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ELWOOD TALMUD TORAH CONGREGATION
MINUTES OF THE 50th ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
HELD ON WEDNESDAY, 22ND APRIL 2009
Apologies: Rabbi Mordechai Gutnick; Peter Unger
The President, Fred Antman, opened the meeting at 8.05pm and handed over to the immediate Past President, Shmuel Rosenkranz to act as Chairman for the evening.
Shmuel Rosenkranz requested that the meeting be conducted in a dignified manner and that everyone would be given an opportunity to speak. He asked the members for their understanding in case he could not recognise them from the floor, as he informed the meeting that he is legally blind. He then handed back to the President to proceed with the process of the meeting.
Confirmation of Minutes of the 49th Annual General Meeting (held 29th April 2001).
Accepted as read and approved:
Moved: Mr Soniek Balbin
Seconded: Mr Reuven Cyprys
Agenda Item 1: President’s Report
Firstly, Fred Antman, as outgoing President, thanked the immediate Past President, Shmuel Rosenkranz, for accepting the honour and responsibility of acting as Chairman for this meeting.
He went on to say that he did not wish to repeat himself by singling out and thanking any one individual who assisted him in running the affairs of the Shule, and referred the meeting to those listed and thanked in the 50th Annual General Report distributed to all members prior to the meeting.
In his absence overseas for a family Simcha, the President wanted to record his thanks to the Rabbi, Mordechai Gutnick, for his moving tribute last Shabbos in Shule acknowledging his twelve year term as President of the Elwood Talmud Torah Congregation.
An e-mail received from the Rabbi was read out. It read:
“To the participants of the Annual General Meeting of the Elwood Talmud Torah Congregation – 5769/2009.
Please accept our apologies for not attending the AGM as we are currently attending a family simcha in Canada.
Both the Rebbetzin and I would like to take the opportunity of sincerely congratulating and thanking each member of the outgoing Executive Committee and Board of Management for the dedicated work they have carried out in administering the affairs of our Congregation.
In particular I would like to single out the efforts and contribution of our outgoing President Mr. Fred Antman. I had the opportunity of addressing and thanking Mr Antman this Past Shabbos in Shule but I would like to reiterate those sentiments via this note to the AGM. Although Mr Antman initially reluctantly took on the role as President some 12 years ago in response to my late father’s urging he served during those years with distinction. I extend a blessing to him that he and his wife now be rewarded with good health and nachos from children and grandchildren.
To the incoming Committee I extend blessings of success. The Rebbetzin and I look forward with you for the betterment and continued strengthening of all our activities.
May the community go from strength to strength in maintaining the wonderful historical traditions of our congregation.
With blessings,
Rabbi Mordechai Gutnick.”
The President continued by saying that he has served this Synagogue for some 22 years, 10 years as Vice President and 12 years as President. While he considered leading the Congregation an honour and a pleasure, he said that it has been a very long journey and the time has come to step aside and make room for a younger new leader and a younger new administration.
The outgoing President went on to say that no President who preceded him (whether it was Mr Gandel, Mr Lawrence, Mr Slonim, Mr Frankel, Mr Roth or Mr Rosenkranz had to deal with the many difficult issues he had to address during his 12 year Presidency. These issues included the resignation of a long standing Rabbi, (Rabbi Chaim Gutnick who served the Congregation for 46 years); the appointment of a new Rabbi; the illness and passing of our long serving Chazan, Chazan Levy; formulating the long drawn out terms of a lease with the Shule’s tenant – Yesodei HaTorah College; and the presentation of a new constitution to replace the ancient one currently in operation.
He again thanked the Shule Executive and Board and Secretary and made the point that no leader can succeed unless he has a good team around him, and it was the supportive team that assisted the president in dealing with the many important issues that needed resolving. He also said how proud he was of his many achievements and the time spent serving and representing the Synagogue in the general community at large. His greatest achievement he claimed was serving for 12 years without a whiff of any scandal associated with the Elwood Shule.
He said he was handing over the affairs of the Shule in a good and financially stable state and with many simchas being celebrated at Elwood. He wished the incoming President, whoever it is, much success and to follow the path set for him and maintain the Shule’s popularity and that it should go from strength to strength. He counselled that the new President should be cognisant of the Shule’s history, and the fact that the Post War Shule’s growth was based on the foundations laid by the many Holocaust survivors who were attracted to the Shule by the late great Rabbi Chaim Gutnick.
The position of President, he advised, required sacrifice, diplomacy and dedication in order that the Shule shall flourish and be sustainable in these difficult times.
The outgoing President, Fred Antman, closed on an emotional front saying he felt as if he was saying “goodbye” to a dear family member and thanked his Elwood friends who made his life as President here so enjoyable.
He closed his address by calling on everyone to sing the Hatikva as a symbol of allegiance with our “brothers and sisters” living in the modern State of Israel.
