August 14, 2009

Dear Fellow Congregants,

Last year, for the first time, Temple president, Jay Friedman, moved up the High Holiday Appeal to have it occur prior to the first night of Rosh Hashanah. Rather than have our first communication from the bimah on the High Holidays be a request for donations, we were able to take care of this business through a letter campaign beforehand. This was a wonderful change, which we would like to try again this year.

Help us to keep the focus of the High Holidays on our own spiritual, religious and family customs. Recognizing that the economy is down, we urge those of you who can contribute to the Appeal to do so. Contributions of any size will gratefully be accepted. Participation is key. But if you can give a little more this year to balance out those for whom the economy has made contributing large amounts more difficult, we ask that you do so.

Your generous response to our Appeal helps us deliver exceptional services and programs. With your participation, Shir Hadash can continue to provide support for our member families through key events in our lives: from a Brit Milah or baby naming, to religious studies and B'nai Mitzvah, youth groups, weddings and weekly worship services. We also provide adult learning, career counseling and other support for someone who needs a job, senior programs; and pastoral care for the sick, the bereaved, and their families.

We are all very proud to see how our clergy, staff and members support those in the general community in which we live as well. Our congregation is regularly praised both inside and outside the Jewish community for the good work we do. We inform and provide health care options for needy families at in our annual Health Fair. We fill a community need by donating backpacks for children from pre-K through high school and delivering them to Next Door Solutions. We provide and serve meals at the Sunnyvale Armory. This year we will offer the area another service - a pre-school education enriched by Jewish culture but open to the entire community. These are just a few ways that we support the external community.

Our goal for the Appeal this year is to raise $36,000 by September 14th. If every family donated on average $108, we would exceed this goal. Some members may be able to offer just a few dollars and others may donate many times more than $108. We know that unemployment is up in our immediate community, in our county, state and country. Many who would like to give at their usual amount or for the first time may find it difficult to do so this year. We ask that you participate at whatever level that you can afford. If you have had a good year recently or in the past and you can afford to be a little more generous in responding to this Appeal, we urge you to do so. When the need is greatest, those who can rise to the occasion should do so. But any amount will be greatly appreciated if it is what you can give. So please contribute what you can. By participating at any level, you show your support for the community that you have helped to establish.

We have a wonderful, growing congregation undergoing many changes. Our construction is almost complete with new facilities to use for the interesting and diverse services and programs that make us the stimulating, warm and welcoming congregation where people make meaningful connections with other people. Your contributions help us maintain and evolve a community in which we can practice our faith, and help to build a better world, one blessed with peace and good deeds.

Shana Tovah

Rich Pickard
President