March 14, 2012

The following chaverim were in attendance or on the conference call: Nasanayl Braun, Daniel Cohen, Ira Ebbin, Zvi Engel, Joel Finkelstein, Dov Fischer, Shmuel Goldin, Avrohom Gordimer, Shlomo Grafstein, Simcha Green, Rafael Grossman, Barry Hartman, Basil Herring, Shmuel Jablon, Benjamin Kelsen, Moshe Kletenik, Sam Klibanoff, Barry Kornblau, Doniel Kramer, Elly Krimsky, Akiva Males, Chaim Marder, Leonard Matanky, Aryeh Oberstein, Yehuda Oppenheimer, Ari Perl, Mitchell Rocklin, Yerachmiel Seplowitz, Ze’ev Smason, Ari Sytner, Eliyahu Teitz, Etan Tokayer, Elie Weinstock, Richard Weiss, Shlomo Weissman, Michael Whitman, Daniel Yolkut, Michoel ZylbermanThe following minutes were approved at the August 7th, 2012 meeting of the Executive Committee:At a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Rabbinical Council of America, held at the RCA office on Wednesday, March 14, 2012, the President, Shmuel Goldin in the chair, and Barry Kornblau acting on behalf of the secretary, the following items were decided:

1. A motion to accept the minutes of the January, 2012, meeting passed unanimously.
2. A motion to accept the application of new members David Asher (Richmond, VA), Noah Cheses (New Haven, CT), Daniel Cooper (Far Rockaway, NY), Eli Eleff (New York, NY), Seth Farber (Raanana, Israel), Moshe Feifer (Efrat, Israel), Hillel Fox (Jerusalem, Israel), Nosson Rich (Teaneck, NJ), Menachem Schrader (Efrat, Israel), Yosef Yitzchok Sputz, (Montreal, QC), Moshe Stavsky (Bergenfield, NJ), and Tzvi Sytner (White Plains, NY) passed nearly unanimously, with 2 abstentions.
3. A motion to approve parsonage allowances for RCA rabbinic employees (Basil Herring, Barry Kornblau, and Michoel Zylberman) passed unanimously.
4. A motion to accept the following motion passed unanimously: “As the U.S. Memorial Day this year falls out on the Shavuot Yizkor day, the RCA encourages its U.S. members to welcome Jewish War Veterans to participate in Yizkor services that will also memorialize those who have made the supreme sacrifice while serving in the Armed Forces of the United States. Such commemorations should occur annually.”
5. The Executive Committee restated and clarified the following existing policy: “The RCA’s Av Beit Din, R. Gedalyah Dov Schwartz, is the one who decides halachic issues relating to the functioning of the RCA.”
6. A motion to accept the following rules (incorporating several friendly amendments which were accepted) for the 2012 RCA elections passed unanimously: 2012 Election Rules