Shmuel Rosenkranz, as Chairman and immediate Past President, extended a generous vote of thanks to Fred (Antman). His twelve years service as President is unprecedented and most probably will remain unsurpassed by any other Shule President. He went on to say that he led the Congregation as he leads his private life: with honesty, integrity, steadfastness, sacrifice, and passion for the State of Israel. On behalf of the Congregation he wished Fred continued involvement and counsel with Elwood and with other communal organizations with which he is involved.
Agenda Item 2: Treasurer’s Report
Bill Kornhauser remarked that it is 8 years since the last AGM and in that time with him as Treasurer there has always been a balanced budget. This has been effected even with the loss of revenue over the years from seat rentals.
Of all the monies expended on an annual basis, some 50 to 60% goes on wages to all staff, clerical and other.
The Shule’s finances are in a comfortable position with no debt and no overdrafts.
The current financial year (2008/09) will be tougher and harder to sustain a balanced budget.
In the short to immediate term, the Treasurer felt that the Shule’s expenditure focus should be on Shule activities, and youth activities.
The Treasurer pointed out that for the current year 2008/2009, Les Erdi, a most generous benefactor and Congregant, underwrote the refurbishment of the Shule after many years of neglect. (New toilets, ladies and gent’s were commissioned; new lighting was installed; a completely new heating and cooling system; a small caretaker’s apartment was built alongside the rear and side of the Shule; and the interior of the Shule Premises was painted.) The ramifications of these capital works paid for, for the most part, by the benefactor, means that capital works which otherwise would have to be undertaken by the Shule Board, in the immediate term have been delayed for some years to come (on those areas where refurbishment was undertaken).
Agenda Item 3: Constitution
The following resolution was distributed to all members prior to the meeting:
“That the current Constitution regulating the affairs of the Elwood Talmud Torah Congregation be abrogated/repealed and be replaced with a new constitution.”
(75% voting majority required).
The Honorary Secretary presented for discussion the draft of a new constitution to replace the old constitution which had not been reviewed or changed for over 40 years. Before he could outline the basic elements of the draft, and changes that have been introduced, a number of objections were raised from the floor that members had not had a chance to review the draft prior to the meeting. It was felt, and agreed by the Chairman, that members could not vote on acceptance (or rejection) of the document without first being sighted and carefully considered. The Chairman ruled that discussion on the draft constitution be held over to a later General Meeting to be held at a date which members will be so advised. In the interim, all Congregants will be able to view the draft constitution to be posted on the web site (or sent via e-mail).
Rachel Caplan asked from the floor that as a matter of record the new Constitution should have been circularised well before the meeting.
Agenda Item 4: Election of Office Bearers
Two nominations were received for President:
Jack Lipson
Alex Livshiz
The Chairman was questioned from the floor whether proxies would be accepted as valid votes for a particular candidate. The Chairman ruled that there was no legal obstacle for them not to be valid and acceptable. Indeed, it was pointed out that proxies were used in past Board elections and the same should apply here.
Three scrutineers were appointed from the floor of the meeting: Max Singer (Secretary); Robin Rosenblatt (Accounts Manger); and Henry Herzog (Shule attendee and non-Board member).
Two nominations were received by the Secretary for President:
Jack Lipson
Alex Livshiz
After three separate counting of the votes, a tie was declared with the exact same number of votes per candidate.
Both candidates, after some consideration agreed to act as co Presidents.
Three nominations were received for two positions as Vice Presidents:
Szoel Balbin
Zev Degen
Alex Haber
The two Vice Presidents appointed were Zev Degen, Szoel Balbin, with Alex Haber a very close third.
The current Treasurer, Bill Kornhauser, was appointed unopposed.
The current Honorary Secretary, Issy Lissek, was appointed unopposed.
(The above five appointees comprise the Shule Executive).
All remaining candidates (8 persons) who nominated for the Committee were appointed. They were:
Isaac Balbin
Reuven Cyprys
Shmuel Dovid Cyprys
Alex Haber
Mark Kuran
Mordechai Oyberman
Antony Prince
Peter Unger
Agenda Item 5: General Business which may properly be brought up.
Lease of premises to Yesodei HaTorah College
The following resolutions were put to the meeting:
- That the Annual General Meeting ratifies the existing tenancy to Yesodei HaTorah which commenced in 2001.
- That the Board of Management be authorised to negotiate a lease with Yesodei HaTorah in respect of the school building, kindergarten and playground and other areas of the Elwood Talmud Torah Congregation property to Yesodei HaTorah College upon terms and conditions which at the absolute discretion of the Board of Management considers fair and reasonable. That the President and/or Vice President be authorised to execute such lease document.
Both resolutions were passed with a clear majority (4 persons voted against the motion).
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