2007 - United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism

so that it can be forwarded to the printer. It is exciting that this year we have more pictures and quicker turnaround from
sending content to graphic design to its arrival at home.
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TEMPLE BETH SHALOM
100-250 Mahopac, NY
Submitted by Ron Arsham 845-628-6133
Our Temple Times bi-monthly bulletin is an ongoing project of many dedicated volunteers of our synagogue
community. Completely lay written and published, our newsletter is a publication all of us wait by our mailboxes to
receive. Not only does it provide incredible information on our synagogue activities and happenings, but it also connects
our Temple to the greater Northern Westchester and Putnam communities as well as to the world of the Conservative
Movement through announcements and news. Our newsletter always features a Tikkun Olam page as well as a story or
feature about Israel, which has helped raise awareness of timely issues for our community to take part.
Over the past few years, through the hard work of our advertising volunteers, the Temple Times has become a
very successful fundraising endeavor for the synagogue. It not only pays for itself but has now become a regular source
of revenue for our community. We are truly proud to present this publication to you.
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BETH JACOB CONGREGATION
250-500 Mendota Heights, MN
Submitted by Mark D. Savin 651-452-2226
While Beth Jacob’s bulletin, Kol Ya’akov, has been published for many years, it has undergone significant changes in
the last 18 months. While the bulletin always contained a helpful presentation of basic shul data, both its graphics
(which were largely standard clip art) and its content were matter of fact.
Members of the Congregation, responding to a need for a publication that really was “the voice of the
congregation,” undertook a substantial revision of the bulletin in 2006. The work was done entirely by volunteers
without any outside professional assistance though the quality of work done by these volunteers could not have been
more professional. The graphics and fonts used were revised; the layout was redone; photographs were added to the
text. The editors began to seek out articles by congregants bearing on matters of importance to the shul and its
community. For example, in the June-July, 2006 issue, we published a lead piece written by a parent about his
interaction with a public school that presented an event with inappropriate religious overtones. More recently, we
published a congregant’s in-depth article about his week working in New Orleans as part of a post-Katrina work project.
Great effort has been given to publish news and articles relating to current issues in the Conservative movement,
including articles following discussion relating to outreach and ordination. The Hechsher Tzedek program has been
publicized and closely followed.
Generally, Kol Ya’akov has moved beyond being a bulletin into being a magazine — a place that contains
discussion of ideas, as well as notice of events. (This has been made possible in part by the shul’s creation of an on-line
service “This Week @ Beth Jacob” which now serves to provide notice of immediately current events. The monthly
task of producing Kol Ya’akov, setting and managing a production schedule, copy, editing, layout, soliciting articles,
working with those who have submitted materials for publication is entirely a volunteer effort by congregants. The
revised bulletin has been extraordinarily well received. Perhaps the greatest compliment that it has received is that while
everyone may not agree with the articles it now publishes, everyone does read it.
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B’NAI ISRAEL CONGREGATION
Over 900
Rockville, MD
Submitted by Marni Meloui 301-881-6550
The B’nai Israel Scroll, our monthly newsletter, arrives at the beginning of each month. The topics covered in each
Scroll include: synagogue activities, important holiday information, service times, b’nai mitzvah, articles from the rabbi,
president, and cantor, education information, youth activities, library news, and acknowledgement of contributions. In
addition to our own events, we include announcements about community programs as requested, along with