RJC Online - Committees

RJC Committees

Opportunities abound for you to take an active role in the RJC community. Each of our 16 committees plays a vital part in keeping the RJC going. With some committees meeting frequently and others less often, each member is afforded the opportunity to participate as his or her abilities and interests dictate.

For more information on any committee, or to reach any committee chairperson who does not have a link below, please call or email the RJC office.

Executive Committee / Chairperson: H. Zara
The Executive Committee is responsible for the RJC’s planning, budgeting, and operations, as well as the center's public representation. This committee is accountable for various synagogue expenditures, working with the rabbi, and maintaining the master calendar of all that goes on in the RJC community. It is the committee to which all other committees report.

Administrative Committee / Chairperson: B. Cohen
The Administrative Committee handles day-to-day operations of synagogue, from setting office hours and establishing employee goals and priorities, to handling ongoing financial matters such as petty cash and credit accounts. An important function of the Administrative Committee is corresponding with the membership, whether in the form of mailings, e-mail, phone calls or in person.

Cemetery Committee / Chairperson: I. Mac
The Cemetery Committee manages and maintains the Rutland Jewish Cemetery as set forth in the synagogue's by-laws.

Centennial Committee / Chairperson: T. Cohen
The Centennial Committee is charged with organizing events and fundraising activities in conjunction with the RJC's Centennial Celebration in 2010.

Communications Committee / Chairpeople: S. Brenner & N. Garfinkel
The Communications Committee is responsible for the RJC's publicity and marketing communications. This committee works with many other committees to ensure that information about RJC events, news, and general matters are made available both to the membership and the general public. The Communications Committee designs and maintains the RJC website, publishes "The Whole Megillah" newsletter, coordinates identity and public information, and helps promote the RJC to increase local and regional awareness of the center and its many activities.

Education Committee / Chairperson: A. Mates
The Education Committee oversees the RJC's educational programs and sets goals for youth and adult education. This committee is responsible for setting the Religious School's curriculum, recuiting teachers, providing for educational tools, organizing field trips, and teaching families about rituals and ceremonies. The education committee is also in charge of developing distance and online learning, and growing the adult education functions of the RJC.

Endowment Committee / Chairperson: G. Felder
The endowment committee manages the endowment fund and maintains contact with all donors to keep them informed of the status of their contributions.

Finance Committee / Chairperson: B. Cohen
The Synagogue Finance Committee is responsible for the general oversight of all financial matters, from operating and capital budgets, to current investments, to short- and long-term financial planning for the fiscal health and growth of the RJC. The Synagogue Finance Committee is not involved with bookkeeping or cash management, which is the function of the RJC Treasurer.

Fundraising Committee / Chairperson:
As you might imagine, keeping an organization like the RJC in the black requires more than just membership dues. The Fundraising Committee is responsible for bringing in additional dollars to keep our busy community going strong, both today and in the coming years. This committee solicits tzedakah in the form of planned giving, yearbook advertising, and family dedicated giving, in addition to orchestrating special fundraising events, capital campaigns, and writing grants.
In conjunction with these activities, the Fundraising Committee also concerns itself with non-monetary gifts such as goods and services.

House Committee / Chairperson: M. Wasserman
The House Committee is responsible for the RJC's physical plant, including all aspects of the building's structure and systems. This committee is charged with keeping the RJC in good condition, both inside and out. This includes arranging for repairs and upgrades to the building and grounds and dealing with technology issues such as telephony, computers and Internet service. In addition, the House Committee is charged with set-up and coordination of cleanup for events, coordinating rentals, and purchasing maintenance items. It also oversees the Aesthetics Committee, a subcommittee responsible for the details of the building's decor.

Legal and By-law Committee / Chairperson: S. Gartner
This committee counsels the board and congregation on legal matters and by-laws. It is charged with th project of revising and updating the RJC By-laws.

Liaison Committee / Chairperson: K. Gartner
In many ways, the Liaison Committee is a rabbi-congregation “relationship success” committee. Its main duties are to provide the rabbi with constructive and confidential feedback on how members perceive him/her personally and professionally, and to offer confidential guidance on how to interact with individual members in given situations and contexts.

Mazon (Food) Committee / Co-Chairperson: K. Felder, M. Garfinkel, S. Zara
The Mazon Committee is a very busy committee that works with many other committees to set policy, coordinate and oversee all food matters of the RJC, from matters of Kashrut and keeping the kitchen in supplies, to dealing with individuals bringing in food for events as well as outside catering services. The Food Committee helps coordinate the food arrangements for potluck suppers, Onegs, Shabbat meals and Kiddush luncheons, meals of condolence, holiday meals and seders. Almost every RJC event has food as at least one aspect, and the Food Committee is there to help make that aspect a success.

Membership Committee / Chairperson: F. Oken
The RJC Membership Committee is charged with maintaining and growing the synagogue's membership, to foster a vital, vibrant Jewish community here in central Vermont. The Membership Committee is responsible for outreach to individuals and families who are interested in learning more about the RJC, as well as extending involvement and interest within the current membership, and providing general information to the community at large. This committee works with other committees to publicize information, evaluate the dues structure, and deal with general issues pertaining to affiliation.

Program Committee
The Program Committee is responsible for organizing social and cultural events to benefit the RJC. This committee works with others to organize holiday parties, concerts, films, speakers, seminars and more. Whether the event is for the purpose of community building or fundraising, or simply for fun, the Program Committee is responsible for making it happen.

Religious Committee / Chairperson: K. Gartner
The Religious Committee helps to establish guidelines for conduct of rituals during Shabbat and holidays; is responsible for selection and training of the gabbai; establishes guidelines for and extends invitations for participation on the bimah; and addresses various ritual requirements of the RJC community.

Service Committee (Good & Welfare) / Chairperson: M. Salem
The Service Committee is a busy committee indeed. This committee deals with matters of Hesed (spiritual care and kindness) such as visiting ailing members and helping those in need, and assisting members in bereavement, whether arranging for meals of condolence; Hevre Kadisha (burial preparation) or, when needed, assisting with funeral home relations. In addition to its work within the RJC community, the Service Committee also represents the synagogue in working with local charities or volunteer efforts within the greater Rutland community. And, with the understanding that we are all part of the world community, the Service Committe is the one to turn to when considering the RJC community's involvement in broader social action and world affairs.