Committees

BSS Connect: Develops and plans ways to build relationships between members with the purpose of increasing engagement and building community. Welcomes new members. Activities include social, cultural, and Jewish holiday events.

Mission: Promotes BSS activities in order to build and strengthen relationships.  

Building/Grounds/Interior Design: Is responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of the synagogue building and grounds as well as making recommendations for the interior spaces of the building. This also includes our Green Team, which oversees the multiple gardens and sustainability of  our property.

Mission: Helps maintain and improve the property and the building for the congregation’s needs and uses, including planning for any future changes and additions. Responsible for making interior design decisions (furniture, art, embellishments, etc) that are consistent with and adhere to the integrity of the synagogue’s architecture and design.

Caring Committee: Members of the Bolton Street Synagogue Caring Committee support our congregants during times of happiness and difficulty. Providing meals for families with a new baby or to people recovering from medical treatments is just one example. The committee’s goal is to help!

Development and Fundraising: The committee creates and implements long- and short-term fundraising plans for the synagogue, including capital needs; the Annual Fund; commemorative gifts; fundraiser events; legacy and giving; and dues.

Mission: To provide financial stability through fundraising. 

  • Annual Fund: Creates and implements long-and short-term fundraising plans for capital needs, annual fund and endowment. Mission: Provides financial stability through fund raising
  • Investment Committee: This committee was established to review, monitor, and oversee the assets that the synagogue has invested. Mission: To achieve prudent growth of principal with the understanding that the synagogue’s portfolio will fluctuate with the capital markets over the shorter term period and a competitive total return consistent with historical capital market conditions and subject to risk tolerances, liquidity requirements, and established investment guidelines. 
  • Spring Fundraiser: This committee helps plan and execute our annual Spring Fundraiser that includes entertainment, food/drinks, sponsorship opportunities and a silent auction. Mission: Provides financial stability through fund raising and fun.

Executive: Comprised of the officers of the Board of Trustees, it evaluates professional staff and oversees all aspects of the Synagogue.

Mission: Provides guidance to the President and the synagogue leadership.

Finance: Oversees the financial stability of the congregation, including proposing an annual budget to the Board of Trustees and monitoring income and spending throughout the year.

Mission: Creates yearly budgets for Board approval; oversees investments and spending.

Governance and Leadership Development: Examines the governance structure, policies, and practices of the synagogue; develops and oversees a process for encouraging participation and growth of leaders as committee members, chairs and Board members. Committee responsibilities include annual review of BSS By-Laws and the Board of Trustees manual; development of the Board orientation process; support for the synagogue president, as needed, in planning the annual Board retreat; oversight of the process for committee chairs to do the annual review of committee mission statements; and statement of the roles and responsibilities for the various lay leaders.

Mission: To create a thoughtful approach to governance that brings current thinking and practices into our process. The committee gathers new perspectives from the URJ’s Tent and other journals or places that offer advice about governance. 

Initiative on Equity, Inclusion and Community: The synagogue supports the recent national initiative, “Not Free to Desist,” which is the product of inspired thinking and action from a small group of Jews of Color and asks Jewish organizations across the country “to not sit idly by when we see racial injustice before us.”

Mission: Consistent with our synagogue’s mission, which is “to be an inclusive Jewish home for the diverse Baltimore community engaging in spirituality, learning, and social justice.” The Initiative on Equity, Inclusion and Community committee has representatives from every synagogue committee and leadership. This will ensure that every aspect of the synagogue’s work includes thinking and programming to address inclusivity and the intersectional identities for all people, including Jews of Color and People of Color in general. 

Kehillah: Supports the education director, administrators, parents, teachers and students of the Bolton Street Synagogue Religious School.

Mission: To support the education director, administrators, parents, teachers and students of the Bolton Street Synagogue Religious School. Through monthly meetings held during religious school, Kehillah discusses and plans events, provides input to faculty, supports the Rabbi’s objectives, carries out the education director’s vision, and helps make the school experience both educationally enriching and enjoyable for all students. Kehillah also represents the interests of the parents and the school by advising the Board of Directors about school-related issues, including school policy, synagogue-wide events, the b’nai mitzvah process, views about staffing and curriculum, and issues related to children of all ages through high school.

Religious Culture: Works closely with the Rabbi  to enhance spirituality for the congregation, helps organize and coordinate services for Shabbat, High Holy Days, and other holidays. Promotes Jewish content and music in the observance of holidays and festivals and recommends religious policy and practice.

Mission: Promotes personal and communal involvement in services, celebrations and religious practices. Recommends policies and guidelines for the religious practices of the Synagogue.  Encourages the use of music and works to enhance congregants’ experience of many aspects of synagogue life with an emphasis on promoting congregant involvement.

Security: Works with other Jewish organizations and local advisors to understand the security needs of our congregation during synagogue related activities.

Mission: To assure awareness of possible risks and to take steps to create a safe and welcoming environment.

Social Action: Creates a forum for the congregation to discuss local, state, and national social and racial justice issues and engages the congregation in activities that address these throughout the Baltimore community. We are working on education funding, immigration rights, and systemic racism with community based organizations such as Jews United for Justice and BUILD.

Mission: Initiate social action projects which facilitate Bolton Street members becoming involved in tikkun olam in Baltimore City and the surrounding area. Periodically brings to the congregation’s attention issues and opportunities for social action relating to regional, national, or global problems.