Dear Moishe Kavod Community,

Due to Hurricane Earl, Gov. Patrick has had to reschedule his visit to Moishe/Kavod House until the following day, Monday, September 6th, at 2pm.

People who had already RSVP’ed to the event have first priority, but we believe we will now have an extra 15-20 spaces for folks who were unable to come Sunday.  If you would like to come, please RSVP asap.

Warm regards,
The Moishe Kavod House Residents and Board

Moishe/Kavod House is moving ahead with its election of board members for the coming year. See below for a timeline of the board election process.

Application:

If you wish to apply for a board position, please click here to submit your application online by September 24, 2010. Please keep in mind the board positions.

Board Position Descriptions:

Click here for descriptions of the 5 Board Positions (in addition to the 4 housemates, who will also sit on the board), which are President, Head of Membership, Communications Chair, Finance Chair and Development Chair.

Please contact elections@kavodhouse.com with any questions. Also, as outlined, below, members of the Current Board will be able to have 1:1 meetings with prospective applicants. If you would like to “nominate” someone to have a 1:1 about potential board membership, please contact elections@kavodhouse.com.

As a reminder, this is the timeline for how it will all go down:

• August 23: The Board Application will be posted to the Moishe Kavod Web site (http://www.kavodhouse.com/). It will be a Google form that you can complete directly online.
• September 24th: Deadline for applications. If you are interested in running for the Board, make sure you get your application submitted by this deadline!
• September 26th: Completed applications will be posted on the Moishe Kavod Web site for the community to view ahead of the election. This will be an early way for the voting members to get to know Board candidates ahead of the actual election
• September 26th-October 3rd: Early voting at the Moishe Kavod house will be available for all members unable to attend the election party on October 3rd. Paper ballots will be available at the house if you want to drop by and vote early.
• October 3rd: Moishe Kavod House Annual Kick-Off Non-BBQ and Board Election. All members are invited for a kick-off party for our upcoming year. There will be food, music, drinks and (of course) our first ever Board election. The actual election will be proceeded by a “meet the candidates” forum, which will serve as an opportunity to hear from those running from Board positions.

As a reminder, in order to run for the Board or vote in the election you have to be a member. Lucky thing that becoming a member is as easy as completing this form on the Web site (http://www.kavodhouse.com/resources/membership/) and putting a little (very little) skin in the game in the form of your membership donation ($36-$50).

In an attempt to keep our members and friends better connected to the events at organizations we consider to be *allies,* we are transitioning away from our old model of a very loong community allies page to a lovely new Community Allies Calendar in Google Calendar format found here.

note: you can add it to your own google calendar by clicking on the word Google in the bottom right corner.

If you’d like to submit an event for the calendar, please email it to moishehouseboston@gmail.com.

If you’d like permission to add events to the calendar directly, please email aliza.wasserman@gmail.com.

If you would like to donate, please consider giving to one of the organizations listed below.

If you are looking for news of friends and family in Haiti – you can contact the International Red Cross – they have set up a database with news on individuals in Haiti – you can find the information on their website: www.redcross.org.

Massachusetts is in the process of mobilizing relief efforts. If you have emergency training, and would like to volunteer, please call 211, and the State officials will collect your information.

The City of Boston has opened a center for those in need of counseling or assistance – please see the fact sheet from the City of Boston, listed below, or online at www.cityofboston.org:

Last night Wednesday night 1/13, there was an emergency community meeting at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross. If you are looking to volunteer, congregations, communities, and campuses are invited to furnish volunteers to support Hatian American families affected by the earthquake in Haiti.

The Boston Referral and Support Center will operate from 9 AM to 9 PM on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The Referral and Support Center is located at the SEIU Local 1199 Bayside Office Center, 150 Mt. Vernon Street, Dorchester (next to the JFK stop on the Red line). They can use assistance in numerous ways (i.e. greeters, interpreters, grief counseling support, etc.,) during the center hours. Clergy, chaplains, and pastoral caregivers welcome. If possible email Ms. George-Marie Jasmin , to let her know the date, times you are available and how you would like to assist.

We will also be organizing volunteers, donations, and other support for our beloved Haitian and Haitian American neighbors, including member congregation New Covenant Church of Cambridge, located in Waltham. There will be a community meeting this Sunday at New Covenant Church, located at 527 Main St. in Waltham, at 6:00. New Covenant has a significant Haitian American population and was founded by Rev. Thomas and Esther Saint-Louis. Please come to see how you might offer your support.

We are in conversation with leaders in the Haitian-American community here in Boston to determine how best to support them in this time of need. As we have more information, we will share it with you, by enews and on our website, www.coopmet.org.

In the meantime, we ask you to pray for our sisters and brothers in Haiti and here in Boston, and please consider making a donation to one of the groups listed below.

Wishing you peace,

Alexander Levering Kern
Executive Director
Cooperative Metropolitan Ministries
474 Centre St.
Newton, MA 02458
akern@coopmet.org 617-455-5323

Local and Faith Based Organizations at work in Haiti

- Partners In Health – www.pih.org. PIH is already established in Haiti and has begun providing emergency health services

- International Red Cross: http://www.redcross.org/ or donate $10 to be charged to your cell phone bill by texting “HAITI” to “90999.”

- Catholic Relief Services: www.csr.org

- American Jewish Committee (IsraAID) – www.ajc.org/haitifund. The AJC has established a Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund to support IsraAID -100% of your donation goes directly to help relief efforts in Haiti. IsraAID has already dispatched a 12 person team to the region.

- Church World Service- You can donate to CWS’s emergency relief fund at www.churchworldservice.org.

