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Don’t forget to check our website at www.hobartsynagogue.org
11
PRESIDENT’S REPORT – 2004/2005
This is the 160th year of the Hobart Hebrew Congregation and it has been another fantastic
year. We continue to show that while we are small we are still highly active and dynamic. The
numbers tell the story:
We had over 100 services
We had 7 joint Progressive/Orthodox Kiddush
We had 8 Study Group meetings
We had 1 Commemorative Service
We had 3 NCJW events
We had 11 Pot Luck events/dinners
We had 2 x couples & 1 x single new members join our congregation
We had 2 special functions, including the Progressive Pesach Seder and Chanukah Party
We had 1 pre-Rosh Hashanah clean-up in our shul
We had 4 newsletters and mail outs
We had 1 new carpet in our shul
We had additional smoke alarms fitted and emergency lighting installed to improve safety
We had 1 Boardroom renovation project start in our shul
We had 3 talks by visiting Jewish identities
We had 2 rabbinic visits
We had about 12 visits by school groups and other interested groups to our shul
We had approx. 250 visitors to our shul throughout the year
The congregation was represented at over 10 interfaith and multicultural events and
functions
There were ECAJ / UPJ meetings/teleconferences throughout the year
We had numerous contacts with State and Commonwealth Government departments -
eg: DIMIA, to meet the new Federal Minister for Multicultural Affairs, and David Bartlett,
as the
Premier’s representative, to discuss security issues.
The congregation was represented at other events/ meetings – ie: Southern Regional
Cemetery Trust re: Jewish burials, etc.
To all those who participated in these functions, events, etc. I am sure you got a lot out of being
involved. To those who helped organise our services, functions/events, newsletter production,
etc. a big THANK YOU!
While the list is impressive, there is an unfortunate side which is that there was limited
participation by some members. There are two downsides to this: firstly, those who don’t
attend are missing out on yiddishkeit, and secondly, in such a small community it is difficult to
run functions if there is a continuing low level of participation. Further, these functions take a
considerable amount of time and effort to prepare and the burden falls on a very tiny group of
members, mostly board members.
It would be nice if we had greater participation in congregation activities and, in particular, if we
had assistance in organising functions. To help relieve the burden on those who are giving so
much time to the congregation, and to make it possible to expand our range of activities even
further, I propose this year to contact groups of members and ask them to take on the
responsibility for organising particular events.
Finally, I should like to thank all the Board members for their contribution over the past year. It
is a remarkable fact that, barring illness, we have a full complement at each and every Board
meeting which I believe is a true indication of the Board’s enthusiasm and commitment to this
community’s well-being and future development.
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