January 10, 2017

The following chaverim were in attendance or on the conference call: Daniel Alter, Shalom Baum, Gedalyah Berger, Jack Bieler, Binyamin Blau, Nasanayl Braun, Michael Davies, Mark Dratch, Pini Dunner, Ira Ebbin, David Fine, Arie Folger, Daniel Friedman, Aaron Glatt, Seth Grauer, Shlomo Hochberg, Jerold Isenberg, Doniel Kramer, Elly Krimsky, Aaron Leibtag, Uriel Lubetski, Chaim Marder, Leonard Matanky, Elazar Muskin, Yehuda Oppenheimer, Mitchell Rocklin, Tsvi Schur, Yerachmiel Seplowitz, Yechiel Shaffer, Evan Shore, Adam Starr, Chaim Strauchler, Gil Student, Eliyahu Teitz, Kalman Topp, Elie Weinstock, Shlomo Weissmann, Michael Whitman, David Wilensky, and Howard Zack.

January 10, 2017 Executive Committee Minutes

At a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Rabbinical Council of America, held in person at the RCA office, 305 Seventh Ave., 12th Floor, New York, NY, and by conference call, on Tuesday, January 10, 2017, President Shalom Baum in the chair, and Mark Dratch acting on behalf of the secretary, the following items

were decided: Shalom Baum shared a Devar Torah. Following a presentation of the proposed budget by Eliyahu Teitz, chair of the Budget Committee, a motion to accept the 2017 budget was approved with one dissent. A discussion of ways to increase revenue and to maintain responsible spending, with the goal of ultimately adopting a balanced budget, ensued.
Shalom Baum announced that due to budget constraints Barry Kornblau, presently Director of Member Services, who has served in a variety of capacities in the RCA since 2005, will end his employment at the RCA. Baum thanked Kornblau for his years of dedicated service and important contributions to the RCA.

Shalom Baum announced the appointment of an ad hoc committee consisting of Elazar Muskin, Mark Dratch, and a member of the 2016 Election Committee, to review suggestions for improving election procedures and to bring recommendations to the Executive Committee. A motion to name Ms. Betty Ehrenberg as chair of the RCA Compliance Committee was approved. A motion to name Michael Whitman as chair of the Semicha Standards Committee and to appoint Joel Landau to that committee was approved. Binny Blau, outgoing chair of the committee, was thanked for his service.