The Cost of Being Jewish
Before being a board member at our temple, I never realized that there was a business aspect to consider. As president I need to look beyond the moment and consider our future. This can be quite a task in a relatively new, small temple. It is, however, absolutely necessary for our future.
The wish that I have for my children is that they continue to experience temple life just as they do now. I want them to know that they have a family to rely on outside of Ron and me. I want them to feel the continued support of their congregational family through thick and thin. I want them to want to participate in Jewish life outside of the Holy Days. Because of my involvement on the Board, I now realize there is a cost that accompanies this wish.
Many of our children participate in extracurricular activities: sports, dance, drama, music, etc. We are all very aware of the cost to us for allowing our children to participate. There is the cost of an instructor because even if we are great at a certain activity, our children seem to listen better to someone else. There is the cost of equipment with some activities requiring more than others. There is the cost of a uniform, or new shoes, or whatever; the numbers add up very quickly.
We all know from experience that participation in extracurricular activities helps our children grow into healthy, successful, happy adults. Our children make friends by participating in activities and they learn how to take turns and share. They learn what it means to be an integral part of a team. For these and other reasons, we open up our wallets and grin and bear it.
The fact is that whatever the activity, many of our children will be involved in it only temporarily. They will go on into adulthood and, while they have benefited from their experiences, their skills will be channeled into other areas. Yet we do not find our money wasted. We know that it was worth it.
Belonging to a congregation is filled with cost, too. There is a rabbi to pay, rent to cover, school teachers to compensate, stamps, ink, and paper to purchase as well as long term scholarships to grow. The High Holidays do not magically happen; they come with a lot of planning and a lot of dollars. I could go on, but you get the message: there is a cost to being actively Jewish. The good news is that this is an area that, hopefully, our families will continue to participate in throughout their lives. Therefore, the money that we spend today will forever benefit us personally as well as benefiting our children, our adults, our seniors, and our Jewish community.
Money is an uncomfortable topic, and it is difficult for me to approach the subject, yet as President, it is part of my job to do so. I can assure you that every dollar you give is well spent. Your money goes directly to the support of our existence. It is your money that has laid the foundation for generations to come and that is indeed something to be very proud of.
2007 was a wonderful year for our congregation. We did many fun activities together and we offered our support to members who faced difficulties. We took time to reach out to others and gave our children another year to bond. Our forty plus families have added to the strength of the Jewish community in this area. Yet, not many of us gave donations beyond our dues.
I realize that each of us faces different circumstances in our lives; we are not all in the same place. I am not suggesting that you stretch beyond your limit. But, I am asking you to look at Kol Chadash when you’re reviewing this year’s budget and put yourself at the top of the list when it comes to making donations in 2008. This is one donation that you will never have to second guess.
