College & graduate students with ID and members of the U.S. Armed Forces

are welcome at all our services without charge.

For further information, tickets to our services at Plymouth, to reserve childcare or a place at our community Break Fast, or to learn about membership at Brooklyn Heights Synagogue, please call

Amy at 718-522-2070 x124, or email amy@bhsbrooklyn.org. 28

Executive Director’s Report I continue to be immeasurably honored to serve BHS as its Executive Director and am profoundly grateful to my team of office and custodial staff as well as to my inspirational departmental colleagues and our wise and thoughtful leadership. This has been an incredibly fast-paced year, what with the launch of the New Heights Capital Campaign and all of the Project Management that is attending to the upcoming expansion project. With a full heart, I am happy to provide you with this brief update on the administrative “state of the shul.” MEMBERSHIP: More than a physical building within which to explore Jewish life, BHS is a community of devoted members. As of July 1, 2018, the BHS community had grown to 476 member families. As I write this report, we are now at 495 member families. For more information about our membership, please read Amy Leszman’s membership metrics starting on page 32. We experienced “new heights” of synagogue engagement under the lay leadership of our membership engagement team leaders Helene Fuhrman-Gold and Alycia Zimmerman, the details of which are also highlighted in Rabbi Lippe’s and BHS President Karen Gordon’s reports. ADMINISTRATION/FACILITIES: The administrative team grew this year to include Liann Herder serving in the dual roles of Executive Assistant to the Senior Clergy and Development Associate to the Capital Campaign team effort. Our awesome Office Operations Manager, Abigail Stein, revealed her technological and design prowess in serial successes this year, designing invite after invite, banner after banner, website improvements and web-based applications to our operations, and securely positioning us in the 21st century. Our Building Superintendent, Dave Ramos, left us in April after 5½ years of service to be closer to his family in Massachusetts, but left the existing crew fully-prepared to keep our institution functioning well on a day to day basis. In April, the Executive Committee approved a plan to conduct a facilities management assessment which will help us restructure our facility management plan going forward, both in terms of staffing, procedures, and infrastructural needs. Abby will be headed to graduate school in Landscape Architecture and Rebekah Kendall – a new hire – will start on May 29th as Office Operations Manager. CELEBRATIONS, EVENTS, AND WORSHIP: For Purim this year, it was a treat and a labor of love for my husband Steve to work with me to create the original and hilarious shpiel “Esther Day!” Thank you to Cantor Bruce Ruben for supporting this endeavor and to David Hirschland for co-writing the script with Cantor Ruben, who never lacks for a quick pun and funny musical inuendo. Thanks, too, to all of the fine musicians including Roy and Jason Walter in the band and our amazing cast of performers including Dan Rosenbaum & Olivia Sohmer Rosenbaum, Meryl Hirschland, Jack Allen Greenfield, Sandy Wertheimer, accompanied by Jonathan Kopp, Laura Brown, Babette Krolik, Pam Karlin, Liann Herder, Rabbi Serge Lippe, and Ross Brown.

And speaking of Ross Brown (and Lisa SecuroBrown), our college students received holiday joy multiple times this year, thanks to the work of the College Outreach

Committee. Remember to send us your outward-bound college students’ contact information for the fall, so they can receive treats, as well!

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Over the summer, we again brought our services into Brooklyn Bridge Park and enjoyed the special joy of worshiping together outdoors. We will certainly be doing this again in the coming summer on June 28th and August 9th! High Holy Days at Plymouth Church were wonderful, as always, and featured a “first time” standing ovation when Rabbi Molly Kane concluded her spectacular Rosh Hashanah sermon reflecting on the #MeToo Movement.

