Annual Report 2023

T H I S I S I H C

I n d i a n a p o l i s H e b r e w

C o n g r e g a t i o n

A n n u a l R e p o r t 2

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T H I S I S W H A T M A T T E R S T O U S

W E A R E

C O M M I T E D T O

O U R M I S S I O N :

Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation (IHC) is an inclusive Jewish community where all congregants matter, are inspired to action through Jewish values, and experience Judaism in a meaningful way

W H A T T H I S

M E A N S :

IHC is a place where you can choose how to live your most authentic Jewish life For some, that is attending Shabbat services each Friday

For others, it is being in a Circle that connects a person with their interests and passions Some members are part of IHC as they support their children’s Jewish journeys

There is no wrong way to be a member of IHC, as long as you are living a Jewish life that is meaningful to you

O U R V I S I O N I S

F O C U S E D :

IHC is a community living Jewish values through worship, engagement, enrichment, and education

W H A T T H I S

M E A N S :

Our clergy, staff, and lay leaders provide opportunities through worship, engagement, enrichment, and education so you can live out your Judaism in whatever manner is most comfortable for you

2 0 2 3 R E F L E C T I O N S

I H C B O A R D P R E S I D E N T

M I T C H K A T Z

Fellow congregants,

In the pages that follow, you will see pictures, graphs, and stories about this past year, but 2023 does not stand on its own

It is a link between the nearly 168 years that came before and the future awaiting us 2023 is our chapter in the continuing story of Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation As I approach the end of my two-year term as temple president, it becomes increasingly clear to me that IHC’s greatest value is as a Jewish community We are an inclusive sacred community that creates spaces to experience Judaism and act on its values, in ways we find personally meaningful During the past year, having a place to share our Jewish interests has never been more important

We are a vibrant congregation because of the multiple touchpoints that allow each member to feel connected and have a sense of belonging:

Shabbat celebrations for adults, tots, and families, the round-the-clock support of our clergy, Jewish Learning Program, Adult Education classes, IHC Circle groups, Torah Study, The Early Childhood Center, Lifecycle events, High Holy Day programs, Sisterhood, IHC Music concerts, performances, and so much more

IHC will keep bringing us new opportunities It will also focus on helping us build friendships and make sure you know, deep down, that this is your Jewish home The way this happens will change too, as the demands in our lives ebb and flow

Our 2030 Vision Task Force and Member Relations task force are working to meet these evolving needs You will begin to see the results of some of their work in 2024 These efforts will help guide IHC leadership and assure we meet our ever-changing needs

Our congregation continues to thrive because of the time and creativity you give to IHC Thank you to those who volunteer on committees, help with programs, or serve in leadership roles including on our Board I am also thankful for the generous financial contributions of our members These gifts allow us to create moments to bond over our Judaism and Jewish values

By giving time, treasure, and talent, you help create our special congregation

As I look back on 2023, I also want to thank our clergy, Executive Director, office team, Jewish Learning Program team, maintenance and security staff, and the whole Early Childhood Center team who work to serve us They are dedicated to the IHC mission They are responsible for the creativity which results in new opportunities, the planning that results in smooth operations, and the caring hearts that results in community

