Ahavath Beth Israel's Board of Directors

After the board installation in May 2009, our Board President asked everyone to share some things about their lives, their Jewish background, their interests in serving on the board. Whether you are new to the community or consider all of the board members to be old friends, you may find their stories tell you something you didn't know about these dedicated volunteers.

President

Sherrill Livingston

I am going to my mother’s unveiling next week, and, like our dear friend, Rhoda Parenti, who died recently, Mom was a fighter. Mom was the inspiration for the adult B’nai Mitzvah class that I started two years ago. She was 91 when she had her bat mitzvah – 7x13 was lucky, she said. The June unveiling for Judith Porges, another long-time member, was also a celebration of life. With bright balloons and many flowers, the inscription testified to her fight, even after death. She, like Rhoda, did not give in easily to the “dying of the light.” Their contributions to CABI, Rhoda in the choir and Judith in Rosh Chodesh, to name just a few ways they helped, are inspirations to me. 

And so, I am reminded, ever again, of why I accepted this presidency – to give back to the family of Ahavath Beth Israel that I adopted 13 years ago. In this way, I commemorate the friends I’ve made and will not soon forget.  No, I am not being noble; I don’t have endless energy when I come home from work at night. But I am so grateful for the honor and privilege of serving this historic synagogue that I cannot stand by and let someone else do it. I believe that we all can give more of ourselves than we ever thought we could and, yes, be energized by it. I want participation in CABI to be so rewarding, lively, spiritual and fun that every member says yes when asked to be on the board or to chair a committee. It’s true that modern life, with and without kids, is hugely demanding, especially in these tough economic times, but by pulling together, each doing a little, the burden is eased. This economic crisis can be an opportunity to try something new, to become more entrepreneurial, so to speak, by bringing your talents and creativity to the community you have joined.

So, in this issue, our new (and re-newed) board members speak to you, our CABI members, about themselves and their committees. Please choose a committee, such as finance, or an activity, such as Bikkur Cholim, and become involved. Your membership packets also give you an opportunity to volunteer.

During the coming year, we will be starting a leadership development program, sponsored by the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ). The URJ has excellent resources and personnel to help teach members new skills for guiding the congregation. These new leaders will gain proficiency in team-building, leading groups, and organizational management. This should give them confidence to become the next generation of board members.

I hope the result will be that, next year, when I tell someone that I am president of the synagogue, instead of extending their sympathies, as some have done, they will offer their sincere congratulations, and say, “How can I get involved?” 

Back To Top

Vice President

Addie Waxman

I moved from Virginia 19 years ago and have been a member of CABI for 14 years. What prompted me to join CABI in 1994 was the upcoming birth of my daughter, Jennifer. I wanted my children, Benjamin included, to be involved with a Jewish community and experience Jewish life-cycle events. Over the years, I have taught K-1 in Sunday school, been a board member of the sisterhood, and participated in Jewish outreach programs in the public schools.   

I come from a religiously blended family. My father is Jewish and came from an observant home in which kashrut was strictly observed and the men always attended shul on Shabbos. My mother is a gentile with no religious affiliation. She is a good, kind, and gentle woman, and if I am half the person she is, then I will be very fortunate. I attended Hebrew school as a child, although I never became a bat mitzvah. My father thought that only a boy should become a bar mitzvah and that the bat mitzvah was just a passing fad of the 1970’s.   

When I was pregnant with Jennifer, I decided to go through the conversion process to ensure that I would have Jewish children. Although the Reform movement recognizes “paternal Jews”, my father’s family did not and the official conversion eased some tensions.   

One reason I joined the board was that I wanted to be involved with the synagogue at a new and different level. I sense a new energy about our synagogue that I haven’t felt in years. Our new members bring great ideas from other communities and the existing members can remember with pride how far we have come since our days on State Street. I also feel that we have a large pool of talented members in our synagogue who can contribute their gifts in many ways. Let’s harness this energy and help to generate the next exciting phase of CABI history.       

 Back To Top

Treasurer

Andy Byron

I moved to Boise from Southern California in 1994 with my wife, Nancy, and three daughters, Lindsey, Casey and Amy. All three girls had their Bat Mitzvahs at CABI. Lindsey just graduated from Savannah College of Art and Design; Casey just finished her sophomore year at Boston University; and Amy finished her sophomore year at Boise High School. 

I had my Bar Mitzvah at Temple Beth Hillel in North Hollywood, Calif., in 1968. Now, I am a financial advisor by day. By night, you might catch me as part of Andy Byron and the Lost River Band playing original country-folk around town -- even an occasional Moody Jew song as well. 

I just love being part of this wonderful Jewish community. Because that’s exactly what it is, a real community. 

It has been a pleasure and honor to serve our congregation as treasurer this past year. I look forward to meeting our goal of a balanced budget for fiscal 2009-2010.