Security Our community was profoundly shaken in October when the Tree of Life Congregation in Pittsburgh suffered a vicious, premeditated attack. The BHS community joined together in our sanctuary with members of the wider Brooklyn Heights many faith communities for a memorial service of solidarity and healing. However, just days after our gathering, swastikas were sprayed on buildings in the Brooklyn Heights neighborhood on Halloween, elevating tensions and concerns for safety and security. A Security Task Force was immediately formed to address the

needs of our institution, and a plan was begun to increase our security presence and protection both with added personnel and hardened entrances. Thanks to the Security Task Force for its continued guidance in the many months since the fall: Don Shacknai, Laura Solomon, Joy Sinderbrand, Philip Hirsh, and former NYPD Lt. David Boehm of Security USA.

NEW HEIGHTS CAPTIAL CAMPAIGN: Throughout the year, the Capital Campaign Steering Committee and Core Group have been organizing home-based Parlor Meetings for intimate presentations on our building plans and the development needs that will help us realize our dreams. Without exception, these gatherings have been powerful engines of two-way information and connection, and have stimulated much success during the “quiet phase” of the Campaign, helping us to reach almost half of our $9.5 million goal before we launched the campaign on March 9 with our “Building Excitement” event. It’s been a busy year, and a great year, and we all look forward to a restful and rejuvenating summer and the fall holidays yet to come, where we will be all together again!

Sue Gold Executive Director

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Brooklyn Heights Synagogue DRAFT Based on 4% increase ANNUAL DUES & FEES 2019-2020 Dues may be resolved by check, e-check, or cash or by credit card through ShulCloud.

Membership Dues & Fees Membership dues are the backbone of the Synagogue’s annual budget. Included in your dues is $140 per member household that we pass on to the Union for Reform Judaism, as an affiliated congregation. To learn more about the URJ, visit www.urj.org.

The Synagogue’s operating expenses are not entirely covered by membership dues. Our fundraising efforts throughout the year help us to meet those operating needs. We thank you, in advance, for your generous support.

Two Adults

Household consisting of two adults with or without children

One Parent

Household consisting of one adult living with children

One Adult

Household consisting of one adult living without children

Amounts Due

Security Fee (for non-PS families)* *If this is a burden, please contact Sue Gold.

$190 $190 $190

Annual Membership Dues $2960 $2220 $1965

Special Membership Dues for new members under 30 years of age OR with children under 6 years of age, and for children of the congregation beginning at age 30

Please contact our Executive Director to activate this special dues schedule.

1st Year $1080

2nd Year $2035

1st Year $825

2nd Year $1490

1st Year $800

2nd Year $1425

Maintenance Fund Required of all members. Payment may be made in annual installments over a period of ten years, or sooner if possible.

The Maintenance Fund keeps our landmark building repaired and periodically refreshed. Additional contributions to this fund are always welcome.

$2000

(or $200 per year)

$1000

(or $100 per year)

$1000

(or $100 per year)

ARZA (optional contribution; visit www.arza.org for more info.) This is the Association of Reform Zionists of America

$36 $36 $36

Subtotal for Membership Dues & Fees: $

Subtotal for Religious School & BHGSY (see over) $

TOTAL Amount Due for 2019-2020 $

If you would like to arrange for a payment schedule or other special financial consideration, please contact our Executive Director at 718-522-2070 x122 or executivedirector@bhsbrooklyn.org

I (we) hereby apply for 2019-2020 membership in BHS. I (we) agree to abide by the by-laws, rules and regulations of the congregation, including the payment of all dues, tuition and fees per the payment schedule, unless we have made special arrangements with the Executive Director of the Synagogue.

Date: ____________ Print Name(s): _______________________________ ______________________________ Signature(s): ________________________________ ______________________________

* For assistance logging on to ShulCloud, contact office@bhsbrooklyn.org

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Membership Statistics

Current Member Families*: 495 New Members Families: 37 Resignations: 12 Suspensions**: 13 Growth (Decline): 19 families *As of Shulcloud reporting on May 2, 2019. The discrepancy in the total current member families plus the new members, less the resignations in comparison to last year’s final count due to date variance from when the data was pulled. *Families that abstained from membership for this year, but fully expect to return next year Membership Growth from FY06 – FY19

Fiscal Year TOTAL MEMBERS Fiscal Year TOTAL MEMBERS FY06 273 FY13 433 FY07 336 FY14 445 FY08 342 FY15 456 FY09 366 FY16 465 FY10 383 FY17 474 FY11 394 FY18 476 FY12 424 FY19 495

273

336 342366 383 394

424 433 445 456 465 474 476 495

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

Total Members

Total Members

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Membership by Age The below graph breaks down the entire congregation, including children, by age. The largest age cohort in our congregation is children aged 0-10, noting our vibrant young families population at BHS.