2024 will be an exciting year

I hope you continue to experience the full breath of opportunities w h t IHC

L' Shalom, Mitch Katz

$18,000

David & Jacqueline Barrett

Arthur & Virginia Cutler

Robert & Alice Schloss

Daniel Spitzberg & Susanne McAlister Spitzberg

Tzedek “Righteousness” $9,000-$17,999

Benjamin & Nichole Abraham

Stuart & Louise Abramson

Jerald & Gayle Ancel

Michael & Cara Berg Raunick

Daniel & Kathryn Cantor

Thomas & Judie Doehrman

Juliet z''l & Alan Duncanson

Jerome & Janis Gershman

Mitchell & Karen Katz

Philip & Wendalon Larman

Joseph & Leslie Leffel

Chazon “Vision” $7,200-$8,999

Andrew & Susan Appel

James & Betsy Backe

Andrew & Lorraine Ball

Jeff Berebitsky

Michael & Barbara Blickman

Sally Cook

David Klapper

David Kleiman & Susan Jacobs

Richard & Barbara Leventhal

Bernard Mansavage & Rachel Katzenellenbogen

Jack & Susan Moss

Douglas & Kimberly Patterson

David & Masha Wiener

Jeffrey & Lynn Abrams

John & Kathleen Ackerman

Eric Adolph & Teresa Beam

Douglas & Kimberly Berebitsky

David Brokaw

Elyse & Curt Chuvalas

Sidney & Lois Eskenazi

Stephen & Lynn Farber

David & Bonnie Foster

Edward & Laurie Freeman

James & Sylvia Funk

Eric & Susannah Gershman

John & Lisa Goldenberg

Michael & Judy Harrington

Beverly Harrison

Diane & Patrick Healey

Thomas & Janie Herman

Bob and Linda Hewitt

David & Lori Hirsch

Dwayne & Amy Isaacs

Jeffrey & Jane Jex

Joyce Kleinman

Jerry Litwack

Thomas & Flo Mary Mantel

Deborah Milkey

Benjamin Pecar & Leslie Thompson

Anthony & Marya Rose

Julian & Dawa Shepard

Rachel Simon & Hale Stuart

Alex & Marcella Slabosky

Stephen & Deborah Klineman

Steven & Nicole Kofkoff

Gary & Nancy Koppel

Martin & Natalie Kroot

Irwin & Claudia Labin

Diane Lutz

Marvin & Susan Mitchell

Eric & Jennifer Orman

Steve & Pam Rappaport

Adam & Kirsten Rubin

Greg & Shelly Sachs

Adam Schiffer & Karen Lamott Schiffer

David & Priscilla Schnur

Jerrold & Ellen Simon

Eric & Mary Rose Simons

Michael & Stacy Smith

Mark Steingold & Lisa Brown

Mark & Marla Tasch

Barry Wormser & Jacalyn Bolles

Elliott Yolles

Heritage

$3,600-$5,399

David & Sharon Baldwin

Michael & Marcy Bandick

Steven & Kelly Bodner

Carol Bogar

Louis & Linda Cantor

Robert & Linda Chinsky

Michael & Caren Chopp

Larry & Dona Cohen

Stephanie & Jeffrey Cohen

Henry Efroymson & Sonja Kantor

Andrew & Irene Engel

Patti Freeman Dorson & Roland Dorson

Sarah Freeman & Ian Stewart

Daniel & Amanda Goldstein

Rikki Goldstein

Thomas & Arlene Grande

Benjamin & Rachel Greenfield

Peter Grossman & Polly Spiegel

Sustaining

$2,900-$3,599

Joshua & Eliana Armstrong

Aaron & Dianna Balanoff

Jonathon Barefoot & Erin O'Leary

Ronald & Dee Bloom

Steven & Deborah Bulloff

Matthew & Melanie Claymon

Karen Cohen

Sara & Brian Cox

David & Miriam Dant

Thomas & Risa Davidson

Myrna Davis

Leonard Dintenfass & Constance Whitman

Terry Evans & Susan Fuldauer

Linda & Andrew Falender

Robert & Tamela Falender

Mark & Shereen Farber

Beth Fineberg

Joan FitzGibbon

Bradley & Jessica Gershman

Roger Hurwitz

Kenneth & Phyllis Kaplan

Jordan & Amy Kraner

Barry & Jane Kroot

Kevin Krulewitch & Rosanne Ammirati

Mark Langer & Elaine White

Metin & Sandra Levi

Elliot Lewis & Chris Bauer

Robin Lybolt & Debra Wagner

Andrew McSheffery & Marilyn Smith

Jeffrey & Catherine Mossler

Donna Nelson

Jon & Andrea Pactor

Dorit Paul

Eloise Paul & Bill Lee

Gil & Bethany Peri

Mark & Sally (Sara) Perlstein

Howard & Nancy Ratner

Rebecca Willis & Jeremy Goldstein

Evan & Lynda Goodman

Gary & Patricia Goodman

Janice Goodman & Steven Pattison

Kenneth Gould & Susan Dluz

Jodi & Josh Greenwald

Kevin Hardie & Lisa Freeman

Jeffrey & Sara Hastings

Richard Hellman

David Honig & Robyn Pauker

Betsy & Gregory Humrichouser

Marc & Dana Katz

Norman & Carol Kempler

Andrew Kleiman