Back To Top

Adult Education

Mary L. Hulse                

I am happy to have Gail LeBow, Marty Seidenfeld, Leigh Evans and Gideon Taylor-Abt serving on the committee with me. We held an initial meeting to brainstorm, and planned a second meeting in June. The committee’s suggestions for classes, which would begin after summer and not replace current classes, are:

Lecture Courses:

Jews in Other Cultures: Spain, India, Turkey, South America (past and present)

Torah Topics: Mitzvot, Women, Covenant

Israeli Politics

Jewish Humor

Prejudice (racial, gender, etc.)

The Book of Genesis (based on the PBS Program "Talking About Genesis") 

Participation Classes:

Jewish Cooking for the Holidays

Alef-Bet

We would appreciate your input, ideas or suggestions. Please let us know about any classes you would like to see, or even teach. You can teach a skill, a craft, or whatever you are passionate about and want to share.

 There are many members whom I have not met and who do not know me, so just a little background. I have lived many places and never dreamed that I would someday be living in Idaho. But like some of you, it was a daughter, her husband and two grandchildren that brought me here. Like many others in the congregation, I was not born Jewish but am Jewish by choice. I went through my conversion in Tulsa, Okla., with Rabbi Sherman, a man I love and respect. I participated in many classes while a member there. But I have to say that the class that I enjoyed most was the Yiddish music class. We sang and danced and had a great time each week; we were so noisy that the other classes complained.

 Learning as a congregation benefits us in many ways, not just from the knowledge we gain, but the interaction with other congregants. As we come together to work and learn and play, we are strengthened and united in our goals.

Back To Top

Communications

Abby McLean   

Early memories of my father center on him caring for his giant collection of 78 RPM records. He would listen to the masters for his Collectors Guild label re-releases of classic cantors like Rosenblatt, Koussevitsky and Sirota. I can hear still him saying, “Honey, would you queue up that track and play it for me again?” 

Raised in a strict conservative Jewish home in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, how I ended up in Idaho by way of California and Montana would definitely take more words than this short column allows. Let me just say that having first moved to Hailey in 1972, I may be one of the first people in Idaho to make falafel, attempt to make pita bread, and probably, to carry an entire suitcase of bagels back from Boston. Back then, I never imagined I’d find a place to call my Jewish home in Boise. 

Now that I am closing in on 30 years in Idaho, I can safely say that even though I have lived more than half my adult life here, I never really felt I belonged to a community until I got involved with “our Jewish family” in Boise. When I met Harriet Berenter and discovered that she had lived just around the corner from where I grew up in Brooklyn, I knew I had found my home.

It’s not easy being the fourth child of two English teachers. Around the same time I started queuing up those cantorial tracks for my father, I also started grading spelling tests and soon moved on to correcting sentences. My mother claims I am the only child who has ever read Silas Marner willingly. Nevertheless, it just seemed inappropriate for a fifth- or sixth-grader to be correcting the written work of junior high school students for a book I had not read. I’ve been a bit obsessive about spelling and writing ever since.

Layer that obsessive tendency with the early focus on Jewish liturgy and music, my mother’s stint as a syndicated Jewish etiquette columnist back in the ‘70s, a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, a Master in Business, nearly two decades working in technology, and what do you get? Someone who can fix your email, your computer or your sentence, sing harmony for lots of Jewish liturgy, and maybe, if you need it, a little advice on what to wear to an orthodox Jewish wedding.

 We live in interesting times. Newspapers are struggling; letters are nearly a thing of the past. Most all of carry cell phones, some of us check our email every five minutes, and if you aren’t texting, you may not know when the delivery truck with our Deli Days supplies has arrived on scene. In this context, I hope to bring the energy, skill, and wisdom to make sure our CABI family is communicating well, and we all feel “in the loop.”  

I may be many things, but a psychic is not one of them. If you have ideas or issues, please let me know. Contact me by email or by cell phone. 

Back To Top

Long Range Planning and Facilities Committees

Laurie Ryan

First, let me introduce myself before I discuss my role with CABI. Joe, Zack, Max and I moved to Boise in 2005 and joined the congregation. I was born into a Jewish home, but my family was very secular. We observed the High Holy Days, Chanukah and Passover, and I went to Sunday school until I was confirmed. My synagogue didn’t hold Bar/Bat Mitzvahs until after confirmation.

I can honestly say that growing up I learned very little about Judaism, even though my parents raised me with wonderful Jewish values -- love of learning, community and social action. Now I am learning more through my children’s eyes. Our son Zachary was the first in my family to be called to the Torah as a Bar Mitzvah.

In Feb. 2008 I was asked to join the board as chairwoman of the Facilities Committee. I joke that I can’t even change a light bulb. However, I saw it as a great opportunity to start giving back to the community and to use my leadership skills.

