+ #Giving Tuesday 12/2

December 2, 2014

10 Kislev 5775

Dear Tamid members and friends

Thank you for being part of Tamid. Our only hope is that you and your loved ones find a warm, caring, and uplifting Jewish home at Tamid. We exist for you and your families and you have given us the gift of being part of a great Jewish mission, creating community.

 Two years ago, a young family with children in a local elementary school came to a Tamid Friday night as a guest of one of our members. The family was looking for a place to educate their kids and to find a Jewish community downtown. They came early for pizza before services and stayed late to make a sandwich for the homeless. They came curious, they left committed. Monday morning they called to enroll their children in the Hebrew School and are now actively involved in our community – in the school and in the synagogue. Last month, they made a special call to tell us how much they appreciate the monthly “Hallah at Home” and how the hallah inspires them to sit down as a family on Friday for shabbat dinner.

We have a similar stories to tell. Three years ago, Robb and Elizabeth were looking for a Jewish place that was fun for the kids and easy and convenient for the parents. Alla and Stan, with Russian-American identity did not have a formal Jewish background but a powerful feeling for Judaism. For their family and friends, they wanted a Jewish home to explore a shared history and to express it in a contemporary and intellectually sophisticated way. For Darren, he was seeking both a place for his family to be Jewish in their way, but also to lead a synagogue community with a fresh approach: people focused, broad minded, and invested in the social and educational fabric of Lower Manhattan.

Tamid has become an integral part of our lives and the lives of our 96 member families – 329 people of all ages. What a privilege it is to be part of something that is going the distance for all of us.

This year, 40% of our operating budget will come from donations and contributions. We do not raise endowments or carry over money from year to year. Rather we spend everything, every year, to support you and your families with Jewish life programs and education.  To date, we have raised $125,000 of the $195,000 we need this year. We are $70,000 shy of our goal. We are grateful to everyone that has already given and and as you consider your December tzedaka donations, we hope that you will support Tamid. Every amount helps and if you would like to schedule a time to discuss your gift, we would welcome the opportunity.

Thank you for supporting Tamid and continuing to help us serve our 329 members, from the youngest (16 months) to the oldest (91 years).

We hope that 2015 is a year of health and happiness for you and your loved ones.

In friendship and gratitude,

Darren Levine, Founding Rabbi
Robb Tretter, Chair, Va’ad
Alla Liberman, Member, Va’ad