I have the pleasure of working with diverse groups of congregants. No matter what issue we are discussing, there are sure to be concerns, considerations, and debates brought to the table. This does not mean that we find ourselves in a continuous state of analysis paralysis. Rather, we find ourselves able to put our best ideas forward knowing they have been considered from as many angles as possible.

With Rabbi Till’s departure and Rabbi Zohar’s arrival, many of our discussions over the last six months had to include the impact of major change in the background of any ideas brought to the table. There were some that thought that this transition time is ideal for making changes, and we could experience the discomfort concurrently and “rip it off like a band-aid.” Others thought that changes should be delayed to allow us time to acclimate to each new normal consecutively. The latter group also did not want any difficult changes to be inappropriately credited to Rabbi Zohar. In the end, all agreed that Rabbi Zohar would bring another viewpoint to the discussions being had around potential impactful changes.

That said, with the budget requiring approval before the congregation in June, two of the cost-saving changes could not wait, and congregants will be experiencing some changes starting this month.

Zoom. We are moving away from utilizing Zoom to provide Shabbat services remotely. We are returning to our formerly utilized streaming service, Streamspot as of July 1. There are three reasons for this. First, the setup, which includes many wires needed to connect cameras to the soundboard and computer monitors, was flagged by the Deputy Fire Marshall as a hazard. Those wires are not necessary when using Streamspot, and we will be safer. Second, Zoom is significantly more expensive, as it requires contracted tech support in addition to the monthly subscription fee. Lastly, we will be able to remove the tech table that has reduced seating capacity and created an eyesore in the sanctuary since moving to Zoom.

If someone is having a life event for which they would like the ability for remote participation, they will be able to contract with our tech support provider to set up, run, and breakdown the Zoom. The cost for doing so will be the responsibility of the person requesting the Zoom.

Bulletin. We are moving to a quarterly printed publication that will be sent in June, September, December and March. Sinai Life will take the place of our monthly bulletin, which has been heavily focused on what events are coming up, and instead will be highlighting our recent programs and events that have taken place. We will be asking event planners to submit photos and comments after their programs to show what a lively, engaged community we have.

Upcoming events will still be welcome in Sinai Life. Programs and events will be marketed on our online temple calendar, in Snippets, on the website, and on our social media pages. Yahrzeits and donations will be printed in Snippets weekly.

The three biggest reasons for this change are protecting the environment, modernizing our practices, and saving money. We will be using 75% less paper on our printed publications as well as less energy consumption in printing and delivery. Many synagogues now offer only an electronic publication, and many moved away from producing it monthly. The temple has been paying postage to send the bulletin to 500+ households monthly. That means that we will be paying to mail 4,000 fewer publications each year.

It may take a couple of issues for the office to find its groove in producing Sinai Life and making the changes to Snippets, and it may take a few issues for congregants to adjust to the new norm for information sharing, but we are hopeful that these changes will provide a look at a wider variety of what is happening at Temple Sinai.

We look forward to the next publication coming out in September with photos from all the wonderful things that happen over the summer!