One of the committee’s main goals in the coming year is to identify the costs associated with repairing our historic synagogue and applying for grants to help us complete the repair. We welcome anyone to the committee who is interested in the general well-being of our property.

The Facilities Committee is made up of wonderful, skilled people who really know how to take care of our buildings and land. In Nov. 2008, Jack Bonawitz took over the Facilities Committee as I was asked to lead the Long Range Planning Committee.

By taking on long-range planning, I can continue to use the leadership and strategic-thinking skills I developed working for major corporations and as an entrepreneur. The committee’s mission is to identify revenue streams that enable us to further our CABI mission (Torah, Avodah, G’milut Chasadim, Community Building). We are looking broadly at membership and how we define members, fees for our programs, and other potential sources of revenue. Planning committee members come from a cross section of our community and have provided wonderful ideas to explore. Of course, we welcome anyone that wants to contribute to our goals.

 Back To Top

Membership

Louise Birnbaum 

After working for almost 25 years for the State of Idaho, I decided it was time to retire. When I retired I found that I could no longer say I was too busy to volunteer. The next thing I knew I had agreed to be on the synagogue’s Board of Trustees. 

When Aimee Moran asked me to take over as membership chairwoman, she made it sound so attractive. I couldn’t turn down the chance. I hope I can continue her high standards and continue to increase and maintain our membership.

I am looking forward to this next year. I want to meet members whom I do not know and hopefully introduce new members to the congregation. Please feel free to contact me with any ideas or suggestions.  

 Back To Top

Religious School

Julie Barnathan

This is my second year of service as the Religious School board representative. Mark and I moved here four years ago from San Francisco, for Micron. I really never imagined moving to Boise. On my first trip to visit CABI I met Rhoda Parenti. She proudly gave me a tour of this beautiful temple. I joined the Choir and met Lezlie Ellard. She quickly got me involved baking, singing for Deli Days, teaching art at the Feast of Torah, and most recently, joining the board. I guess you can say I was hooked. 

I was born and raised in Long Island, New York. My father was Sephardic and my mother was Ashkenazi. I was raised in a progressive conservative Jewish community. My grandparents came from Poland, Israel and Turkey. The temple was an essential extension of our family. It was a second home to us. We were all extremely active and involved. 

As a child, Hebrew School was not a pleasurable experience, with the exception of one memorable weekend. We were invited to sleep over and celebrate Shabbat at my Orthodox teacher’s home in Brooklyn. I learned more about Judaism that weekend -- experiencing is believing. My love of Judaism was anchored by United Synagogue Youth (USY), and my Jewish creative spirit soared. Singing Jewish music on mountain tops and having creative Shabbat experiences as a teen showed me the learning potential for Judaism. I also spent a memorable summer in Israel with USY, which really culminated my Jewish upbringing.   

In my professional life, I have worked as an artist, recreation therapist and as a curriculum designer. I use my love of learning, design and creativity. This past year on the board has helped me understand what our mission is and how we can grow and support our Religious School. Along with the Rabbi, Nina, and their amazing team of educators and families, we hope to grow the family centered experience of learning. We also hope to foster the synagogue’s mission of Torah, Avodah, and G’milut Chasadim. 

Our current committee includes the rabbi, Nina Spiro, Abbi Taylor-Abt, chairwoman Fran Dudley, and several dedicated and talented members. We believe that a strong healthy creative Jewish foundation for each family will strengthen and enrich our community for future generations. We also hope to grow the individual learning opportunities beyond the walls of the classroom. If you want to get involved or if you have questions, feel free to contact me.

 Back To Top

Ritual

Melissa Waylan

I grew up in a non-religious household moving frequently around the Midwest. I began to study Judaism as a young adult, formalizing my conversion here in Boise. I enjoy most aspects of being Jewish but find my greatest joy comes in studying Torah and teaching it to both my children, and, some years, to your children in Sunday school.

My family and I moved to Mountain Home at the behest of the U.S. Air Force in 2003. We settled in and got used to doing a lot of driving back and forth between the base and what we liked to call "civilization." After awhile it became clear to us that our hearts had found a home and a tribe, so we bought a house in Boise. Now you're stuck with us.  

 My approach to being a part of any organization has always been an active one. I think it's sort of like being in a family; everyone has to do their chores to make things run well. Luckily, I haven't found anything at CABI to be the equivalent of scooping the litter box or mowing the lawn.

I inherited the Ritual Committee from Brad Wolf. The committee consists of a group of 10 to 15 people with a wide variety of backgrounds and observance styles. We try to provide Shabbat and holiday activities our congregation will find appealing. Our biggest challenge is striking a good balance meeting the needs of our “ConservaReformaDox” congregation. 

We welcome your participation, or failing that, your ideas.

