Although writing checks usually doesn't make us happy, there are some expenditures that are cause for celebration. In mid-November, we received an invoice from the District government for our building permit, marking the final approval of our building plans. Our 1 -month review process concluded with a quiet but intense sense of relief.

As noted elsewhere in this Vine, we plan to receive bids from contractors in early to mid-January. In selecting potential contractors, we sought recommendations from members of the congregation who are experienced in the building trades.

We reached out to several other contractors who were referred to us by professionals familiar with our project. We remain committed to union labor, and are asking the contractors to try to obtain a target level of 60 percent union participation, based on the cost of the project.

When Uniwest initially bid the project, roughly a year ago, about 40 percent of the subcontractors who submitted bids represented union labor. However, those bids comprised 60 percent of the overall cost, because they were in the high-cost components of the project, such as masonry, steel and electrical work. Our bid solicitation documents therefore ask the general contractors to aim for at least 60 percent union participation based on overall cost, and call for fair labor requirements for the remaining subcontractors. (If they are unable to achieve 60 percent union participation, we ask the contractors to document their efforts to reach that goal.) In developing this approach, the Building Committee worked closely with temple members and others outside the congregation who are familiar with union and fair labor issues.

The expansion will continue to be a board priority. At a recent retreat, the board, working with the Micah staff, set out other long-term goals. We identified four additional areas as priorities for our community. Strong and stable finances, the education program, and establishing a plan for the growth of our congregation were seen as critical areas. The fourth element, a focus on deepening our sense of community, is an overarching priority. Described by board member Ben Binswanger as a messy but essential process, strengthening Micah as an engaging community will continue to be a central focus for the board.

These priorities are not new. Indeed, the education of our children has always been a priority for Micah. The Education Task Force, led by Mary Beth S. with our education director, Rabbi Susan Warshaw, is examining every element of our religious school and will be developing recommendations for innovation and improvement. The Finance Committee, headed by our treasurer Joel A., is identifying ways to fortify our finances, both in short-term measures as we enter our expansion project, but also for long-term stability. And the issue of growth frames a familiar debate that pits our sense of an intimate community against a desire to make Micah a home for all of those who seek us. The size of our congregation also inevitably has an impact on the size of our staff and that, in turn, affects our financial standing.

The board is comprised of exceptional individuals, who bring great talent, insight and commitment to their work. And our gifted staff is wholly devoted to making Temple Micah all that it can be. Even as we try to build more pathways for people to experience and feel at home at Temple Micah, I marvel at what our community is able to provide to so many of our members. I wish you all a welcoming home at Temple Micah, and a light-filled Hanukkah.