Our members are actively involved in a wide range of committee activities, from Social Action to Adult Education to our Book Club and haMinyan, and more.
For information about West End Synagogue's Committees, e-mail our administrator, admin [at] westendsynagogue.org (Joan Erber).
Adult Education
Plans a comprehensive schedule of programs that promote Jewish learning and foster creative Jewish living. Offerings cover Jewish history, culture, and arts, Hebrew language, text study, and more. Our events draw on a range of voices, including those of visiting speakers and Scholars-in-Residence. Whatever your Jewish interests, you’ll find something that appeals to you.
Chairs: Tris Farnsworth & Irene Liberman
Anti-Semitism Task Force
Organizes programs which discuss anti-semitism in a variety of areas such as higher education and media, as well as programs which show how the law can be used to fight it. The task force also puts on joint programs with the Israel Committee and the book club.
Chair: Susan Prager
Art
Takes a special interest in all things concerning the aesthetics of WES's interior space. We maintain the Memorial Wall and are responsible for the upkeep of the sanctuary's ritual objects. Additionally, we enjoy showcasing the artwork of our synagogue community members who are artists, on a rotating basis in the sanctuary.
Chair: Deborah Ziffer
Bikkhur Cholim
Reaches out to WES congregants facing health challenges. The committee provides friendly phone calls, visits, help with shopping, transportation to doctor appointments and more.
Chairs: Deborah Franco & Fran Levy
Book Club
Meets approximately 4 - 5 times a year. Members of the Book Club select the book which is usually fiction or historical fiction and occasionally non-fiction. All our selections have a Jewish theme or Jewish author. At times members of WES who have a professional literary background facilitate a meeting. Our meetings are hybrid in members’ homes.
Chair: Susan Prager
Building
Manages the space, indoors and out at 190 Amsterdam Avenue. We are concerned with technical aspects of building maintenance, and with making the building spaces multitask for us through thoughtful use of square footage. Throughout, we keep in mind the comfort and aesthetics appropriate for our Reconstructionist house of worship.
Chair: Gary Mindlin
Choir
The WES choir is a vibrant group of talented singers who are members of our community. We are passionate about Jewish music spanning from the traditional to the contemporary, including compositions and arrangements by choir members. We sing at the High Holidays, Hanukkah, and special events.
Chair: Brian Kreiswirth
Communications
Publicizes current and future events at WES through the WES website, the monthly calendar, the weekly calendar, and social media.
Chair: Susan Van Doren
Fundraising
Have a fundraising idea?
Contact Joan Erber, OR Joanne Feltman
HaMinyan
Creates lay-led, participatory and often experimental services. Each service is unique. HaMinyan presents a lay-lead Kabbalat Shabbat service on the fifth Friday evening when they occur.
Chair: Susan Schorr
Israel Connections
Expresses our community’s concern for, and connections to, the State of Israel. We provide programs and activities that include the history of Israel and current issues and developments facing Israel.
Chairs: Amy Weintraub/Arnie Weintraub
Jewish Family Life & Learning (JFLL)
Acts as a lay leadership advisory group for all JFLL programming. The committee is made up of those who have children in the JFLL program as well as other synagogue members.
Chair: Liza Harrington
Membership
Seeks to attract, retain, and grow a vibrant, diverse, and committed membership. We welcome visitors to services as well as to all our programs. We hold open house Shabbat services each fall for prospective members, a new member reception, and a new member Shabbat.
Chairs: Marjorie Schulman & Susan Van Doren
Purim Shpiel
Each Purim, we put on an original, musical shpiel with lyrics set to melodies from Broadway and popular songs.
Chair: Sharon Cinnamon
Racial Justice Salon
Meets monthly to discuss a topic related to race in U.S. culture and history. Through discussion of relevant texts, videos, and podcasts, we seek to better understand the history of race in America, focusing in particular on the experiences of Black Americans (including Jews of Color). The goal of the salon is to inform ourselves on the ongoing prevalence of white supremacy in U.S. society in order to become change agents.
Chairs: Brian Kreiswirth & Lorna Ronald
Retreat
Each June, our community has a weekend-long retreat to the Berkshires where we escape from the city, decompress, and get to know each other in a relaxed environment. In consultation with the clergy and education director, the Retreat Planning Committee develops the retreat theme and sessions, recruits session leaders and coordinates all of the logistics for a successful retreat. The Committee operates from December through June and we are happy to welcome new members each year!
Chairs: Alfred Redd & Lorna Ronald
Ritual
Is concerned with the conduct of all religious services of the congregation, offering advice and guidance to the clergy regarding the character and mode of Shabbat, holiday, and special services. Individual committee members also create innovative liturgy and encourage congregants to compose original prayers and poetry for use in services. The committee aims to maximize the engagement of our members in all aspects of the synagogue’s spiritual life, and to expand the circle of people actively planning and carrying out our religious services.
Chair: Lee Huttner
Social Action
Devoted to raising the consciousness of our members regarding environmental and social justice issues and creating volunteer opportunities to channel this consciousness into meaningful activity. We organize clothing drives, support organizations that feed the hungry, arrange interfaith discussions, invite speakers on various human rights issues and plan events to commemorate national holidays such as Martin Luther King Day and Earth Day. These are just a few of the ways we join together to promote tikkun olam, healing the world.
Chairs: Amy Chasanoff & Dan VanDoren
Website
Chair: Jerry Saltzman