William & Susan Kleinman

Stephan Kort

Jeffrey & Rebecca Kosc

Jason Rich & Jamie Ratner

Mark & Rebecca Ristow

Larry &

David &

Brian &

Shapiro

Scott & Colleen Shapiro

Stephen Shideler

Robert & Denise Silbert

David Smith & Kylea Asher-Smith

Mark & Rebecca Stempel

Larry & Carly Turow

Gary & Jennifer Vigran

Beth Weinberg

Jeffrey & Sara Weinberger

Carol Weiss

Jeremy Kranowitz & Jennifer Pleasure

Jonathan & Kimberly Kranz

Jeffrey Levy & Vanessah Ng

Jeffrey & Catherine Loeser

Tilden & Cathy Mendelson

R Brian & Ellen Modiano

Andrew Puchle & Rebecca Spivack

Robert Rifkin

Charles & Karen Rossen

Donald & Sandra Rothbaum

Zachary & Marcia Ruderman

Evan & Breanna Russell

Caryl Shideler

Andrew & Brenda Soshnick

Barbara Ward

Elizabeth Wathen

Steven & Missy Wise

Thomas & Gloria Wiser

Walter Wolf, Jr & Joan Wolf

Ronald & Carolyn Zhiss

Tzedek Committee

Food insecurity awareness Reproductive rights

High Holy Days

Rosh HaShanah Retreat

Bar/Bat Mitzvah

Shabbat in the Park Holiday celebrations

Life cycle events

ospice visits e meetings

Round the clock care and support for members

JLP Faculty training Introduction to Judaism courses

Special learning opportunities for students

Security

Parking lot improvements

ECC playground repairs

Deep kitchen cleaning

Plumbing improvements

Between our music programming, more than a dozen Circles, Sisterhood, Brotherhood, celebrations of holidays and Shabbat, and committees, finding a way to be engaged at IHC is not difficult. Here is some snapshots of another engaging year at temple

Family Shabbat

Family Shabbat game time 65th Street Klezmorim Sisters in the Sukkah

Baking savory hamantaschen

Polina Umansky Recital

Opera! Unstuffed

Indianapolis Children’s Choir

Sisterhood bonding

Schmoozing in the sukkah

Mental Health Professionals Circle

IHC Circles Leaders Meet Up

Global Dining for 50+

Sukkot Bourbon Tasting

Adult Purim Shpiel

IHC Choir

Euchre Circle

Taschlich with Ga’avah (Pride) Circle

IndyChai Tu’Bishvat Gathering

Family Adventure Circle Meet Up at Holliday Park

S U P P O R T

To be a part of IHC means to not only help our Jewish community at 6501 N Meridian Street, but to support the greater Indianapolis community as we live out the Jewish value of tikkun olam (repair the world) Here is a taste of what we did in 2023:

Caring Clergy

Our clergy team cares deeply for this community. Combined, they roughly had 5,000 pastoral care touchpoints through phone calls, in person visits, and conversations.

Supportive Staff

In addition to their day-to-day job responsibilities, our staff dedicated around 2,000 hours last year to support IHC members like you, during High Holy Days, Shabbat services, and other life cycle events.

We surpassed our High Holy Days Appeal goal in 2023, raising $110,035.

See our volunteer list on the next page.

Caring Community

94 meals delivered 357 greetings cards sent 31 occasions visiting, calling, emailing, and providing transportations for members

Dozens of gift bags sent for holidays like Purim, Hanukkah, and High Holy Days

Sisterhood Social Action

Greenbriar Elementary School Support

200 food bags (for school breaks)

60 backpacks with school supplies

46 Thanksgiving baskets

236 pairs of children’s underwear and 19 containers of laundry detergent to Grassroots Projects Jewish Family Services

22 Passover baskets donated 3 families sponsored for Adopt-A-Family

IHC Hunger Fund

$11,062 raised to support local organizations fighting food insecurity

Sukkot Food Drive

1,250lbs of food to Second Helpings

Mitzvah Stitchers

Volunteer Circle

Indiana Diaper Bank

2 hours of volunteering per participant

Second Helpings

4 hours of volunteering per participant

Mitzvah Stitchers created 350 items that went to organizations like Riley Hospital and the Homeless Initiative Program.

