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11727 Barrington Court, Suite 205, Los Angeles, CA
90049
Phone: (310) 472-3500 • Email:
sftpa@verizon.net • Fax: (310) 471-0721
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PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE... |
Dear
Friends,
34 years ago I received a telephone call one evening from my
good friend Charlie Powell. Would I…we, Cookie and me…come to a
meeting at his home to discuss an idea? We did. That idea was
the SFTPA. It was Charlie’s dream that we found a synagogue to
serve the many hundreds of people who had either drifted from
their roots, who had moved west from their eastern beginnings
and had not yet regrouped religiously, and finally for those in
the entertainment industry who for lack of a better description
could not afford the upscale synagogues prevalent in LA. But we remain the original. We remain the founders of this idea and the concept that religion should not be restrictive but be open to anyone who wishes to worship in an atmosphere of camaraderie and companionship. In the early days of our existence, we did what we had to do to stay financially viable and alive. We thrived on our ability to do things with a volunteer army. We had venues that moved about the city. We had prayer books that we wrote and printed ourselves. We had people who followed us and became part of the dream. We were the first of the entertainment synagogues, and we have thru the years maintained our integrity and direction unfailingly. That dream is still very much alive. I have known many of you for many years it seems, since this synagogue began and it is now this year that I have become the president of the SFTPA. It is an awesome position and I realize more than ever that this synagogue is an awesome organization. We have been fortunate to have found Rabbi Joseph Telushkin to be our leader and to have Judy Fox as our Cantor. I cannot think of any synagogue anywhere being as blessed as we are to have this incredible spiritual leadership. We have the best Board of Directors right now that we have had in all the years I have been a member of this synagogue and served on its boards. They are hardworking and smart and creative and supportive. They still volunteer their time and energy to make it work. We have accomplished a lot, we have done many things for our members, nights at the Hollywood Bowl, wine tastings, baseball games, Seders, holiday celebrations. Though we have often said we are not a full service synagogue, we are. We do provide life cycle service whenever it is needed. We do watch and take care of the needs of our congregation. We have above all maintained our original objective which was an essential part of the dream, not to burden our members with impossible expenses like building funds and high dues. That’s a promise we made when we began, and we keep it to this day. And yet there is a need we do face. With all the riches we have spiritually, we are lacking materially. We are not a wealthy synagogue. We have lived hand to mouth since our founding. We have no endowment. All of our activities are either free (like Shabbat Services) or at cost and for fun like the baseball games and concerts, or they are charitable like the Yom Kippur food drive. We periodically face great problems keeping this ship afloat, and it is only you who can make the difference in what we do to keep this sweet entity we have created alive and well. Our only sources of revenue are our annual membership dues, and High Holy Day ticket sales. These means alone cannot do it and we know –- for many -- we cannot raise the dues. The dream sometimes needs a bit of assurance from you that it remains alive and well. That is why we make this appeal and why it is so important that you respond. We need your contribution not to build or buy a building or to fund an endowment—or even to buy a theater-- but simply to continue to do what we do. We know that some can help more than others and can see their way to keeping us alive and well. If you understand how organizations like ours are financed, you know that dues alone cannot make it happen. And so we must appeal to those who can, to help us. We come to you when we have problems because it isn’t just the board who has the problem, it is all of us. We come to you now because we are gathered here for a common purpose that annually brings us together and we can talk to one another. Your being here is testimony to your caring for the life and survival of this synagogue and what it stands for. Your being here makes you a member of SFTPA family and that family must stand together as all families stand together. We ask your help. We ask that you make us feel your presence, your sense of belonging. Of family. Last week Rabbi Telushkin in his sermon, said that we all have the ability to be angels. That an angel can help others and it is within each of us to be an angel. In our world of entertainment, we also have angels. They are the ones who underwrite and finance shows and productions. We are in need of some angelic assistance, and we look to you to be our financial angels. In your prayer books this evening is an envelope. Please take it with you, and please think about how you can help. This year more than ever we need your financial help to keep this ship of ours…our ark -- if you will-- afloat. It is never easy to ask for help. Trust me is it most difficult to do so. But it IS necessary and when it is, we reluctantly must ask. If you can help this year with a financial contribution we would be grateful. We want this dream to go on and grow. We need each of you to become a part of it. We know you have many places for your charitable dollars. We ask that you add us to your list in whatever way you can. If you can, we will be most grateful to you. We love you for being here and being part of this spiritual and religious adventure. Thank You. _________________________________________________________ If you would like to make a tax deductible contribution to the Synagogue For The Performing Arts, a 501C3, you may send to the address above, or click the link the link below. Your generosity is most appreciated! |
Dara Pettinato, web design: sftpa@verizon.net