Members to Vote on Budget, Break Ground for Building Expansion

Annual membership meetings of Temple Micah usually go pretty much the same way: The new budget is presented--sparking discussion that occasionally gets heated--and new members of the Board of Directors are elected. But this year there will be more.

On June 1, starting at 10 a.m., a congregational meeting will be held not only to conduct important business of the temple, but also to hold a celebratory groundbreaking ceremony to mark the start of construction that will greatly expand building capacity at Micah.

"This year I hope we get a great turnout for the meeting so we can all be there for the groundbreaking," said Rabbi Zemel. "This has been a long time coming."

The temple's bylaws require that an annual meeting be held to allow members to participate in a discussion of budget priorities and to vote on a slate of board candidates that are put together by a temple committee.

"Our annual community meetings also enable members to ask questions of the board and Rabbi Zemel," said board president Betsy Broder. "From my view, the meeting helps promote open communication and understanding. We want to create an opportunity through the annual meeting to strengthen a sense of belonging and community."

This year, two members--Broder and Lisa S.--are leaving the 15-member board, and three members whose first terms are expiring are signing on for second, three-year terms, according to Lynn Bonde, president of the nominating committee. A new president will be elected at the first meeting of the new board.

Rabbi Zemel said the temple will invite some dignitaries to attend the groundbreaking, including D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty; D.C. City Council member Mary Cheh, who represents Ward 3, where Micah is located, and Rabbi Scott Sperling, the regional director of the Union for Reform Judaism.

The construction is set to begin shortly after the groundbreaking and be completed by the end of the year, providing space for more than a dozen multi-use classrooms, an enlarged social hall, new offices for staff and a larger galleria and board room.

Members attending the meeting, scheduled to last two hours, will hear Rabbi Zemel and Broder give reports on the state of the temple. The groundbreaking will be at the end of the meeting.

New board members are nominated by a five-member committee--including temple members and trustees--that is selected by the board president. An open meeting was publicized and held recently to allow temple members to voice opinions on nominees.

The panel takes into consideration a range of issues in choosing candidates, including specific strengths needed by the board, gender equity, organizational skills and commitment to the temple and the community, Bonde said.

"The process is very open, enormously transparent, and short, which is great," she said.

[By Valeria Strauss; from May 2008 Vine]