Wed., March 20, 5:30 pm.: Kohelet Purim Party
Sat., March 23, 10:10 am: Musical Shabbat shortened service honoring Molly Parnes
Sat., April 6, time TBD: Havdalah Fun Night 

Dear Kohelet Members,

Kohelet would like to share its membership list with the Greater Denver Jewish Community Study research team for the important study described in the email below. We feel confident that they will protect the confidentiality of our data. If, however, you do not wish us to share your contact information for this study, please let Misty know at davidson.misty@gmail.com by March 20, 2019, and we will remove your name from the list. We have asked Shere for an extension till April 1 to give everyone a chance to make a decision about whether or not they wish to participate.

If you wish to participate, you don’t need to do anything. If we don’t hear from you by March 20, we will assume that you are OK with this.

Thanks,
Dan and Misty

Please see the e-mail below describing the study.

We hope your organization will participate in the Greater Denver Jewish Community Study: A portrait of Jewish life in the seven-county region. The study will collect, analyze, and report actionable data about the Greater Denver Jewish population to help inform engagement strategies of local institutions, philanthropies, and the general community. We will learn about Jewish population size, demographics, geography, Jewish engagement, and more. Initial results will be shared early to mid-summer.

We are requesting contact information for a full list of your members, participants, donors, or any other people affiliated with your organization, that will help ensure the best representation from Jewish people and their loved ones. To complete interviews this spring, we request your list by March 15. We sincerely apologize for the quick turn-around. If you would like to submit your list, but need a little more time, please contact Shere Kahn at shere@sskahnconsulting.com

How do we protect the confidentiality of the data?
All lists will be stored in password-protected files that are available only to the research team. They will not be released to any agency, organization or synagogue in your local Jewish community or any other outside organization. At the end of the project, the lists and all identifying data about survey participants will be destroyed. If another layer of security is desired, we will sign a non-disclosure agreement with your organization to assure you we will not share it. Please contact Shere Kahn, Project Manager, at shere@sskahnconsulting.com to make arrangements. The data will be treated with the same high level of confidentiality with or without this agreement.

Questions?
For more information, please email Shere Kahn, Project Manager, at shere@sskahnconsulting.com. You can also find general information about the study at https://rcfdenver.org/what-we-do/programs-and-initiatives/greater-denver-jewish-community-study/

KOHELET DAMAGE/ RECONSTRUCTION UPDATE 

Dear Kohelet members, 

As most of you know, on March 4, a motorist hit our sanctuary, causing considerable damage to the northwest wall and sanctuary door adjacent to Lampert Real Estate. The subject who caused the damage has been identified by the police. The police could not give me his name, as he is under criminal investigation for hit and run.  Officer Harrington told me that he has requested a warrant for the subject’s arrest. The Denver PD does not think that that this is a hate crime because of the subject’s erratic behavior as described by several witnesses and as seen on video cameras at two other establishments after the incident at Kohelet. In an unforeseen turn, the subject’s father contacted us (Chuck Jacobs). He expressed remorse at his 27 year old son’s actions, and offered to pay for damages that are not covered by insurance. I expect that more information, especially in regards to the subject, will be forthcoming as the investigation proceeds.

Several Kohelet members (Dave Flitter, Steve Cardin, Misty and Ed Davidson, Joel Barach),have been active in meeting with our insurance adjuster and getting one estimate from a contractor regarding repairs on the building.  We will get one or two more estimates before embarking on repairs. In the meantime, we are able to use the building as usual.

Dan Savin

• Parts will be distributed by lots, drawn at the event.
• If you are lucky you may draw a prize as well as your reading part.
• There are at least 27 spoken parts in the Megillah, plus a batch more in the Purimshpiel script.
• Kids, teenagers, adults, older folks -- we need everyone in Kohelet to participate this year!
• Auditions not necessary.
• BYO noisemakers or use one from Kohelet's stash.