Synagogue Groups & Committees

GROUPS

Sisterhood

Sisterhood President: Nancy Levitt, Synagogue phone #516-599-2634

We are a group of Jewish women of diverse ages, backgrounds and interests who join together to:
	serve as a welcoming arm for women and their families into Syngagogue life
	provide stimulating opportunities for Jewish and intellectual growth
	reach out beyond our Congregation to serve the community at large
	offer a warm environment to help women develop and fulfill their potential.

Please call us to share your ideas and to get involved.

Men’s Club

Men's Club President: Elliott Polinsky, Synagogue phone # 516-599-2634

Men's Club supports many activities at HERJC. Educationally they supply breakfast to the Rabbi's Talmud class, run Passover workshops, Tu B'Shevat Seders and run several Drivers Ed programs per year. They have weekly basketball in our gym and field a baseball team in the south shore league in season. They also support our Religious School and youth activities at the Purim Carnival and by giving gifts to both the Bar and Bat Mitva children and the Graduating class students. Come on down to an OPEN MEETING and get involved.

COMMITTEES

Ritual

Chairman: Harold Kislik

The ritual committee is concerned with the religious observance and ritual practices in all areas of the Synagogue. The committee establishes and reviews standards, procedures, practices, and guidelines for Shabbat and Holiday services, daily minyan, Holiday celebration and observance, Bar/Bat Mitzva training and observance, and kashrut observance. In addition, the committee oversees the maintenance and procurement of ritual objects and materials used in services, such as the Sifrei Tora, Humashim, prayer books, kippot and talitot, etc., and in coordination with the House and Decor Committees, ensures that the Sanctuary and other facilities are properly maintained and configured to support and enhance religious services. The committee includes the religious professionals (Rabbi, Cantor, and Ritual Director), and is responsible for evaluating their performance and making recommendations to the Executive Board regarding personnel matters.

House

Chairman: Sheldon Gross

The House Committee is responsible for the short and long term care of the HERJC facility. Its members generally have backgrounds in engineering, construction or a related field. They have overseen everything from the rebuilding of two classrooms lost to a fire to the painting of the gym.  Recommendations for major purchases of furniture, carpeting and other interior accessories also require House Committee approval.

Furthermore, the Herjc House Committee is committed to the principles of conservation and perhaps the most important environmental issue of the 21st century is the overuse of fossil fuels, leading to pollution and global warming. By taking a leadership role in this area, HERJC can not only make a small contribution to the cause, but also can serve as a role model for the community. We also recognize that conservation in the long-term can benefit the Congregation financially and attract environmentally sensitive members, was well as fulfilling our communal role.

Therefore, the House Committee pledges to:

• Conduct an inventory of the current physical plant, and plan on making conservational and environmentally friendly changes that are practical.
• Going forward, review the environmental impact of any new projects before undertaking them, including (but not limited to) exploring how to reduce our environmental footprint and/or reduce our use of oil/gas/electricity.
• Partner with the Adult Education Committee to bring to our Congregation and the broader community speakers and programs that will increase their environmental awareness and knowledge and give them opportunities to improve conservation in their own homes and lives.

20.4 kilowatt Solar Electric Photovoltaic system (solar panels)-school wing

HERJC CARES

HERJC Cares is the committee actively involved in advocating worthy causes to promote Tikkun Olam (Repair The World). In keeping with the HERJC mission statement , HERJC CARES facilitates our membership’s participation in deepening their sense of community. To accomplish our mission, we have identified five main areas of focus:

• Homeless and Disadvantaged
• Health and Healing
• Education
• Environment
• Israel and World Affairs

As an example, HERJC Cares is a strong supporter of Hatzilu Rescue Organization, providing vital assistance so that the needy have faithful & continuing care. This year we are focusing on collections for the needy with the theme; Give It Up. Give It Away! Make A Difference!

One of the major ways that we affirm that tie is to hold an annual Israel Bonds event. Over the past 4 years, we have had a dessert reception in our shul or in a member’s home with a speaker from the Israel Bonds community as well as an informative presentation on the instruments that Israel Bonds offers as investment vehicles. These events have been very successful in raising investment dollars as well as our congregation’s consciousness on the subject of Israel Bonds.

Additionally, our Sisterhood and Mens Club are also active in giving back as well, participating with HERJC Cares to make a huge difference! The Sisterhood Walk for Israel, has raised money for the victims of terrorism in Israel and to support JTS. Additional money has been raised to support our congregation’s twinning project with Netzach Yisroel, a Masorti congregation in Ashkelon, Israel.

Youth Groups

The Youth Committee of the Synagogue is dedicated to providing the best in informal Jewish education and recreation to our youth.

We believe that by giving our young people an opportunity to develop leadership skills and interact with other Jewish youth, it will enhance the formal Jewish education they receive in our Religious School or local day school. This is done through a series of clubs for grades 3 - 12, that are affiliated with United Synagogue and it's Kadima and USY programs. Our USY (high school) group works with the Nursery and Religious School students on special projects throughout the year, ie: Purim Carnival, Israel Education Programs.

We are responsible for the hiring of a Youth Director and the preparation of a budget. We welcome people who would like to participate.

Bikur Cholim

Chairman: George Berch

Bikur Cholim, "visiting the sick", in Hebrew, is a term encompassing a wide range of activities performed by an individual or a group to provide comfort and support to  people who are ill, homebound, isolated and/or otherwise in distress. Bikur Cholim can include such activities as: visiting patients in a hospital, rehabilitation center or nursing home; visiting people who are restricted to their home because of physical or psychological impairment or social isolation; taking people who are ill or impaired on errands or field trips; providing telephone contact and reassurance to those who are ill or homebound.

A group of caring volunteers visit a local nursing home to assist in conducting Oneg Shabbat Services as well as providing comfort for the patients. Knowledge of Hebrew is not required and we will provide training. The act of Bikur Cholim is a mitzvah, a moral and spiritual obligation incumbent upon all Jews to peform. All that is required of the volunteers is caring...

If you are available, please call George Berch at 887 - 9458 or e-mail gberch@juno.com

Hakol: the Voice of Hewlett-East Rockaway Jewish Centre

Hakol, which means "the voice" in Hebrew, is published from September through June. Hakol is one of  variety of  communication tools used at HERJC to keep our congregants informed. The editors strive to educate our community about what's happening at the synagogue as well as within the worldwide Jewish community. We try to cover all aspects of synaogue life and often run photo essays of our events. Hakol features a handy calendar that highlights all synagogue activities.

For the past 18 years, Charlotte Berch has been the editor of Hakol, assisted by her co-editor, Helaine Ronen. Throughout its 50+ year history, Hakol has won many awards. Most recently, it was awarded the Excellence in Synagogue Programming by United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism.

All donations over the amont of $18 are published in Hakol. If you would like to make a donation for publication, please access the donation page on this website.