Green Space Planting at Nur-Allah Islamic Center

O U R V O L U N T E E R S

Benjamin Abraham, Jeff Abrams, Louise Abramson, Stuart Abramson, Cheryl Ackerman, Monica Allardt, Ruth Anderson, Andy Arenson, Betsy Backe, Elyse Bailey, Dianna Balanoff, Andy Ball, Lorraine Ball, Jon Barefoot, Jackie Barrett, Jessie Barrett, Rachel Basey, Teresa Beam, Jeff Berebitsky, Cara Berg Raunick, Rhonda Berns, Gayle Bernstein, Randy Bernstein, Sara Bernstein, Dr Amy Beth Kressel, Carol Bogar, Lisa Brown, Steven Bulloff, Marsha Burman, Andrea Burnett, Linda Cantor, Katy Cantor, Dan,Cantor, Matthew Chaifetz, Eva Chaifetz, Isaac Chaifetz, Elyse Chuvalas, Curt Chuvalas, Barbara Cohen, Jeff Cohen, Darla Cohen, Howard Cohen, Daniel Cohen, Dona Cohen, Larry Cohen, Lainna Cohen, Sally Cook, Dee Cooler, Jane Corn, Stacy Covitz, Adriana Cowdin, Sara Cox, Anita Dansker, Andrea Del Guidice, Lisa Deremiah, Cory Dicker, Louise Dinsmore, Leonard Dintenfass, Judie Doehrman, Tom Doehrman, Sue Douglas, Kate Duffy, Elaine Edmands, Heather Edmands, Henry Efroymson, Simon Efroysmon, Diane Evans, Linda Falender, Barbara Feltman, Suzan Feuer, Ken Finkel, Esther Fishman, Debbie Follman, Bonnie Foster, Lisa Freeman, Sarah Freeman, Eddie Freeman, Laurie Freeman, Martha Freeman, Marsha Freeman, Patti Freeman Dorson, Karen Fried, Risé Friedman, Forrest Gatrell, Brad Gershman, Rhonda Gerson- Hurwitz, Lynn Giles, Neal Ginsberg, Naomi Gold, Valerie Goldblatt, Marcia Goldstein, Marvin Goldstein, Pat Goldstein, Zoe Goldstein, Richard Gonon, Patty Goodman, Rose-Marie Goodman, Lynda Goodman, Mary Gorden, Melanie Gottlieb, David Gotthelf, Linda Gotthelf, Ken Gould, Joshua Gould, Arlene Grande, Myrna Gray, Carol Green, Ian Greenwald, Jodi Greenwald, Max Greenwald, Marjorie Gullett, Sara Halberstadt, Bev Harrison, Lou Harry, Cindy Harry, Suzette Hartsfield-Jones, Amy Haskell, Matt Hastings, Judi Hastings, Roz Hazzard, John Heinz, Ron Herman, Sarah Herpst, Linda Hewitt, Bob Hewitt, David Hirsch, Lori Hirsch, Carolyn Hiser, Dakota Hudelson, Victoria Hyatt Cahn, Amy Isaacs, Stacy Isaacs, Susie Jacobs, Bill Jacobson, Rebecca Jaffe, Shelley Kahn, Sonja Kantor, Katy Kantor, Ava Kaseff, Jodi Kaseff, Mitch Katz, Karen Katz,

