Our New Board Members

On May 11, 2023, the membership of IHC voted five new, first-time members to the Board of Directors at the Annual Meeting In the pages that follow, get to know our newest board members, including their motivations for dedicating their time to our synagogue

Name: Steven Bulloff

Hometown: Columbus, OH

43 years of membership at IHC

What motivated you to join the IHC Board of Directors?

A chance to give back for all my spiritual home and community has done for me

How else have you been involved with IHC, currently or in the past? Personnel Committee, IHN/Family Promise, Social Action/Social Justice/Brit Olam Committee, Eviction Court Watcher Project, and Chairperson, Social Justice Task Force 2020-21

What is your profession? Attorney

How would you describe IHC in three words? Warm Caring Community

For me, the most meaningful part of Judaism is...

Tikkun Olam

What do you enjoy doing in your free time? Family, volunteering, reading non-fiction and Florida authors Tim Dorsey, Carl Hiaasen, and Randy Wayne White, traveling the world, and returning to Sanibel Island, Florida for many more years of shelling

Name: Patty Goodman

Hometown: Indianapolis, IN

40 years of membership at IHC

What motivated you to join the IHC Board of Directors?

IHC is important and vital to our community- I wanted to be a part of its continued growth and success. (It takes a village).

How else have you been involved with IHC, currently or in the past?

I have been involved in temple Sisterhood for around 40 years, and it is very dear to my heart. I have been Vice President of programming and membership, and helped to establish many new programs such as the women’s seder, Sisters in the Sukkah, and the first Sip and Shop.

What is your profession?

Along with husband Gary, owners of Goodman's Shoes.

How would you describe IHC in three words? Comforting, engaging, impactful.

For me, the most meaningful part of Judaism is...

The connection I feel to Jewish history and the connection I feel to Jewish people and its traditions in general, both past and present.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?: Enjoying time with my family (3 grandchildren), playing pickle ball, gardening, walking with friends.

Name: Drew

Soshnick

Hometown: Zionsville, IN

55 years of membership at IHC

What motivated you to join the IHC Board of Directors?

IHC has been lacking a respectful, vocal conservative voice to state concern over the overpoliticization of Reform Judaism, myopic focus on perceived causes, and great departure from traditional religious liturgy, tenets, and teaching I have expressed this view over many years, and when asked to join due to the resignation of a board member I gladly accepted

How else have you been involved with IHC, currently or in the past? Leadership development group and rabbinic search committee

What is your profession? Attorney

How would you describe IHC in three words? Introspective, evolving, potential the traditional liturgy and the ability to share the same experience with future generations

For me, the most meaningful part of Judaism is...

What do you enjoy doing in your free time? Running, hiking, and weightlifting

Name: Jennifer Vigran

Hometown: Cleveland, OH

33 years of membership at IHC

What motivated you to join the IHC Board of Directors?

IHC has been a second home for our family since my husband and I met there 33 years ago, and our children are 6th generation members who were educated in the ECC and religious school It is a place where I found community when I moved to Indy and knew no one, and where I saw my mother build new connections when she moved here as a widow I’m inspired by the passion and engagement I see from younger congregants, and I hope as a board member to help to build sustainability for future generations

How else have you been involved with IHC, currently or in the past?

I’ve been a religious school teacher, Sisterhood president, and involved in varied committee work over the years

What is your profession?

I’ve been involved in food security work as a volunteer and professionally for more than 20 years Currently I’m working with Glick Philanthropies on building food security for affordable housing residents

How would you describe IHC in three words? Warmth, community, thoughtful

For me, the most meaningful part of Judaism is...

Passover It summons family memories of childhood and of our own family and its themes are resonant -- equity, liberation, education, identity, parenthood, advocacy, leadership, etc

What do you enjoy doing in your free time? Developing my cooking skills -- I’ve been taking culinary classes at Ivy Tech. They’re challenging, I’m learning a lot, and my classmates are younger than my kids.

Name: Lily Zurkovsky

Hometown:

Born in Minsk, Belarus; grew up in Fair Lawn, NJ

3 years of membership at IHC

Your IHC Board of Directors

Officers:

President: Mitch Katz

Vice President/President Elect: Sarah Freeman

Vice President: Jon Barefoot

Treasurer: Ben Abraham

What motivated you to join the IHC Board of Directors?

It's really an honor. IHC is made up of warm, kind, smart, wonderful people and I will do my best to continue our tradition of making members feel welcomed and excited in our doors.

How else have you been involved with IHC, currently or in the past?

Most importantly, my son attends IHC's Jewish Learning Program. I've also helped with the Rosh Hashanah Retreat, Family Adventures Circle, and Sisterhood YES Fund.

What is your profession?

Trained as a neuroscientist and work developing accredited medical education.

How would you describe IHC in three words? Best-clergy-ever that it gives our lives greater purpose by tying us to our histories, families, and broader communities.

For me, the most meaningful part of Judaism is...

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

Hiking with my dogs and taking trips with my family.

Secretary: Lorraine Ball

Immediate Past President: Eloise Paul

Members:

Jeffrey A Abrams

Cara Berg Raunick

Steven Bulloff

Andrea Burnett

Patty Goodman

Ken Gould

Eric Simons

Andrew Soshnick

Pauline “Polly” Spiegel

Carly Turow

Jennifer Vigran

Lilia Zurkovsky

The IHC Board of Directors holds monthly board meetings, typically on the third Thursday of every month at 6:00pm All IHC members are more than welcome to attend any of the upcoming board meetings in 2023:

July 20

August 17

September 28

October 17 - Board Retreat

November 16

December 21

Book bannings have been in the news lately. We thought you might be interested in how the temple library has approached this subject over the years.

Many know that our books for students currently are divided into two basic sections: those with yellow labels primarily are for children up to the age of about nine; those with red labels (the Youth section) primarily are for students from about ages 9-12. Before the most recent IHC construction we had a High School stack (books with blue dots on white Labels) but now those books are integrated with the adult section and still have their blue dots.

Getting back to the younger set, within the Children’s and Youth sections, there may be a note on the book card or book pocket with an age recommendation, as there can be a major difference with what most would feel is appropriate for a five-year-old versus what a nineyear-old can or should be reading. Often, I have said to students whose age groups “straddle” the guidelines, to return with a parent and if the parent says “yes,” then the child can borrow the book.

Sometimes, I have asked the child to show the book to their parents before reading it just to be certain the parent approves. Those whom I have asked to do this have invariably done so, and parents who have been asked express their appreciation for being asked!

On very few occasions (think two) questions were raised about vocabulary and those questions were resolved.

As a special library, we have particular needs, interests, and values. Our tastes may be different, but we try to keep an ethical and religious standard while recognizing that our children are different and our parents may approach this issue in multiple ways. Some feel their children can read anything and others feel quite the opposite. We have never “banned” a book - and even have some in the collection (including Maus and Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.).

We hope you and your children are setting aside some quality time this summer to read – and if you can, remember that your temple library is open whenever the building is open.