Temple Chai Resolution

The following is the text of the Resolution approved by the Board of Trustees of Temple Chai of Long Grove, IL on January 20, 2003:

We, the Board of Trustees of Temple Chai, Long Grove, Illinois on behalf of its nearly 900 member family units, supports the need for the Union of American Hebrew Congregations to reduce its expenses and to evaluate the value and effectiveness of its activities and staff. However, we believe the recent actions that led to the elimination of outreach staff and reduced regional staff were decided in an inappropriate fashion. The process was conducted without the input of the National Board, regional directors and effected parties.

* We believe that welcoming interfaith families is as important today as it was twenty years ago. We encourage their participation within our congregational community and through their integration the continued growth of Reform Judaism.
* We believe that through the work of our devoted regional outreach directors these goals would never have been met. It has been with their talent, care and nurturing that our congregations have been able to meet the goals of creating Jewish souls from our continuing growing interfaith population.
* We also firmly believe that the efforts of this staff cannot possibly be maintained by a small dedicated New York staff, if outreach is to continue to be a priority of the Reform Movement, as we believe it should.

We acknowledge the fact that the UAHC (as well as many of our congregations) faces serious financial constraints, and respect the difficult decisions that were made regarding cutbacks in a number of areas. However, we believe that the elimination of the regional outreach positions has such significant implications that this will do lasting damage to our Movement as a whole. We urge the senior leadership to consult with the regional directors and appropriate lay led committees to find other alternative expense reductions.

We therefore respectfully request that the UAHC leadership reconsider and reverse its decision to eliminate the regional outreach coordinator positions.

The language of Judaism. Used in prayer in most synagogues and the official language of the state of Israel. Also refers to Jews, especially before they entered Israel and were given the Torah, as in "the ancient Hebrews." Place of Jewish worship. Same as synagogue.
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