How fun to have a Newsletter again! Many thanks to Cathy Shadd Rosenfeld, Carole Baden, Ellen London, and Lee Bearson for taking on this project!
I thought I’d take this opportunity – the first Newsletter – to highlight just a few of the issues that we’re working on.
- • Membership
Membership this year is up over last year. Netivot Shalom current membership includes 353 households. Last year (through June, 2025), membership was about 340 households. It’s almost time to renew membership for the 2026-27 year; membership renewal materials should come out in the next few months.
- • Fundraising
You have been extremely generous over the past several months! So far, donations to the General Fund, including the Beyond Dues Campaign and the Yom Kippur Appeal, total just over $200,000. This is way up from last year (at this time last year, your donations totalled about $165,000). Our fundraising goal this year is $225,000. That means we still need another $25,000. Your continued generosity will help us reach that goal.
And get ready for the Spring Gala – An Evening at Bubbe’s! You can read more about that elsewhere in the newsletter.
- • Security Grant
We recently received a grant from the California Office of Emergency Services (CAL OES) for over $190,000 to improve security.
Projects in the works include:
- • New windows in the social hall and preschool
- • New cameras and a better camera system
- • Replace preschool fencing
- • Internal alarm/PA system
- • Intrusion detectors on front windows
- • Funds for security guards
- • New Check Policy
Our check acceptance policy has changed. We are now scanning your checks (instead of sending them to our accountants in New Jersey), making processing much faster and easier.
That means you can mail (or deliver) your checks directly to the Netivot Shalom office. If you arrange payments through a third party (a bank, broker, DAF etc.) please let them know that checks should be sent directly to the Netivot Shalom office.
Don’t forget to include a note about where the funds should be applied, like a particular fund or for a particular purpose. If you don’t, your payment will be credited first to any outstanding balance you may have and then to the General Fund.
Thank you for your continued support of our community!
Questions? Email me at Ken@netivotshalom.org, or our Office Assistant Extraordinaire, Mia Rossi, at Mia@netivotshalom.org.
L’shalom,
Ken
Ken Schnur
Executive Director
(510) 549-9447, press 2