Membership by Gender 54% of the BHS adult membership is female and 46% of the adult membership is male. The below graph depicts individuals and not member units.

300240

167 155

268

199163

8430

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

Age 0-10

Age 11-20

Age 21-30

Age 31-40

Age 41-50

Age 51-60

Age 61-70

Age 71-80

Age 81+

Membership by Age

Membershipby Age

420

486

Membership by Gender

Male

Female

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Families with Children Under 21 62% of the BHS congregation has children under the age of 21. The below graph depicts member units.

Membership by Length The below graph details how long member units have belonged to BHS. The largest group, members for less than 5 years, comprises 29% of the congregation. The second largest group has been members for 11-20 years and comprises 25% of the congregation. The third largest group has been members for 5-10 years and comprises 21% of the congregation.

144

102123

7440

12

Membership Length

Members <5 Years

Members 5-10 Years

Members 11-20 Years

Members 21-30 Years

Members 31-40 Years

Members 41+ Years

306

189

Families with Children >21

With Children

Without Children

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Membership by Type The BHS membership encompasses various compositions of member families or two adult households with or without children. As the below graph depicts, 77% of the congregation is comprised of member families.

Membership by Zip Code 340 member units, or 69% of the congregation, reside in the 11201 zip code which covers Brooklyn Heights, Downtown Brooklyn, DUMBO, Vinegar Hill, and parts of Fort Greene and Cobble Hill.

Compiled by Amy Leszman Director of Member Engagement

391

62 23 19050

100150200250300350400450

Family One Adult SingleParent

Other

Membership by Type

Membership by Type

340

58

97

Membership by Zipcode

11201

11231

All Other

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Mazel Tov to Our

2018, 2019, & 2020 5778 & 5779 & 5780

B’nai Mitzvah! Samuel Richardson September 8, 2018 Mia Silverstein September 15, 2018 Micah Parnass September 22, 2018 Jack Kramer October 6, 2018 Casey Glickman October 13, 2018 Eden Feiler October 20, 2018 Tybee Feiler October 20, 2018 Avery Epstein October 27, 2018 Isaac Houts December 15, 2018 Charlotte Leibowitz January 12, 2019 Zachary Weinschel January 19, 2019 Evan Komitee January 26, 2019 Noah Cooper February 2, 2019 Zoey Ojalvo February 9, 2019 Alexander Rosenzweig February 23, 2019 Willa Hart March 2, 2019 Claudia Jackson March 9, 2019 Allison Goldblum March 16, 2019 Eli Grubin April 6, 2019 Eli Germain April 13, 2019 Eli Zolan April 27, 2019 Lucie Robinson May 4, 2019 Holden Callif May 18, 2019 Logan Reiman June 1, 2019 Sloane Lipton June 8, 2019 Abigail Wiener June 15, 2019 Molly Appelbaum September 7, 2019 Ezekiel Wise September 14, 2019 Jolie Weinstein September 21, 2019 Alexander Kramer September 28, 2019

