All food served in Alliance Synagogue and at Alliance Synagogue events will be strictly kosher, meaning food purchased from a certified kosher caterer or restaurant or made using all hechshered ingredients.
All packaged foods will have a recognized kosher symbol. Only hechshered wine will be used in rituals at Alliance Synagogue or served at Alliance Synagogue events.
All dishes and utensils used to serve food at Alliance Synagogue will be disposable or kosher.

Observance

Speaking public Lashon hora (evil words) about fellow community members shall be grounds for removal from the Board at the discretion of the Board. A special election shall be held for a replacement as soon as practicable.

Shabbat and Yom Tov

Trustees should avoid using electronic devices inside the shul. Trustees will discourage the use of electronic devices such as cell phones, cameras, video and audio recording devices inside the shul.
Microphones and musical instruments will not be used.
When minyanim request, Trustees will strive to disarm the alarm before Shabbat and Yom Tov so observant participants can enter.
Trustees will strive to accommodate congregants who wish to bring books, permissible food and other ritual materials into the shul before sundown and leave them overnight, to avoid carrying and transporting on Shabbat and Yom Tov.

Ritual

Alliance Synagogue is an inclusive and open congregation. Based on Jewish law and tradition, certain ritual honors are reserved for individuals who are Jewish. These include:

Receiving an Aliyah
Reading from the Torah
Serving as the Shaliach Tzibur, leading the congregation in communal prayer
Making kiddush for the congregation

Alliance Synagogue is committed to finding roles which honor every person who wants to participate.

Events

All events held in the synagogue will reflect the core values of the congregation: Judaism, Zionism and Israel, particularly as connected with agriculture. All events should be respectful of the decorum appropriate for a house of worship.

Alliance Community Reboot (ACRe) works to host services and events in partnership with the shul. These events will be considered Alliance Synagogue events for insurance and all other purposes.

Public events

All daily minyanim, holiday services and Shabbat services should be considered open to members of the congregation and the community at large.
Some events may request a fee or suggest a donation; organizers should strive to welcome all members even if they are not able to pay fees.
Event organizers should maintain a list of registered guests with contact and payment information.

Private events

Members and non-members may rent Alliance Synagogue on non-holiday and non-Shabbat days for invitation-only events.
Approval, fees and other details will be determined by SICA Trustees on a case by case basis.
Event organizers are responsible for cleaning and tidying up the shul, either by themselves or by hiring a professional service.

Pets

No animals are allowed in the sanctuary, except for certified service dogs.

Shul Access

Alliance Synagogue Trustees receive keys, alarm and mechanical lock codes to access the shul building. Keys should not be lent out or duplicated without board approval. Alarm codes are personalized for individual use and should not be shared. Mechanical lock codes should not be disclosed to anyone without collective discretion.

The Trustees, at their collective discretion, may provide unsupervised access and may set up new alarm panel user accounts for trustworthy community members.

Community members who invite guests or groups to join them for events must request permission and complete a Waiver of Liability form at least one week before the planned gathering. Some events may warrant Event Insurance, to be determined by the Trustees.

SICA Trustee Procedure

Confidentiality

Respecting the privacy of its donors, participants, volunteers and trustees is a basic value of Shawrith Israel Congregation of Alliance. Personal and financial information, particularly information about donations or payments to SICA or Alliance Synagogue, is confidential and should not be disclosed or discussed with anyone without express permission or authorization from the Board. Trustees shall use confidential information solely for the purpose of performing services as a board member for SICA. This policy is not intended to prevent disclosure where disclosure is required by law.

Board members and employees must exercise good judgment and care at all times to avoid unauthorized or improper disclosures of confidential information. At the end of a board member’s term in office, he or she shall return, at the request of SICA, all documents, papers, and other materials, regardless of medium, that may contain or be derived from confidential information in his or her possession.

Financial

Records

Donations, purchases and expenses will be tracked in shared spreadsheets accessible to all Trustees.
Financial records are confidential.
Record all donations in the appropriate spreadsheet.
Track all petty cash expenditures in a spreadsheet.
Qualifying donations will be issued a receipt.

Purchases and Expenses

Retain receipts for purchases.
Present Form ST-5 NJ Sales Tax Exemption whenever possible.
Receipts required for reimbursement.
Trustees may identify some regular recurring expenses—e.g. utility bills, lawn maintenance, security, insurance and inspections—as “pre-approved” so payments can be made regularly without discussion.
Soliciting multiple bids for expenditures should be done where practicable, balanced with the advantage of working with known, reliable vendors and the low cost of small jobs.

Table of Variables in SICA Bylaws which refer to SICA Policy, subject to annual review

Article	Section	Variable	Date of Enactment
5 - Congregation Membership	3. Membership fee	No Fee	November 29, 2019
6 - Congregational Meetings	1. Notice for annual meeting, minimum number of days prior to meeting	10 days	November 29, 2019
6 - Congregational Meetings	2. Number of members required to call special meeting	10 members	November 29, 2019
6 - Congregational Meetings	3. Notice required before special meeting	Not less than 10, nor more than 30 days prior	November 29, 2019
6 - Congregational Meetings	4. Quorum for transaction of business	10 members	November 29, 2019
6 - Congregational Meetings	4. Rescheduling an adjourned congregational meeting timeframe	No less than 14, no more than 30 days from the date thereof	November 29, 2019
6 - Congregational Meetings	4. Notice of rescheduled adjourned meeting timeframe	10 days notice	November 29, 2019

Drafted and edited by Malya Levin and William Levin

2023-10-14 Added this document is published and available online following this link. William Levin

2022-11-02revised by Malya Levin and William Levin, updated to reflect SICA Trustee notes from Summer 2022 SICA Trustee Meeting as well as changes to bylaws enacted summer 2022. Most significant is the addition of a table of timeframes, numbers of members and prices for congregation related bylaws which now defer to policy.

2022-08-09 edited by William Levin to revise language about keys, alarm and mechanical lock codes to reflect conditions of the new alarm system and liability waiver.

Table of Contents

Synagogue Congregational Procedure and Policy

Halakah in Alliance Synagogue

Kashrut in Alliance Synagogue