Abby Katz, Dana Katz, Nicole Keller, Jennifer Kelley, Norman Kempler, Rhonda Kile, David Kleiman, Joyce Kleiman, Elaine Klineman, Julie Kniptash, Steven Kofkoff, Becky Kosc, Diane Kramer, Tami Krichiver, Melissa Kushner, Maliyah Kushner, Claudia Labin, Melissa Lane, Jackie Larman, Michelle Lawrence, Hawaii Lee, Lexie Leightner, Lori Lencheck, Chuck Lencheck, Dick Leventhal, Barry Levitt, Barb Levy, Judy Levy, Joel Lisker, Andrew Lodolo, Josh Lodolo, Mona Loft, Diane Lutz, Rachel Mahan, Jeff Maurer, Lauren McDaniel, Tilden Mendelson, Rick Metz, Marsha Millikan, Cheri Morgan, JoAnn Morris, Evvy Moss, Alli Nimtz, Ruth Nisenthal, Marla Oancea, Ginger Odom, Andrea Pactor, Ellen Pactor, Stevie Pactor, Kimberly Patterson, Eloise Paul, Dorit Paul, Rabbi Bruce Pfeller, Toni Potts, Joe Rabb, Sarah Rabins, Nancy Ratner, Paula Reiss, Joy Rheins, Rebecca Ristow, Celia Ristow, Sue Rockafellow, Eddie Roger, Cantor Emerita Janice Roger, Brandon Roger, Randi Roger, Sammie Roger, Karen Rossen, Stacy Rubens, Jackie Rubin, Marcia Ruderman, Natalie Schabler, Adam Schiffer, Karen Schiffer, Molly Schmidt, Roberta Schweitzer, Jane Senn, Ann Shepherd, Daniela Shuvaks-Katz, Norman Sider, Denise Silbert, Bennie Silver, Al Silver, Charlie Sim, Ellen Simon, Jerry Simon, Eric Simons, Owen Simons, Alex Slabosky, Marcella Slabosky, Lynn Slivka, Jen Sniderman, Judy Sosin, Elaine Spector, Polly Spiegel, Toby Stark, Dodie Stein, Jeannie Stein, Ian Stewart, Nia Stewart, Suzanna Stoebick, Vickie Stohl, Sheryl Strack, Anastasia Strasburg, Carly Traynor, Carly Turow, Jennifer Vigran, Deb Wagner, Debbie Waldman, Joseph Waldman, Bess Walter, Beth Weinberg, David Wiener, Faedra Weiss, Robin Weiss, Jill Weiss-Simins, Todd Wentico, Sandi Werner, Elizabeth Wertz, John Wertz, Connie Whitman, Jennifer Williams, Melissa Williams, Rebecca Willis, Missy Wise, Gloria Wiser, Barry Wormser, Elizabeth Wurtz, Karla Yale, Audrey Yoakum, Sheila Yuckman, MaryAnn Zaban, Lilia Zurkovsky, Les Zwirn, Enid Zwirn

The following list of volunteers was created based on input from temple leadership and lay leadership on their rosters of volunteers as of November 2023

Even with these best efforts, please let us know if there was an omission or error by emailing our Communications Specialist at emilyk@ihcindy org

We gained new perspectives from welcoming an array of speakers to our bimah, including Chasten Buttigieg, Cantor Sarah Sanger, Rabbi Maddi Anderson, and our members.

With the guidance of our Tzedek committee, IHC focused its social justice efforts on food insecurity. Through learning modules, guest speakers, and films, our community became more aware of this ongoing issue in greater Indianapolis.

Throughout 2023, clergy shared their wealth of knowledge and Jewish perspectives through 14+ adult educational offerings. They ranged in topic from conflict in Israel, to High Holy Day preparation, and even dipping Shabbat candles.

Our clergy, also, reached out into the Indianapolis community to educate and inform others about Jewish values and beliefs.

In 2023, 18 of our younger members chanted Torah to became a bar or bat mitzvah. 9 tenth grade students completed the Confirmation process, which included a trip (in 2022) to New York City to learn about the American Jewish story and culture. 177 children participated in our Jewish Learning program where they gained solid perspective of Jewish knowledge, better understand Jewish values and teachings, and explored their connections to their faith.

110 students (ages 1 to 5) were part of our Early Childhood Center (ECC) last year. On top of regular classroom learning, five different specials teachers teach our ECC students about a variety of subjects from science to soccer.

Darkness, fear, and pain cloaked the final months of 2023 On October 7, the Hamas terrorist attacks rocked the global Jewish community The hostages, attack victims and their families, soldiers, and the entire state of Israel are in our hearts We think of the innocent victims who are caught in the middle of this Israel-Hamas war.

Sadly, the violence and hate of October 7th continues to spread throughout the Middle East and beyond Antisemitism continues to skyrocket globally and within the greater Indianapolis area Our students, from elementary school through college, have all experienced this new reality and have leaned on our clergy team and one another to cope And all of us have been challenged to define what it means to support Israel as it strives to become the Jewish democratic state.

