General Fund—Unrestricted gifts help RJC meet its basic needs: heating and cooling the building, salaries and benefits for employees, insurance, utilities, supplies and all the many things small and large that constitute our ongoing needs. We also welcome donations designated for a specific purpose—simply indicate that purpose in the memo or a note to us.
Cemetery—Monies are invested and controlled by the RJC Board and are used to maintain the cemetery grounds, the administration of and historical preservation of the Rutland Jewish Cemetery. The cemetery is currently expanding the grounds and the grounds have been cleared. After the fire, your help is especially needed now. Unlike other funds, checks are written to "RJC Cemetery".
Endowment—Monies are invested and controlled by the Endowment Fund Committee to help ensure the future of the Rutland Jewish Center. Memorial funds are also held in the Endowment Fund, until the family decides on their use.
High Holiday Appeal—Our largest fundraiser of the year is the annual High Holiday Appeal. The public appeal is always made on Yom Kippur, but many of our members make their commitment before Rosh Hashanah. Donors have the opportunity to designate which portion goes to the Rutland Jewish Center general fund and how much to send on to United Jewish Communities (formerly United Jewish Appeal), which serves as an umbrella organization for many Jewish charities, both domestic and international.
Jewish Discovery School—The RJC has a policy to keep our fees for our Jewish Discovery School as low as possible—indeed, far less than the cost of providing these services, even with volunteer teachers. Your contribution to the Youth education fund helps us purchase supplies and materials or subsidize guests and field trips.
Kosher Yankee Centennial: 100 Years of Jewish Cooking in Vermont, are now available for purchase. The 3-ring binder, hardcover cookbooks, with stunning cover art by Peter Huntoon, contain nearly 600 recipes and come with their own stand. To place an order, call the RJC at (802) 773-3455 (you may need to leave a message), e-mail [email protected], or download and print an order form. Cookbooks are $22 each, plus applicable shipping and handling if you prefer to have them shipped.
Light of Honor—The light in the entry foyer of the Rutland Jewish Center has been named the Light of Honor. Anyone may donate $18 in honor of an event in their own or someone else’s life. When people drive by the synagogue at night and see the light on in the entry foyer, they recall the honor for the week. The Light of Honor is appropriate to mark happy events or to memorialize loved ones who have passed on.
Mazon—This fund is used to buy food for synagogue functions such as Oneg Shabbat on Friday evenings, Saturday morning kiddush, and many other small events during the year. One may contribute to Mazon (which means “food” or “sustenance”) which helps us nurture our sense of community throughout the year.
Music—The Music Fund allows us to bring professional musicians to the Rutland Jewish Center, to enhance our weekly and holiday services and for special events.
Rabbi's Discretionary Fund—As its name implies, this fund is overseen and administered by the Rabbi. It is used for a wide variety of purposes. RDF purchases small items needed by the synagogue for which the synagogue has no budget, and subsidizes some synagogue events. The RDF also makes contributions to local charities at the Rabbi's discretion. Some funds are also given directly, usually in cash, to transients and others in need. RDF is often used to subsidize individuals in a confidential manner. Thus enabling both parties to live by Maimonides’ highest level of tzedakah (charity), by which both the donor and the recipient remain unknown to one another and (for the donor), by channeling these funds through the RDF, doing so in a tax-deductible manner.
Cemetery—Monies are invested and controlled by the RJC Board and are used to maintain the cemetery grounds, the administration of and historical preservation of the Rutland Jewish Cemetery. The cemetery is currently expanding the grounds and the grounds have been cleared. After the fire, your help is especially needed now. Unlike other funds, checks are written to "RJC Cemetery".
Endowment—Monies are invested and controlled by the Endowment Fund Committee to help ensure the future of the Rutland Jewish Center. Memorial funds are also held in the Endowment Fund, until the family decides on their use.
High Holiday Appeal—Our largest fundraiser of the year is the annual High Holiday Appeal. The public appeal is always made on Yom Kippur, but many of our members make their commitment before Rosh Hashanah. Donors have the opportunity to designate which portion goes to the Rutland Jewish Center general fund and how much to send on to United Jewish Communities (formerly United Jewish Appeal), which serves as an umbrella organization for many Jewish charities, both domestic and international.
Jewish Discovery School—The RJC has a policy to keep our fees for our Jewish Discovery School as low as possible—indeed, far less than the cost of providing these services, even with volunteer teachers. Your contribution to the Youth education fund helps us purchase supplies and materials or subsidize guests and field trips.
Kosher Yankee Centennial: 100 Years of Jewish Cooking in Vermont, are now available for purchase. The 3-ring binder, hardcover cookbooks, with stunning cover art by Peter Huntoon, contain nearly 600 recipes and come with their own stand. To place an order, call the RJC at (802) 773-3455 (you may need to leave a message), e-mail [email protected], or download and print an order form. Cookbooks are $22 each, plus applicable shipping and handling if you prefer to have them shipped.
Light of Honor—The light in the entry foyer of the Rutland Jewish Center has been named the Light of Honor. Anyone may donate $18 in honor of an event in their own or someone else’s life. When people drive by the synagogue at night and see the light on in the entry foyer, they recall the honor for the week. The Light of Honor is appropriate to mark happy events or to memorialize loved ones who have passed on.
Mazon—This fund is used to buy food for synagogue functions such as Oneg Shabbat on Friday evenings, Saturday morning kiddush, and many other small events during the year. One may contribute to Mazon (which means “food” or “sustenance”) which helps us nurture our sense of community throughout the year.
Music—The Music Fund allows us to bring professional musicians to the Rutland Jewish Center, to enhance our weekly and holiday services and for special events.
Rabbi's Discretionary Fund—As its name implies, this fund is overseen and administered by the Rabbi. It is used for a wide variety of purposes. RDF purchases small items needed by the synagogue for which the synagogue has no budget, and subsidizes some synagogue events. The RDF also makes contributions to local charities at the Rabbi's discretion. Some funds are also given directly, usually in cash, to transients and others in need. RDF is often used to subsidize individuals in a confidential manner. Thus enabling both parties to live by Maimonides’ highest level of tzedakah (charity), by which both the donor and the recipient remain unknown to one another and (for the donor), by channeling these funds through the RDF, doing so in a tax-deductible manner.
Tree of Life—The Tree of Life, which is for simachot (celebrations) and in honor of the living, is a way to remember significant events involving members and their families. For a contribution of $100 you may have a leaf engraved with name, date and simcha.
Yahrzeit Plaques--Yahrzeit plaques are mounted on the tablets upstairs. They are engraved with the name of the deceased and the Hebrew and English dates of passing. The contribution for each yahrzeit plaque is $300. |
Yahrzeit Yearly Donations—Members are sent annual reminders a week or so in advance of the yahrzeit (anniversary of the death) of loved ones. It is proper to make a special contribution to tzedekah (charity) to honor the memory of the person whose yahrzeit is being observed. Many of our members observe the occasion according to long-standing Jewish tradition with a small donation (often $18, which represents chai (life), or multiples thereof, $36, $54, etc.).