The following is the text of the letter to Rabbi Yoffie approved by the Board of Trustees of Temple Sholom of Broomal, Pa., on February 27, 2003:
Dear Rabbi Yoffie,
In light of the December 17, 2002, decision by the executive officers of the Union to eliminate the Regional Outreach Director positions, the Board of Trustees of Temple Sholom in Broomall feel it is our obligation to speak out strongly on this issue. For almost 50 years, outreach has been one of the hallmarks of who we are as a congregation, and we felt that of the Union as well. Our congregation continues to believe and live according to Rabbi Alexander Schindler's, z"l, vision for outreach and intermarrieds. We respectfully request the UAHC leadership to reevaluate and reconsider its decision to eliminate the Regional Outreach Director positions.
We feel it is counterproductive to eliminate Regional Outreach Directors. Among other duties, the Outreach Directors provide valuable assistance to synagogues in developing and maintaining programs that encourage synagogue affiliation.
* We believe that we all benefit from being a part of a movement that is welcoming to all, especially interfaith families. We encourage their participation within our congregational community. All of us reap the rewards of the Reform Jewish movement's guiding principle of outreach and integration.
* We believe that without 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, though dedicated New York staff, if outreach is to continue to be a priority of the Reform Movement, as we believe it should.
* We appreciate the serious financial situation of the UAHC and respect that difficult decisions must be made. However, we feel such severe cuts in an area of such importance dealing with membership acquisition and retention will result in even more severe long-term problems.
We respectfully request the UAHC leadership to reconsider and amend its decision to eliminate all Regional Outreach Directors.
Respectfully,
Elyse Endy
President, Temple Sholom of Broomal
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