AGM minutes feb 2008

Minutes of AGM of Lancaster and Lakes Jewish Community, held Sat 26 Feb 2008 at the home of Marie and Don Padgett

Present Fiona Frank, Gillian and Brian Sawyer, Stanley Henig, Susannah Cogger, Marie and Don Padgett

Susannah read the minutes of the last meeting which were agreed.

Chair's comments, Stanley Henig.

The aim of the group is to be a place where we can know each other and be able to meet as Jews and people with an interest in Judaism and Jewish heritage.
There seems to have been a decline in regular activities since the Feldman's departure, but some particularly successful events such as the Klezmer dance, which attracted large numbers including new people with Jewish heritage.
It's often the way with any organisation, to have its ups and downs. Today we need to decide if we should change our activities and plans.

Financial report, Susannah Cogger.

Membership invitation was sent out last year asking for voluntary donation of £50, £25 or £5 per family. We had around 12 responses to that. We made some money on the Klezmer night (having been afraid we'd make a loss) - and now have a total of £644 in our account. The funds are to put back into the community.
A reminder that last year we had decided to spend money on:
- the development of religious activities
- expenses for people representing us at meetings
- paying speakers' expenses
- simchas
- administrative costs
and sponsorship of specific events.

The report was adopted with acclamation and thanks to Susannah.

Secretary's report: Fiona Frank. (published below in http://lancslakesjc.blogspot.com )

Stanley noted that the content of the proposed talk by the late Josie Dunn's talk, which she was never able to give us, was written up by her and Roger Morgan in 'History Today', Nov 2007 (please contact Fiona Frank for more information).


Ideas for future activities

Trip to Holocaust Memorial Centre in Derbyshire.
it was suggested that the group contact NCBI to propose a joint trip.

What do we think people want from this group?

trips? services? meetings? dance nights? hebrew classes? Jewish cultural activities? Purim party? Just to know that we're there if they need us?

There are Hebrew classes happening monthly in Kendal with two families.

IT was suggested that we might move the Havura meetings to the Chaplaincy centre - better for disabled access than in people's homes.

It was proposed to have a communal seder on the 2nd night, and a Hanukah party.

It was also proposed to invite a rabbi up for some services during the year: Susannah will liaise - possibly 7 June, and Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah.

FF to set up 3 'havura's for the whole year, with invited speakers; to set up cultural activities in partnership with the Dukes, Ludus, Litfest and another Klezmer night.

We discussed whether we should affiliate with any particular kind of Judaism; we all had different backgrounds and views and were happy to remain unaffiliated.

We wondered about the status of Eric Moonman's small communities event - SH to ask him.

We resolved to send £100 to NCBI in support of their work commemorating Holocaust Memorial Day.

General invitations for people interested in Liverpool Limmud (early June) and the Jewish Genealogy event on 6 April in Manchester (contact .

Robbie to be asked to speak to Lancaster Uni JSoc about a communal seder on the 2nd night.

Officers: Stanley Henig (Chair) Susannah Cogger (Treasurer) and Fiona Frank(Secretary) all happy to continue in their posts and were returned unopposed.

Meeting closed with the usual excellent 'Jacob's Join'.