From the President….

You’ll find photos from the Pride Parade on Saturday, June 24th. We had about 20 members all told and it was a lovely event. None of this could have happened without Melissa Bates and her famous “franchero” to drive us around. Melissa added hay bales to the back to make it easier for us “older” folks to sit. Todah rabah Melissa!!!!!

On Sunday June 25th some 45 people came to the Annual Meeting. Though we had to pivot and find a new venue, Chris & David Seltzer came through!! Below is my “speech” and it was followed by lovely songs from our Cantorial Soloist, Phoebe Light. The Rabbi spoke and blessed the new Board. There are photos included.

President’s Annual Meeting Speech

Welcome everyone. What a joy and pleasure to see you all in person!! Before I begin, please be sure to offer two hearty thank you’s: one to our hosts, Chris and David Seltzer for providing a lovely venue in which to spend time and for all their hospitality!! They filled in last minute when Linda Gordon fell ill (refuah shlemah). Also, a wholehearted thank you to Shoshanah Schwartz for making all the arrangements and punting – not an easy task!!

Today you will hear from a few of us including our wonderful Rabbi Debi and some Board members but as president and not a noted speaker, I’m going to take the opportunity to go first!!!!

I’m immensely fortunate with this team aka Board of Directors. I say TEAM because that is what we are, how we behave and how we compromise. We discuss, sometimes passionately, but always leave feeling heard and acknowledged.

Rabbi Debi: Of course, Debi has been our Rabbi for two years and I’m pleased to tell you she has accepted a 3-year contract going forward. This allows continuity and a chance for the community to really engage with her. From the bottom of my heart, I believe we have found the Rabbi that will lean into this community, help us grow in heart and soul now and well into the future.

Debi has a wonderful and supportive wife, Traci by her side and her family as well. Best of all and I say this quite selfishly, she lives only 30 minutes away!!
Cantorial Soloist Phoebe Light has brought such joy to our services. She not only sings the familiar, but continuously creates songs just for our community. She and her husband Seva are to be treasured.
Two former Board members who need mention!!:
- Lenore Fusano: Lenore continues to write our thank you’s and they are so eloquent, I’ve received a thank you for the thank you!! This is a much appreciated task and under Lenore, the writing is eloquent.
- Jeff Winter: Who likes dealing with insurance? Well, no one I know, but Jeff is our interface and handles all with aplomb. We are very grateful!

Now let me share a bit about your amazing Board Members – the hard-working individuals of your community:

Katherine Koch: Our inimitable Vice President who is always willing to pick up the slack, make phone calls, host brunches, welcome new members with grace and charm. As THE Shalom committee, she warmly welcomes new members, and we will hopefully resume new member brunches!! I’m fortunate to have Katherine by my side.
Shoshanah Schwartz: We call Sho “Jack of all trades” as to list her numerous jobs on the Board is voluminous. As Programming VP, she deals with the insurance broker, schedules all Shabbats and locates venues, plans parties, edits my letters, schedules interviews, creates the newsletter, and makes the SYVJC more productive!!!! She also made all the plans for today’s event!!
Neil Goodman: When you read the piece in the upcoming Shalom Magazine, you will learn more about Neil’s family and upbringing. He brings a unique writing style filled with warmth. Always ready with a kind word, he is a voice of reason on the Board. I’m thankful he continues to stick it out with us.
Donna Small: Our delightful, diligent, and determined decorator and Board member, Donna makes our events shine. She must have worked 30+ hours on decorations and more for Bel Canto. She brings with her a lightness of heart, willingness to work, and unflappable good humor.
Shirley Scales: A tremendous heap of gratitude to Shirley, our Treasurer and superb bookkeeper. She is another jewel in our group; in fact, our Bel Canto silent auction was a success due to her hard work and attention to detail. She is a blessing.
Rozann Newman: Brings a quiet peace to our meetings and when she speaks, you know it is well thought out. She is rational voice on the Board with a cu e sense of humor as well. She too has hosted many events at her house for which we are deeply appreciative.
Eric Lane: Eric may be a new member, but he has already left his mark. Eric meticulously took a deep dive into the By-Laws to delete what was no longer appropriate and with input from Neil, crafted our new Mission Statement.
Ron Margolis: I’ve known this guy, well, all my life. Should I say something nice?!? I am fortunate that as a big brother, Ron is on my team. He is a shlepper extraordinaire along with Sho, and brings his vast accounting knowledge as well. He’s a numbers guy and I’m a letters gal – he brings a synergy to the Board.

The High Holidays begin on Friday, September 15th this year with services held at St. Marks. I hope to resurrect our custom of erev Rosh Hoshanah potluck and then break the fast potluck at the end of Yom Kippur. You have my email; if you have questions, concerns, want to help in any way or just discuss options, please contact me or Rabbi. But you should all know; we are in good hands with Rabbi Debi.

From the bottom of my heart, I thank you all for being here and your support of our small but mighty community.

Susie Margolis Pierson

President, SYVJC

spierson@syvjc.org

Solvang Pride Parade Pictures

2023 Annual Meeting Pictures

SYVJC Historical Museum Tour on July 30th

Prepaid RSVPs due by July 28th

SYVJC invites you to a private tour of the Santa Ynez Valley Historical Museum and Parks-Janeway Carriage Museum led by Shoshanah Schwartz, a SYVJC Board Member and employee at the Museum. We will meet at 9:45 am at the Museum, 3596 Sagunto Street at the corner of Faraday Street, in Santa Ynez. After the tour, everyone is welcome to go back to anything that caught their eye and look at it in more depth, as well as watch continuously playing videos.

If you have never been to the Museum before, you are in for a treat. If you haven’t been there in a while, you will be surprised by all the improvements that have been made and the new exhibits that are there.

At 11:30 we will adjourn to Baker’s Table a couple of doors down the street, for a no host lunch.

Shoshanah is looking forward to showing everyone the special place where she has worked for the last year.

The cost for admission is $10 per adult, payable in advance to SYVJC, by July 28th. If possible, please use the payment button on the SYVJC website, paypal or other electronic means. If you need to pay by check, please make it payable to SYVJC, and mail it to P.O. Box 135, Los Olivos, CA 93441.

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On the Horizon this

August 20th - SYVJC will hit the water again for a Cachuma boat cruise with a Naturalist on board, followed by a no host lunch at Hook’d Bar & Grill at Cachuma. More details in future emails.

August 26th – Meet, Greet & Eat with Rabbi Debi. This will be a casual get together on Shabbat afternoon, at a private home. Attendees can have a one-on-one chat with Rabbi Debi, getting to know her better and letting her get to know them better. Appetizers and beverages will be served. Time tba. More details in future emails

July 30th Historical Museum Tour, followed by no host lunch at Baker’s Table
August 20th Cachuma Naturalist guided Boat Tour, followed by no host lunch at Hook’d Bar & Grill
August 26th “Meet, Eat and Greet with the Rabbi” Shabbat Get Together
September 15th – Erev Rosh Hashanah Potluck and Service
September 16th – Rosh Hashanah Service and Tashlich
September 24th – Kol Nidre Service
September 25th – Yom Kippur Service, Yizkor and Break the Fast potluck

Jewish Free Loan