XXX Meeting to discuss the Board's failure to renew the Rabbi's contract

My family and I have been shocked by the seemingly sudden and abrupt way the Board decided not to renew Rabbi Heyn's contract. The lack of transparency is anathema to a harmonious community, which is what we had found here. Our son was bar mitzvahed last year, thanks entirely to both Karen Susman and Rabbi Heyn. We believe the Rabbi is an asset to TI and if the Board feels otherwise, the Board needs to hold open meetings before a sea-change of this kind. We ask that if there are serious reasons for his dismissal, as with Karen Susman, we should know what they are. If there are none so egregious, we respectfully ask the Board to reconsider this decision. Otherwise we will be forced to go elsewhere, sadly.

I am so deeply disappointed to see the board declining to keep another Rabbi with whom My family has bonded and come to trust and rely on. It was hard for us when Rabbi Jody left to open our hearts fully to Rabbi Tom. But over time we did, thanks to his warm manner, his Commitment to social justice and inclusivity. The fact that once again the Temple is looking to greener pastures makes me question the vision and strategy of the leadership. We still remember the debacle at the end of the end of the ECC. We hoped the Temple was turning a page toward more stability. We have strongly supported Rabbi Tom's personal touch at the religious school as well as his vision to have the Temple engage with the local and global community even on tough and challenging issues.

Although I already signed realize that the required signature number has been met, I would like to offer my support by attending the Annual Meeting. I do understand that there will be no discussion at that time. However, I do plan to be there.

Dear Temple Israel Friends, I am sending this message because you signed an online petition requesting that a Special Meeting be called to discuss the renewal of my contract. Thank you for your concern and good wishes. Because the required number of signatures (25) was reached, a Special Meeting is in the process of being scheduled. It will be at that time when a discussion on this issue can take place. THE ANNUAL MEETING THIS FRIDAY (JUNE 23) WILL NOT BE THE TIME TO DISCUSS THIS ISSUE. PLEASE HONOR THIS REQUEST. The gates to the Brown Patio will open a little while before 6:00pm and the dinner will start around 6:10pm. There is no need to come much earlier than that. The Annual Meeting will take place as usual with the prepared agenda, reports will be given and a vote will take place on the current slate of Officers to serve on the Board of Directors. The meeting will be adjourned and our Kabbalat Shabbat service featuring the 2nd Avenue Jewish Chorale will begin promptly at 7:30pm. AGAIN I REPEAT, THERE IS NO NEED FOR ANY DISCUSSIONS, DEBATES OR DISTURBANCES REGARDING RABBIS OR CONTRACTS. I WILL ONLY REQUEST THAT SUCH DISCUSSION TAKE PLACE AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME. Thank you for honoring my request and, in doing so, honoring me. Best, R’ Tom

We, the Timinsky family, a third generation of proud members and supporters of Temple Israel, desire Rabbi Heyn to retain his position as the Rabbi of Temple Israel. As so many members have said in their posts herein, “…Rabbi Heyn is an excellent Rabbi and an asset both to our temple and our community”. We fully agree and thus to the Board of Trustees, we, the Timinsky family say, “please renew Rabbi Heyn’s contract”.

I agree that Rabbi Heyn should stay.

He has exhibited all the leadership skills for a modern rabbi in a changing urban setting.

Rabbi Heyn is such an inspiration to many at Temple Israel and through out our community. He has displayed some of the most valuable attributes of a leader such as vision, focus and a clear sense of direction for the temple. Rabbi Tom has through his example reminded many of us of values such as loving kindness, respect for one another and servant leadership. He is an amazing Rabbi!

R Tom Moshe's support of community makes Temple Israel a center for community unity

I sent the President of the Temple the following email last evening, and followed up with a "truing up" email this morning: Dear Howard: My wife and I are members of Temple Israel of Greater Miami. We are among the many signators of an online petition, entitled "Meeting to discuss the Board's failure to renew the Rabbi's contract," located at https://www.ipetitions.com/petition/meeting-to-discuss-rabbi-heyns-contract. The text of the petition is as follows: Pursuant to Article 10, section 2 of the By-Laws of Temple Israel of Greater Miami, Inc.,the following members of Temple Israel of Greater Miami request that the Board of Trustees immediately convoke a Special Congregational Meeting to discuss the recent decision of the Board of Trustees not to renew the contract of Rabbi Heyn, including any procedural irregularities in respect of that decision. While we respect the Board's authority in this matter, we believe that a full congregation-wide discussion would be healthy and helpful. By means of this email, this petition is formally sent to you as President under Article 10, section 2 of the Temple’s By-Laws. I can faithfully represent that among the 68 signators (it appears that one person signed twice) who have signed at the time I am sending this email there are at least 25 Members of the Temple. Under Article 10, section 2 , "Special Meetings of the Membership shall be called by the President at either the President's own initiative or at the request of a majority of the Board or at the written request of twenty-five (25) Members of the Congregation,” and, under Article 10, section 3, “[n]otice of Special Meetings shall be provided to the Congregation at least ten (10) days prior to the Meeting and shall set forth the purpose of the meeting." Given that the annual congregation meeting is going to be held this Friday evening, it would seem to me, speaking as only one member, that the request for a special meeting would be satisfied if, as the

I look forward to a constructive and respectful dialogue.

Please reconsider and renew Rabbi Heyn's contract. All my friends and I hold him in high regard - as a Rabbi, an orator, a leader and a mentsh. It would be a great disservice to everyone who attends Temple Israel if he were to leave.

Please reconsider and sign a new contract for Rabbi Heyn

We will attend the meeting in Friday.

Tom is a terrific rabbi. He is a decent speaker, is available, caring, and he can sing!

Please reconsider decision regarding Rabbi Heyn.

On behalf of our mother, Betsy Kaplan, who was a member of Temple Israel from 1953 until her death earlier this year. She really appreciated rabbi Heyn's attention to the congregation, and to her during her illness, and his perspective at services. We, her children, respect the rabbi and felt he was kind and caring to our mom throughout his time at the temple. We were surprised to learn his contract was not renewed and would support a full congregation discussion of this. Thanks

Our family has attended the Hebrew School for the last two years. We were disappointed to hear that the Rabbi would not be returning after his current contract. Rabbi Heyn is a big part of why we treasure Temple Israel. Rabbi Heyn has always been everything we expect in a Rabbi and we hope to have him with Temple Israel for many years to come.

From our personal experience we were happy with Rabbi Tom and would like him to stay. The children respect him and they are the future of Temple Israel. He is approachable and enthusiastic when he has conducted fun Jewish events with the children and happy to explain the deeper meaning in an age appropriate manner. He sang and said prayers with them during holidays and had a presence at Sunday Tefilah and for us this is above and beyond.

I am with you. Unfortunately I am in New York for the summer and won't be able to join you on June 23rd. Hopefully you will have better luck than we had when we wanted to speak at the last special Board meeting but were barred from entering the Temple. There was a total lack of transparency and underhandedness with this vote, and this is not the sort of temple I want to be part of. You have my full suppuration this matter.