Mancom Talk: From the Committee
Ian West – Treasurer
We are already into the 3rd month of 2015 and the 3rd month of the
shul’s financial year. To those of you who paid your full annual
membership fees early and to those of you who pay by monthly debit
order – a very big thank you! You keep the monthly shul finances ticking
over.
Unfortunately the present monthly income is not enough and at the
last AGM I mentioned the fact that we need to give serious attention to
building up our reserves and members of Mancom are already exploring
fund raising activities that we hope everyone will play a part in.
We recently invested in 12 new Tanachim and 60 Memorial Service
prayer booklets. As these items were not budgeted for we are now
looking for members who would like to contribute the amount of R600
per Tanach which will bear the donor’s name on the inside cover. We are
also looking for 6 members to contribute the amount of R150 each
towards the cost of 10 of these booklets. If you would like to help please
contact Ian West at ifwest@telkomsa.net
If you know someone who wants to join and cannot afford the fees
please put him or her in touch with the office and speak to Ilana who will
refer the matter to the Executive Committee – rest assured nobody will
be refused membership.
Other ongoing projects include:
Buying and dedicating a copy of the Mishkan T’Filah to a loved one or
event – R475
Adding your name to the Tree of Life wall outside the synagogue door
– R750
Buying and dedicating a brick – R360
Records show that the best time of the year to collect the current
year’s membership fees is during the 1st quarter and thereafter
collections slow down quite considerably. This has most certainly been
the case up to now and we have managed to build up reserves.
Unfortunately these reserves are being quickly depleted.
So please continue giving as much as you can, whether it’s to one of
the aforementioned projects or the Friday night brochas where we only
ask for a R20 contribution – where else can you get a 3 course meal for
R20?
I realise that I’m asking a lot from you but I firmly believe we have to
be financially proactive to ensure the future of Beit Emanuel.
Mr. Micawber said it all in Charles Dicken’s David Copperfield:
“Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen pounds
nineteen shillings and sixpence, result happiness.
Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds
nought shillings and sixpence, result misery”
Have a good Shabbat
Ian West
