CHANTAL ABITBOL

BONDI Mizrachi Synagogue’s board has quashed reports that the shul’s future is under threat after its president recently resigned.

In an email to members on December 21, the board confirmed that its president, Mark Schneider, has resigned because of “personal reasons”.

This caps a tumultuous 2009 for the congregation, which saw it cut ties with its longstanding rabbi, Moshe Gutnick, resulting in a lengthy court cattle and an $800,000 payout over 15 years.

Meanwhile, the shul continues to battle a dwindling membership and was forced to adjourn its annual general meeting in November because its financial report wasn’t ready for presentation to members.

But despite these setbacks, acting president Miriam Rosenman asserted the synagogue is “in better shape than it has been for a very long time”.

“We are cash positive and are working hard with great success to rebuild what had been a shul close to liquidation and with little hope for the future,” Rosenman told The AJN.

The shul’s accounts are currently with the auditors, she added, and would be made public at the rescheduled annual general meeting in February.

For now, the board is also taking steps to bolster numbers by joining forces with the Or Chadash congregation for Friday night services, with nusach (prayer text) swapping each week.

Some members, however, remain sceptical.

“[The joint service] is a sure sign that they’re having trouble attracting people to make a minyan on a Friday night,” said long-time member Dr Ron Weiser.

He also feels the board hasn’t been totally up-front with its members.

“I’d like to know why the president resigned and see a specific date when we’ll see the books. I’d also like to know when the board is actually going to communicate real information with its members. It makes all these decisions without reference to the members,” he said.