Zoe Benjamin October 5, 2019 Francesca Siskind-Holgersen October 12, 2019 Henry Brown October 19, 2019 Parker Lapidus October 26, 2019 Braydon Kaplan November 2, 2019 Noah Cutler November 9, 2019 Ezra Atkins November 16, 2019 Zara Gelbman November 23, 2019 Theodore Cogan December 7, 2019 Sophie Larson January 4, 2020 Gianna Gordon January 11, 2020 Emily Landis January 18, 2020 Sophie Landis January 18, 2020 Sydney Slatkin January 25, 2020 Alexander Smetana February 1, 2020 Talia Dickinson February 8, 2020 Bora Bromberg February 15, 2020 Hallie Rosenzweig February 22, 2020 Solomon Block February 29, 2020 Teddy Basner March 7, 2020 Milo Zaks March 14, 2020 Sarah Radnay March 21, 2020 Addison Caruso Scott March 28, 2020 Alex Chesin April 4, 2020 Elle Smiley April 18, 2020 Nathaniel Weinberger April 25, 2020 Aiden Shap May 2, 2020 Kayla Sirefman May 9, 2020 Naia Neuman May 16, 2020 Jordan Strohmenger June 13, 2020 Sara Cocco June 20, 2020

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“We feel a deep connection and personal loyalty to the institution and a genuine affection to the many friends and neighbors we’ve made

there over the last thirteen years.”-Why BHS Matters to Me

Associate Rabbi – Educator’s Annual Report Religious School The Brooklyn Heights Synagogue Religious School welcomed students and families to celebrate Jewish life together this past year. Our teachers, madrichim (post-b’nai mitzvah helpers), and our full-time Jewish education team created community in our classrooms, developed and nourished our student’s spiritual lives, and conceived of dynamic and engaging lessons and programs.

Our curriculum weaves together several strands of Jewish learning at each grade level. Over the course of the year, I have worked closely with a special Religious School Ad-Hoc committee to examine our religious school program. We are looking forward to making some important changes over the next couple of years to better meet the needs of our students and families.

Here are some highlights from this past year:

Ritual: Students gathered weekly for t’filah with our music educator rabbinic student Healy Slakman. We had our bi-annual chocolate Seder, 3rd graders explored Havdalah, while in our younger grades, families were given tools to celebrate Shabbat every week.

Hebrew: We welcomed back this year Shiraz our Hebrew resource teacher who works individually with students during class time. We took beginning steps to change our Hebrew program to make it more effective and help students be more successful and are excited for bigger changes for next year.

Israel: 11 students will travel on our 9th grade Israel trip this year with Rabbi Lippe, our 3rd graders had a fantastic Yom HaAtzmaut puppet show, our shinshin Jenny (Israeli emissary for the year) cooked, taught modern Hebrew and culture, and added so much to our program!

Social Justice: Every grade took a night at the BHS shelter organized by our Religious School Committee, we participated in the annual MLK day of service programs organized by UJA-Federation, Lena enhanced and taught our 7th grade social action/tikkun olam mini semester.

Arts and Exploration: We made sure every grade took a field trip this year and some grades took more than one so that we could use NYC as a living laboratory for exploring Jewish arts and culture.

Teen Engagement We offer multiple points of engagement for our teens post-B’nai Mitzvah. In our Hebrew High program offered on Tuesday nights students delve deep into Jewish History, Modern Israeli History, and Current events and world religions. We offer communal programming for our Hebrew High Students ranging from our annual Hanukkah party to programs about Israel offered by our shinshin, to our annual trip to the Religious Actions Center L’taken Weekend.

RS Enrollment 2018 - 2019

• 259 - students total • 69 - K-2 • 31 - 3rd grade • 79 - 4th-6th grade • 31 - 7th grade • 40 - High School • 9 - 11th-12th graders

