About the Committee
Projects
About the Committee
The Fund Development Committee has been considering ways to raise the funds needed to continue the current KI programs. We feel that we are at an important point in KI's development. Decisions we make as individuals and as a congregation in the next few months will determine what KI will look like in future years.
Projects
Ensuring the KI Legacy
For over 33 years now, our KI family has nourished and sustained our community through our deep dedication to a high-quality, egalitarian Jewish education, religious, and social experience. However, there are some important issues that we, as a congregation, need to address now. As we look ahead to future years, we must increase the amount of funds raised so that we can continue to have the variety of programs and services that we have come to appreciate.
Our Fund Development Committee has spent hours considering how to present this information to all of you. The challenges before us include ensuring that we can meet our immediate needs as well as our long-term viability. The questions we pose are:
- What our are immediate needs and are we meeting them?
- Do our programs meet the needs of our newer and younger members, as well as our more established ones?
- What is the long range vision for KI and how can we ensure it?
We believe that we are doing well. Our membership is growing. Our school is providing quality education for our children and their parents. We offer a variety of ritual, spiritual and educational experiences for the diverse population that makes up KI.
Through his interactive presence, our rabbi, Michael Zimmerman, has strengthened participation and galvanized programming. However, his current contract ends in September 2006. Thus, we need to consider his future with us now and both his and our desire to renew his contract at full time, rather than three-quarter time (almost assuredly a necessity if he is to remain our rabbi).
As they have been developing the budget for future years, the Executive Board has estimated that to maintain the building, the school, and current services and programs AND to have a full-time rabbi, we need to generate $240,000 in revenue a year by the year 2006-7. This amounts to an average pledge of about $2000 per year. This means an increase of $60,000 a year above current pledges (which include the Special Rabbi Contributions, or $90,000 more than our current regular pledge amount).
Making a commitment to these goals means that each and every one of us must dedicate ourselves mentally, emotionally, and financially to make it happen. In sum, how much do we really each cherish the future of the KI family and the KI experience? And to the extent that our answers are "a lot," are we willing to stand behind our answers with the necessary resources and go forward together as a viable KI community, thereby Ensuring the Legacy?
The Fund Development Committee has already spoken to some of you and will be calling upon other members and friends of KI to discuss your needs and our future. We look forward to these conversations and we ask that you help us achieve our community?s goal of sustaining our programs and keeping our Rabbi. By necessity, we are on a fast track time line and we need to have our future financial plan in place by this July.
About the Committee
Projects
About the Committee
The responsibilities of the Social-Cultural Committee are to provide for events programming for holidays, special events, and other occasions that may arise during the course of the year.
Projects
Current activities include arranging and providing publicity for Jewish cultural events offered in and around the Lansing area; working with the community, Shaarey Zedek, Hillel and the Greater Lansing Jewish Federation to encourage community-wide social functions; creating warm and welcoming social activities for the Jewish holidays; providing food for programs hosted by other committees; and assisting the Rabbi in the execution of programs that he wishes to bring to the community. In fulfilling its responsibilities the Committee works closely with all of the other KI committees. We are actively seeking volunteers to assist our current committee members.
Please contact the Committee chair if you are interested in helping.
