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Policies for the New Building

Approved by the Board, February 25, 2001

Smoking: There is no smoking in our building. A smoking area is available on the loading dock outside the kitchen. This area is covered and partly sheltered from wind and rain.

Meetings, classes and general programs: The building may be used for meetings, classes and general programs during the day or evening Sunday through Thursday.

Committee Responsibilities: Committees will be responsible for their own set up and clean up for meetings held in the building. For evening meetings that are outside the days during which there is janitorial service, committee chairs must arrange to obtain a building key and take responsibility for locking the building and activating the security system.

Scheduling: Sheila Feldman, our executive director, will oversee space scheduling and assignments. Contact Sheila to make room reservations and arrangements, tel: 301-767-3333 X107 email: Sheila directly.

Friday evening programs: In Calendar year 2002/03, Friday evening services are held twice a month. First Fridays are family Shabbat services. Third Fridays are Shabbat Slam service. Other Friday evening uses (should) MAY be held for groups expected to be too large to be accommodated in a member's home. To rationalize use on Friday evenings, our executive director will work with committees to schedule compatible groups for the same evening.

Saturday evening programs: Committees are urged to reserve space for major programs well in advance. Families SCHEDULED TO HAVE A B'NAI MITZVAH have 45 days following the assignment of their dates to reserve the social hall for their simcha. Non-members may rent space if the date is not otherwise scheduled for a community event or a member simcha.

Food and the Sanctuary: Aside from breast or bottle-feeding of infants and young children, only ritual food is allowed in the sanctuary. Ritual food includes 1) Wine for Kiddush, to be consumed on the bimah only by the person saying the Kiddush or, at a wedding, the bride and groom. Wine used in the sanctuary must be WHITE. 2) Challah for motzi, to be consumed by the person saying motzi. 3) Wrapped candy thrown at an aufruf.

Food and the Parenting Room: Parents may feed young children snacks in the parenting room located in the back of the sanctuary.

Property Donations — Art, Furniture and Equipment: Adat Shalom understands that many generous people wish to donate items to the synagogue. While we very much appreciate peoples’ desires to contribute, we would like to make everyone aware that not all items fit into the decor of our building and the donation may not be accepted for various reasons. Our storage facilities are extremely limited. We cannot store donations that are to remain unused.

Donation Guidelines:

  1. Adat Shalom can accept only the items we deem fully functional, needed, attractive and compatible with our decor. In most cases, items should be new, or nearly new, unless the age lends additional value to such item.
  2. The Land and Building Committee, in consultation with the Executive Director, will make decisions about donations.
  3. Although the Committee might accept an item, it may later not be used it if it does not meet Adat Shalom’s ongoing needs. The Congregation may dispose of the item as it sees fit at a later time; while the donor may be given the opportunity to retake the item, notice is not guaranteed. Please arrange for inspection by a Committee member before delivery of the donation.
  4. In most cases, the donor should arrange for delivery of the donation to the building.
  5. For the purposes for tax deductions, donors are asked to provide their own documentation of the value of the donation. The synagogue will document that the donation was received
  6. Please understand that rejection of an item is based upon many factors. It should not be interpreted as a reflection on the item or on the goodwill of the intended donor.