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Students can also participate in our madrichim program, where they serve as teacher assistants in our religious school classrooms. 12 students participated in our program this year. They earn an Amazon gift card as compensation for each semester worked. BGHSY flourished under the leadership of our 11th graders Ruby Kopel and Violet Kopp with supervision and mentorship from our youth advisor Jenny Singer. Students from 8th-12th grade participated in our annual high school Shabbat and Shul-Inn, our BGHSY food tour, Hanukkah Casino night, and weekly meetings. We also want to congratulate Violet Kopp on being elected to the North American Federation of Temple Youth – New York Area regional board for the upcoming year as the Social Action Vice President. Holidays, Worship, and Ritual This year, (as it is every year) it has been an honor to serve the BHS community on the bima. From Shabbat B’Yachad to Bnai Mitzvot, it has been a meaningful year of worship and lifecycle in our community. I am still in awe and gratitude for the wonderful reception of my Rosh Hashanah 5779 morning sermon. The Other Friday Night @ BHS our Shabbat service for young professionals is now in its fifth year. Anywhere from 20-40 people come to BHS once a month for this Shabbat service. We have increased our presence on social media thanks to newly ordained Rabbi Evan Sheinhait, who has served as our student rabbi and TOFN coordinator over the past two years. The music of our service continues to attract folks from all over the city with thanks to our incoming Student Rabbi Healy Slakman. This spring, nearly 100 women gathered together for the BHS Women’s Seder led by myself and Michelle Citrin. The Seder was held at Grace Church for the fourth time and the space fostered a deeper sense of community. I worked closely with our chairs this year to continue to make this a powerful and relevant event for our community.

Lifelong Learning The BHS clergy offered many diverse learning opportunities this past year. I have worked closely this year with Karen Brody in making sure we are meeting the needs of our adult learners. Courses we offered this past year: Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced Hebrew, a course on Jerusalem, and Cooking by the Book.

Rabbi Molly G. Kane Associate Rabbi-Educator

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“BHS is where I found my Jewish identity. It’s a part of my wedding, and where I’ll raise my children to know and love. Full of love and

acceptance and happiness!” --Why BHS Matters to Me

Each student has attended 238 hours of Religious School

Our 9th grade students have spent 30 weeks learning in preparation for their trip to Israel

100 women danced with their timbels to welcome Passover at our Women’s Seder

Congregants shared 3 Shabbat lunches conver-sation with Rabbi Molly Kane in her new Cooking By the Book series

Over 40 families joined us for our inaugural Pizza in the Hut event celebrating Sukkot

Our photographer took 841 pictures of our families for our Purim Carnival Photo Booth

More than 75 unique individuals came to The Other Friday night for sushi, re�ection and song.

259 religious school students helped lead their grades Shabbat B’yachad service

7 high schoolers will be con�rmed this June

BROOKLYN HEIGHTS SYNAGOGUE RELIGIOUS SCHOOL & LIFELONG LEARNING

2018-2019 in numbersby Abby Johnson, Education Program Manager & Abby Stein, O�ce Manager

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Brooklyn Heights Synagogue RELIGIOUS SCHOOL Register by 6/15 to avoid late fees! When registering your child(ren), we ask you to make a 50% deposit -- via credit card -- through your ShulCloud Member portal. You will be billed for the remainder, which may be resolved via credit card, echeck, check or cash. Thank you.

Religious School and High School Tuition & Fees (for early-bird registrations; a late fee of $75 applies after June 15)

Tuition Number of Children Amounts Due

Kindergarten Sundays 10am to noon OR Tuesdays 3:45pm to 5pm Tuition waived for 2017-18 BHS Preschool Grads starting Kindergarten in Fall 2018

$1020

Grade 1 Sundays 10am to noon OR Tuesdays 3:45pm to 5:15pm

$1115

Grade 2 Sundays 10am to noon OR Tuesdays 3:45pm to 5:30pm

$1115

Grade 3 Mondays 4pm to 6pm

$1325

Grade 4 Monday & Wednesday 4pm to 6pm OR Sunday 10am to noon & Wednesday 4pm to 6pm

$1575

Grade 5 Monday & Wednesday 4pm to 6pm OR Sunday 10am to noon & Wednesday 4pm to 6pm

$1700

BAR AND BAT MITZVAH PREPARATION AND BEYOND

Grade 6 Monday & Wednesday 4pm to 6pm OR Sunday 10am to noon & Wednesday 4pm to 6pm

$1700

Grade 7 Tuesdays 4pm to 6pm; invited to 6pm dinners with 8th to 10th graders

$1340

Bar/Bat Mitzvah Fee (for 2020 students) – billed 2/2019 Bar/Bat Mitzvah Fee (for 2021 students) – billed 2/2020

