Rabbi's Message: Volume 21, No. 1: August 2003 - Av 5763

 


Volume 21, No. 1: August 2003 - Av 5763

Subject: Rabbi's Message: Aug. 2003 - Av 5763: Oh no. Tickets at Betenu
This message is issued Jointly with the Executive Board

Looking ahead toward the High Holydays, there is a major change at Betenu. For the first time, Betenu will have tickets. The reason for this is the confluence of a number of events, including 9/11, the Rhode Island night club fire and a generic realization that our open-ticket policy was not having the desired effect at Betenu.

First, an outcome of 9/11 is a justifiable fear of terror. For the last two years, we have maintained a police detail at High Holyday services at significant expense to Betenu's budget. The Islamic radicals have labeled both Jews and Americans as targets of their terror. A crowded synagogue in America on the major Jewish holydays is a perfect target. The issuing of tickets will at minimum give us an initial screening of who is present or who may be present.

Next, the Rhode Island Night Club Fire has put in perspective the need for adequate egress. The aisles needed to support this as well as the new and wider chairs have decreased our net seating capacity.

Lastly, having the open-door/no-ticket policy has not had the desired effect. We need to grow the membership at Betenu to provide the financial resources for expanded programs, services and spiritual opportunities for those who support the congregation. Our hope was that nonmembers would see who we are and join us.

There are many people of Jewish ancestry who have no need for Judaism and the institutions of Judaism. That is to say, they will never be asking for a rabbi to officiate at a wedding, a Bar Mitzvah or a funeral. They have determined that Judaism is not their spiritual path, etc. For these people, it may make no sense to belong to an extended Jewish community and its institutions. However, for most Jews, I make the "library" analogy:

Your city has determined that a library is something that the people collectively want. Your tax assessment includes a piece for the library which is the same whether you use the library daily, weekly, monthly -- or not at all. To avoid the assessment for the library requires finding a town which does not support a library and moving there! So despite the fact that your attendance at Betenu's events may be limited to High Holydays, your desire to attend shows that you need the institutions of Judaism and for that reason you should be supporting them.

We will continue to provide tickets at no cost to the following:

Our members and all of their dependants.
Out of town people who have a letter of introduction from a congregation where they are members.
Students.
Anyone who indicates he/she cannot afford to pay. But all must contact Betenu's office for tickets if you do not receive them.

Any non-member who purchases tickets for the High Holydays and then chooses to join the temple by November 2003, will receive full credit of the purchase price of tickets towards their membership dues.

We hope that this change will provide a more comfortable and safer environment to our members while retaining a semi-open-door policy in light of the current world situation.

In the last several years, Betenu has developed a membership who demonstrate a strong interest in the spiritual possibilities that Judaism can provide. Toward that end, we use a modern liturgy, we have a superb music program, there is a women's spirituality group (a.k.a. Rosh Chodesh Group). Our religious school works hard to provide a sound Jewish education, etc. It is our hope that the new policy will strengthen Betenu and encourage a growth in membership.

Le-sha-lom,

Joshua L. Segal, Rabbi and the Executive Board of Congregation Betenu

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