CITY OF BOSTON MASSACHUSETTS
OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
THOMAS M. MENINO

Do you need help locating family members in Haiti?
The State Department Operations Center has set up the following number for individuals seeking information about family members living in Haiti: 1-888-407-4747. Press zero (0) to speak to a customer service representative.
The White House is also directing people to www.whitehouse.gov for general information about the earthquake and relief efforts in Haiti.

Are you looking for a way to help?
The immediate need is for money that can be used by an established relief organization to best aid victims of the devastating earthquake. Visit www.interaction.org to get a list of credible responding organizations for international emergencies. Reputable organizations include:
- Partners in Health: www.pih.org
- International Red Cross: http://www.redcross.org/ or donate $10 to be charged to your cell phone bill by texting “HAITI” to “90999.”
- Catholic Relief Services: www.csr.org
- Mayor Thomas M. Menino has also established a Haitian Family Relief Fund at Bank of America where residents can make donations to support relief efforts for families in Boston who are affected by the earthquake. Donations can be made by via the Fund for Boston Neighborhoods at Bank of American branches or Boston City Hall.

Do you need additional assistance?
Mayor Thomas M. Menino, along with local elected officials, SEIU Local 1199, area hospitals and health centers, city departments, and community organizations will open a Referral and Support Center at the 1199 SEIU Bayside Office Center located at 150 Mt. Vernon St., Dorchester (next to the JFK redline station). The Center will operate from 9 AM until 9 PM, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and will offer phone lines and computer access to help in locating family and friends in Haiti. Translators will be available along with counseling support and assistance linking to needed services.

Tips for taking care of yourself and your family during these difficult times
● Support each other. Parents and caregivers should take time to talk together and find ways to meet each other’s needs.
● Monitor adult conversations. Be aware of what adults are saying about the earthquake or the damage. Children listen to adults’ conversations and may misinterpret what they hear, becoming unnecessarily frightened.
● Limit media exposure. Protect your child from too many images and descriptions of the earthquake, including those on television, on the Internet, on radio, and in the newspaper.
● Reassure children that they are safe.
● Take care of yourself physically. Eat healthily, get enough sleep, drink plenty of water, and get proper medical care.

The IJSO has a resources including lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender inclusion guides, major Jewish denominational resolutions on LGBT issues, news, organizational listings and more.  On the Jeff Herman Virtual Resource Center tab of the website, there are hundreds of resources about marriage, parenting, coming out, liturgy, and halacha.

Its mission is to achieve the complete inclusion and welcoming of LGBT Jews in communities and congregations.  Based at Hebrew Union College-JIR, they maintain the largest online resource center on the intersection of Judaism, sexual orientation and gender identity. (www.huc.edu/ijso)

*Please not that while all are welcomed to attend, only registered members can vote. However, it’s not too late to become a member. We’ll have blank membership forms available at the door. All you’ll need is your checkbook and a pen! In addition, please note our upcoming Newcomers Shabbat (9/11/09), which will be particularly geared towards welcoming folks new to the community. 

Here is a quick how-to on composting at Kavod House:
WHEN TO COMPOST?

* Events at Kavod House
* Living at Kavod House
* If you don’t live at Kavod, we encourage you to get your own compost bin  (ours fills up very quickly!). You can support your local shop and buy a compost bin for only $50 at the Boston Building Materials Co-op in Roxbury. http://www.bbmc.com/bbmc/prod_green.html

WHAT TO COMPOST?

!!!   YES   !!!

* plant cuttings
* fruit scaps
* vegetable scraps
* bread & grains
* coffee grounds
* tea bags
* egg shells
* old potting soil
* food-soiled paper (napkins, paper towels)

xxx   NO   xxx

* dairy products
* fats or oils
* fish scraps
* meat scraps
* grease
* charcoal ash
* non-organic materials

HOW TO MAINTAIN?

* Take out Tupperware when full or at least every three days
* Clean Tupperware every few weeks by putting in dishwasher
* For problems, see troubleshooting tips below.

TROUBLESHOOTING TIPS:

When the pile smells…

1. Mix pile using shovel to aerate
2. Add brown matter in small pieces such as dry leaves or torn-up paper bag

When the pile isn’t turning from plant matter to compost/isn’t getting smaller…

1. Mix pile using shovel to aerate and water when mixing the pile
2. Add green matter in small pieces such as greens or kitchen scraps

Here is a quick how-to on composting at Kavod House:

WHEN TO COMPOST?

• Events at Kavod House
• Living at Kavod House
• If you don’t live at Kavod, we encourage you to get your own compost bin  (ours fills up very quickly!). You can support your local shop and buy a compost bin for only $50 at the Boston Building Materials Co-op in Roxbury. http://www.bbmc.com/bbmc/prod_green.html

WHAT TO COMPOST?

!!!   YES   !!!

• plant cuttings
• fruit scaps
• vegetable scraps
• bread & grains
• coffee grounds
• tea bags
• egg shells
• old potting soil
• food-soiled paper (napkins, paper towels)

xxx   NO   xxx

• dairy products
• fats or oils
• fish scraps
• meat scraps
• grease
• charcoal ash
• non-organic materials

HOW TO MAINTAIN?

• Take out Tupperware when full or at least every three days
• Clean Tupperware every few weeks by putting in dishwasher
• For problems, see troubleshooting tips below.

TROUBLESHOOTING TIPS:

When the pile smells…

1. Mix pile using shovel to aerate
2. Add brown matter in small pieces such as dry leaves or torn-up paper bag

When the pile isn’t turning from plant matter to compost/isn’t getting smaller…

1. Mix pile using shovel to aerate and water when mixing the pile
2. Add green matter in small pieces such as greens or kitchen scraps