Back To Top

Board Member at Large

Dan Stern 

I am pleased to rejoin the CABI board after a lengthy absence. I hope to be able to provide a perspective born of many years of involvement in Jewish life, serving in many different capacities. I first joined the board in the 1980s. I served as lay leader before our involvement in what is now the Union for Reform Judiasm (URJ) student rabbi program. I was part of the effort that brought Rabbi Dan to us, and was honored to be president when he began his tenure. Since that time, I have been active at both the regional and national levels of the Reform Movement, having served as regional president and national board member.

So, why do I want to start again? One reason is that I feel strongly that continuity is important in any organization. Those of us who have been around awhile should share what we have learned with the next generation of leaders. I also want to share the joy I have experienced through my involvement with the reform movement, both within and beyond our community. Who can forget singing Shalom Rav along with 5,000 other Jews at a URJ biennial, working with a new congregation as they took major steps we took 25 years ago, and defending a “huge” dues increase from $25 to $75? But the best memories are right here at home: Preparing kids for B’nai Mitzvot, moving our building across town, and so much more. By the way, did you know that in the Northwest, after the Seattle and Portland “biggies,” we are the ones that others look to as an example of how to do things?

Finally, I want to remain involved in a process that has resulted in my grandchildren being able to go to a new Jewish summer camp that is the result of years of hard work and dedication on the national, regional and local levels. It is great to watch these things happen, but it is so much more gratifying to be part of them.

  Back To Top

Board Member at Large

Shmuel Kahlke
For nine years I have been attending CABI and growing into the community. First I attended only Saturday morning services. Then I began to attend holiday and Friday night services. Jewish learning is one of my greatest loves, and I actively pursue learning. Having been to yeshiva once, I am very much looking forward to going again sometime soon.

 In the last several years, I have taught Sunday school, been an active member of the Ritual Committee, and lead design of Chai Lights. On the board, I hope to promote the Jewish Learning Chair at the College of Idaho, to work with the new communications chair to improve Chai Lights, and to further learning opportunities within both CABI and the larger Jewish community.

 Back To Top

Religious School Director

Nina Spiro

When Sherrill asked board members to introduce (or re-introduce) themselves in this Chai Lights issue, I decided to respond as well. I reviewed my first article, for summer 2007. I’d described how the Religious School would restart successfully after a tumultuous period of staffing changes and difficult decisions, but said little about myself. I am still delighted to serve as Religious School director; now here’s my introduction.

I was raised in New York City attending a very reform synagogue, where my Orthodox grandfather was asked to remove his hat during my Bat Mitzvah service. My father’s Orthodox relatives and my mother’s very secular ones gave me both kosher and non-kosher tastes of Jewish life. I love how CABI’s large tent can embrace a variety of observance.

My paid work has been mainly in music and writing. First, I taught flute privately to all ages and performed in chamber groups, doing office work on the side. To earn a more stable income, I left music and used my communication skills to become a software technical writer in Silicon Valley, then a customer service manager for an internal IBM organization in New York state. My music and high tech colleagues included very smart and sometimes very difficult people. It was both a challenge and a pleasure to foster excellent working relationships with them.

My wonderful children are Valerie, 13, entering eighth grade, and Carly, 9, entering third grade. When they were younger, I chose the work of at-home parent over a paid career. I also co-chaired and chaired CABI’s Social Action Committee, and volunteered in my daughters’ secular schools. I especially enjoyed five years of teaching CABI’s monthly Sunday preschool class, a half-year of second grade, and a year of intermediate Hebrew.

My beloved husband is Charles Hanna, physics professor at BSU. With the girls in school full-time, I wanted to contribute to our income while still being available after school, and am grateful that being Religious School Director continues to provide that flexibility.

I am excited about the upcoming Religious School year, and look forward to more contact with all of you.

Back To Top

Social Action

Rebecca Runyan

So who are we in the Social Action Committee? We're a fluctuating committee of around ten, coming up with projects we feel strongly about.

Right now, our focal projects are recruiting doctors and nurses to staff Wednesday nights at the Friendship Clinic, a free medical service run by All Saints Episcopal Church, located down the street from us on Latah. Another major focus is with the Women's and Children's Alliance; we hope to provide Russian translators, supply personal products for women who escaped abusive situations, and get volunteers to interact with children.

If you would like to join our efforts, please consider yourself a member of the committee, and watch for the next scheduled meeting date following the High Holidays. There are many ways to help. If you are interested in political activism, including Darfur, please contact Tom Rogers. If you can donate blood, please contact Mary Hulse . If you are in need of assistance, please contact Deanah Messenger. If you can volunteer at the sanctuary, call Andrea Leeds. If you would like to initiate a social action project, or for other information, contact Rebecca Runyan.

 Back To Top

Chicken Soup Group

Pettra Pollack and Mandy Silman-Herbert