Dear Fellow BST Congregant:

Last year a newspaper article about synagogue Congregation of Israel in Cape Charles, Maryland appeared in many newspapers. That Congregation is 130 years old. Sorrowfully, they did not hold High Holy Days services last year and probably never again. The last active member, Marc Scher said "There were quite a few Jews in the area years back. A lot of Jewish immigrants settled in this area," he said. "Then things started to change. As the years passed, older members died and the younger generations left." Now Scher is the last Jew standing in his temple and will be the one to shut the lights for the last time and then eventually sell the building.

Is The Congregation of Israel unique? The answer is emphatically no. Will there be a last man standing at Beth Sholom? I pray today and everyday that we will never see that day. We know that can only happen if we let it happen and I pray we will never let our congregation disappear.

But …this year our temple, Beth Sholom, is experiencing indifference in the support of many of its members. Dues are way behind and some members are not paying their dues and building funds. Yet many come to use the temple, educate their children and enjoy social events…but only about two thirds of the membership pay any dues or building funds. Pledges too are not being followed up.

It is understandable that our congregation like others and churches as well is suffering from the down economy. But, if Judaism is really important to each of us, we must recognize that if we want

· the temple to be there for us to worship and study

· and a rabbi to lead us

· and a religious school to teach our children

· and a Torah to read from and inspire us

· and life cycle events to be celebrated such as brisses, child naming, bar and bat mitzvahs, funerals and all the holidays we have for millenia celebrated and help us endure

we must sacrifice to make certain this does not disappear like the Congregation Of Israel.

Sacrifice, in the true sense of the word is what we must do! We must make our financial support of Beth Sholom Temple a part of our budgets, a part of wanting to be Jews and a part of our commitment to retaining a Jewish home in the Fredericksburg area and a place for our children to grow and pass on our Torah, traditions and culture. If we do not, Beth Sholom will go the way of Congregation of Israel…its doors closed.

Since we built our new temple our membership has remained relatively stable. But in contrast, dues and building fund payments have declined while expenses remain constant and some increase. The last few temple administrations have coped with this as best they could but with decreasing income existing funds have been used to pay the bills. This can no longer continue.

BST operates at a significant annual deficit of $25,000 that has been made up by an ongoing pledge. This pledge will not be renewed in 2011. The rabbi endowment fund that pays most of our Rabbi’s salary will be depleted by 6/30/11 when Rabbi Lynn’s contract expires. This means we will not be able to retain a full time rabbi unless contributions in the next year, in addition to dues and building fund dues and current pledges, are received by BST in the approximate amount of $100,000.

Just as in our own households, when income decreases and savings are constantly used, there comes a time when we recognize that at some point we will not have sufficient funds to live in the style we have enjoyed. We have reached that point at Beth Sholom Temple!

Beth Sholom Temple must have your financial support now! If you have not paid your dues and building fund, please write a check now. If the down economy has seriously impacted you, please see if you can contribute something every month. We can no longer rely on others to come to our rescue. If each of us does not make some ongoing contribution and still expects Beth Sholom Temple to be there you are mistaken. Please don’t throw this letter away as just another appeal. We need your help now!

As your President and working with the Board of Directors, we have struggled this year find ways to solve our financial problems. What I believe the answer is, is that the solution lies in each of us. For if each of us who use and want the temple and all it provides us won’t sacrifice to keep it, then the message is clear.

Our annual congregation meeting is on June 19. If you attend, you will learn more about our financial condition and what we must do to keep our temple doors open and what sacrifices we must face.

Sincerely,

Harvey S. Gold
President