$1750 $1800

HEBREW HIGH SCHOOL: Grades 8-10 Tuesdays 6pm to 8pm (dinner at 6pm)

$1035

HEBREW HIGH SCHOOL: Grades 11-12Wednesday evenings 7:30pm to 9:30pm twice a month at Rabbi Lippe’s home

$1035

High School Israel Trip Fee for our class trip in late May 2020

$1250

B. Subtotal for Religious School & BHGSY (Transfer to Line B on reverse side of page) $

All Religious School tuition must be paid in full by December 15, 2019 unless other arrangements have been made with the Executive Director.

2019-2020

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Early Childhood Education Report 2018-19 School Year: This year the Preschool had 100 students in seven classes and celebrated its seventeenth year of working with children and their families. Preschool In Our Classrooms: The BHS Preschool’s mix of emergent curriculum and project work makes each year a new experience for children and their teachers as they embark on a year-long journey of discovery and investigation. Children learn about subjects of high interest – incorporating literacy, math, science, art, and social studies learning into their projects. Studies this year covered author studies, explorations of local businesses, a student drama troupe, a class art gallery, and much more. Our Jewish learning is integrated into other domains making it lively, hands-on, and deeply engaging to our young students. We were especially proud of our oldest students when they sang the four questions at the Preschool Seder for a group of more than 170 parents, siblings, and grandparents.

Professional Development: Professional development of our staff continues to be an important aspect of every school year. We shared a day of professional development with the staff of Union Temple Preschool to train in “Critical Friendship” protocols. This has allowed us to further channel the expertise of our Preschool professionals as they hone their practice together. This training has lent shape to all of our staff meetings which are now more productive than ever. A New Initiative In cooperation with the Membership Engagement Team, this year an Ad Hoc committee was assembled in October to research the relationship between Preschool tuition discounts and Synagogue Membership for families of Preschool children. Finding that almost no parents opted to join the Synagogue during their child’s time in the Preschool, we explored how other synagogues with preschools encouraged membership and created synergy between Preschool and Synagogue. Finding that our member discount was lower and structred differently from most other institutions, the committee (comprised of Board Member Aaron Zimmerman as well as Alycia Zimmerman, Andrew Saltoun, Hayley Geftman-Gold, and Jen Germain with assistance from Pam Karlin, Diego Crasny and Amy Leszman) proposed offering a free year of membership to new Preschool families and raising the tuition discount for paying Synagogue members to 5%. There has been initial interest in joining from several families – with 3 who have actually joined and we anticipate more as the deadline in October approaches. The Board will receive reports about the financial and community impacts of this new policy on a regular basis. We are delighted to be able to offer Preschool families – who may be taking on education costs for the first time – an affordable way to join and make BHS their home away from home. Admissions: Current enrollment for the 2019-20 school year is at 103 students. Last year at this time we had 98 and opened with 100 children. We continue to receive applications, and to show our program to prospective families. We have a large number of sibling pairs in the school next year which will

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reduce the total number of families but add a wonderful sense of hominess to our school gatherings as older siblings greet their younger ones in hallways and at All-School Shabbat. We did not find that the DOE’s Pre-K for All initiative impacted our enrollment – something we had considered a possibility and addressed in our budgeting. With the neighborhood growing, we can look forward to an increase in applications and less concern with enrollment for now. Jewish Learning: This year’s Preschool Seders were held at the Brooklyn Bar Association on Remsen St. and with children bringing many guests each, we are quite fortunate that our generous neighbors shared their space with us! The Preschool staff continues to strive to make each holiday and every Shabbat special and meaningful to our children. At All-School Shabbat, I have the opportunity to tell stories touching on themes important to our preschoolers. Preschool parents often attend as special guests and the event continues to be central to our sense of school community.

Parents share with us that they often develop a sense of connection to the Synagogue and to their own Judaism as their children come home with holiday stories to tell.