We are encouraged that the Indiana Senate and Governor Holcomb have maintained their commitment to the IHRA (International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance) definition of antisemitism and look forward to working with legislators in both the House and Senate to create better methods of combatting antisemitism in our state

At the release of this report, Hamas is still holding 134 Israeli hostages in Gaza Israel continues to defend itself against Hamas. The humanitarian crisis in the region worsens It is not clear when this war will end, but we pray that all the inhabitants of Israel, as well as those in Gaza and the West Bank, will know peace soon

Even in 1856, our founders dreamt about how this congregation would grow in the years, decades, and centuries to come The current leadership at IHC has those same dreams of growth and how we make sure IHC is here for future generations of Jews Below are some ways that growth is actualizing and its long term impact on our community

State-of-the-Art Sound

Do services sound more clear and crisp in our sanctuary or on our livestream? That is thanks to our new sound system in the sanctuary and social hall. We will not use this space to detail the technical minutia of the speakers, microphones, and monitors, but want to emphasize that this state-of-art, reliable sound system opens up many doors for IHC. It allows us to host large-scale events, concerts, and programs in the years to come. It also ensures that our congregants can participate in our prayers and melodies during the holiest times of year. whether they are inside our sanctuary or watching on a livestream from home.

Your Safety is Top of Mind

Soon, we will see the fruits of a years-long process to enhance safety and security measures at IHC. We have the green light to move forward with projects that will: Add more internal and external security cameras.

Install security doors that can isolate parts of the building from external threats. Make portions of the building keycard accessible.

The intended goal for completing these projects is High Holy Days 5785. These enhancements go hand-in-hand with ongoing trainings and briefings that prepare our staff and security personnel for threats and emergencies,

Growing Inward

Our IHC Circles keep growing. We now have 14 Circles. The strength of the Circles program demonstrates our commitment to providing opportunities for people to connect with one another in meaningful ways. 30 new member families joined our congregation last year. People are seeking out Jewish, spiritual homes for themselves and their children. We are determined to meet these new and interested households where they are in life. Making sure we are here for them and future families has never been more important.

Connecting with the City and Beyond

IHC branches into the non-Jewish world, too. We continue to connect with the surrounding greater Indianapolis area. We welcomed more than 400 people into our sanctuary for Justice and Judaism: A Fireside Chat with Chasten Buttigieg. IHC will continue to serve as a place where innovative leaders and changemakers can speak with the public. Our IHC Music series showcases our ability to be a highly sought after music venue: hosting performers from the Indianapolis Children’s Choir and the IU Jacobs School of Music

Even our 65th Street Klezmorim deepens our connection with our Indianapolis community. They share traditional Jewish music in spaces like the Carmel Public Library and a Christkindlmarkt downtown.

S U P P O R T I

I H C , A

Clergy

Rabbi Brett Krichiver, Senior Rabbi

Cantor Aviva Marer, Cantor

Rabbi Jordana Chernow-Reader, Associate Rabbi

Rabbi Roxanne Shapiro, Director of Lifelong Learning

Cantor Janice Roger, Cantor Emerita

IHC Board of Directors

Mitch Katz, President

Sarah Freeman, Vice President; President-Elect

Jon Barefoot, Vice President

Ben Abraham, Treasurer

Lorraine Ball, Secretary

Eloise Paul, Immediate Past President

Board Members

Jeffrey A Abrams

Ruth Anderson

Cara Berg Raunick

Steven Bulloff

Andrea Burnett

Patty Goodman

Ken Gould

Michelle Lawrence

Eric Simons

Andrew Soshnick

Pauline “Polly”

Spiegel

Carly Turow

Jennifer Vigran

Lilia Zurkovsky

Adrienne Aronson-White, Accounting Manager

Jodi Kaseff, Early Childhood Center Director

Emily Kaufmann, Communications Specialist

Kendra Steele, Receptionist/Administrative Assistant

Beth Meade-Hession, Administrative Assistant to the Office of Lifelong Learning

Brigid Maguire, Clergy Assistant

Gary Davis and Joyce Patterson, Maintenance

Willard Mosley, Stephfon Seymour, Shawn Boone, and Hawaii Lee, Security

Peter Smithhisler, Executive Director

IHC Foundation Board of Directors

Linda Cantor, President

Jeff Abrams, Vice President

David Wiener, Treasurer

Henry Efroymson

Diane Lutz

Tilden Mendelson

Eloise Paul

Drew Soshnick

Carly Turow