The Board of Trustees consists of eight officers, the chairs of the Religious Activities (or Ritual), Youth and Ways & Means Committees and nine additional trustees elected by a simple majority of the congregants. Representatives of Sisterhood and Brotherhood also sit on the Board as does the chair of the School Committee. Officers serve for one year, with a maximum of three years in any one position, and the Trustees are elected for staggered terms of three years each. Past Presidents also have the right to be on the Board of Trustees. Trustees who are not officers typically become heads of committees or otherwise are given specific responsibilities. The Rabbi or the Cantor usually attend board meetings and the Educational Director also makes presentations to the Board from time to time as do other chairs of committees. Board meetings are open to congregants except when financial matters with respect to specific congregants are discussed, and minutes of Board meetings are available in the Temple Office. The Temple's Bulletin has the regular meeting dates.
The President is the lay "CEO" of the congregation with all the responsibilities that such role entails. The President usually is the first person people call to get things accomplished or to offer feedback; this officer chairs the congregational meetings.
The First or Executive Vice President is more like the chief operating officer of the congregation, focusing on administration. This officer chairs Board meetings, is responsible for oversight of any Constitutional Revision Committee and generally tries to do whatever the President asks.
The Second Vice President is popularly known as the Educational VP. This officer is responsible for adult programming oversight as well as oversight of the Religious Activities, School, Youth and Social Action Committees.
The Third (or Financial) Vice President is responsible primarily for financial matters, including oversight of the Ways & Means, Financial Advisory and Building & Grounds Committees. At this time, this officer and these committees are very involved with our capital campaign and renovations.
The Fourth (or Membership) Vice President oversees our membership activities, the Bulletin, public relations and our Benevolent Association.
Other positions elected by the congregation are the Treasurer, the Recording Secretary, the Financial Secretary (responsible for dues relief), the chairs of the Religious Activities, Ways & Means (fundraising!) and Youth Committees. The representatives of Sisterhood and Brotherhood are selected by those organizations, and the chair of the School Committee is elected by the members of that committee.