Graduates: This year we have only 21 children moving on to kindergarten – with a record number of returning students. The school’s average age is just a bit younger and this trend will continue in order to maintain our enrollment as UPK becomes more popular. Our “exmissions” season was highly successful and our students will attend St. Ann’s, Packer, International School of Brooklyn, Berkeley Carroll, Basis, Brooklyn Friends, Hannah Senesh, and many excellent public programs, as well. We head into summer confident that all of our children have excellent kindergarten placements. Looking ahead to next year, Rabbi Kane will participate in our “Sweet Shabbat” moving up ceremony to encourage our graduates’ parents to sign up for the Religious School kindergarten program.

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Celebrating: Celebrations and events have provided opportunities for our community to come out in force in support of BHS and to enjoy being together! The Preschool’s “BHS Preschool is Blooming!” Benefit was a great success both as a community-building evening of fun and as a chance to support BHS financially. Located at the Brooklyn Historical Society, the evening included our online auction, as well as a live auction. Assistant Director, Jen Kendall spear-headed this important fund-raising event, and chairs, Dayna Brandoff, Meghan Hershfield, and Izzy Copus worked tirelessly to make the event a special evening. Camp: 2019 will be our sixth year with a full and fun Preschool Summer Day Camp. This year we have ensured that class sizes will be a bit smaller by adding a fifth class – bringing our capacity up, as well. We note that our Summer Twos is the only program of its kind locally and this year it filled within minutes of opening registration. We had a long waiting list and (with more space and staff) could have had yet another group of twos. In camp, preschoolers will enjoy water play and a sprinkler in the outdoor area and will be making trips to local parks, museums, and businesses for special events and activities. The Summer Program will also enjoy yet another set of new play equipment for the outdoor area, being paid for through the Person Fund. Parenting Center This year, in coordination with the Membership Engagement Team under the leadership of Alycia Zimmerman and Helene Fuhrman-Gold, there was an expanded calendar of events for families with young children. Shalom Shabbat – a Friday evening service and community dinner for this cohort – was exceedingly successful and filled entirely with reservations each time it was offered. We anticipate even more programming next year to meet the desire for community building within this cohort. The BHS Parenting Center continues to provide responsive programming for our community members with very young children and infants. Events are consistently well-attended and give families an opportunity to get younger siblings involved or, if they are new to BHS, to find out more about our community. Our on-going classes (Boker 2’s, Bim Bam Bunch, and Shalom Yeladim) are currently full for the fall 2019 semester.

Directors’ Conference Director Pam Karlin and Assistant Director Jen Kendall attended the ECE-RJ conference in San Antonio dedicated this year to creating and maintaining peaceful communities and environments in early childhood education. It was encouraging to note that many of BHSP’s current practices fulfill this ideal. In worrisome times, Jewish Preschools are uniquely suited to guiding and connecting families as they promote the peaceful interactions and mutual support that are integral to Jewish values.

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Staff As we finish this school year, we are delighted that 13 of our 15 classroom teachers will return. Most important – all five of our head teachers are returning giving us a third consistent year of educational leadership in our classrooms. Jen Kendall will return as Assistant Director of the Preschool while Rebecca Leighton is moving on from her post as Assistant Director for the Parenting Center to be Director at Grace Church Preschool. A search is underway for her replacement as we expand the role to full time to meet growing need and desire for Young Family Engagement programming. Looking Ahead The Preschool will need to adapt to the realities of a major renovation as we begin the process of expanding our space by joining our two buildings. Research in the neighborhood for summer “swing space” has proved fruitful and we anticipate being able to relocate without disruption to programs during the summer months as work commences in the coming years.

Pam Karlin Director of Early Childhood Education

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“BHS is our community. We celebrate our life cycle events here, worship, learn, and see friends- many of whom we met through the

congregation. We raised our children at BHS and appreciate the values within their own families for which we are grateful. We get particular joy seeing our grandchildren playing with the grandchildren of fellow BHS friends, building generational bonds among families and BHS.”

-Why BHS Matters to Me