Coordinator Guidelines

The Davening Coordinator is responsible for ensuring that services (davening and Torah reading) run smoothly. People to do this must be found ahead of time. To be fair to those needing time to prepare, start calling people at least two weeks in advance. Check the members-only part of the Web site to see which people have the appropriate knowledge.

Note: It's easier to get members to participate by calling or emailing them directly, rather than sending a mass email to the entire Minyan. Mass emails should be reserved for emergencies.

Responsibilities of the Davening Coordinator

The Davening Coordinator is responsible for:

• Finding people to lead P'sukei D'Zimrah, Shacharit, and Musaf.
• Reminding the daveners of the davening timing guidelines.
• Consulting the luach for anything nonstandard (such as Rosh Hodesh) and alerting the daveners. If in doubt, contact the meta-coordinator and check the luchot online at the Orthodox Union and Chabad. (Boston is 42°20' N 71° W = 42.33° lat, -71° long).
• Finding people to read all aliyot and the haftarah. The default leyning guide (for shabbat only) is the KTAV Tikkkun. If you have a different tikkun, consult with someone who has the KTAV. Confirm the beginning and end of each reading with each reader.
• Finding two gabbi'im to assist the Torah readers. The Gabbai Rishon also calls out the names of people receiving aliyot and recites the Mi She-Berakh blessing and any other special prayers required during the Torah reading. The Mi She-Berakh texts are printed on full-size laminated sheets.
• Distributing the seven aliyot (including maftir) during the service. You can give the small laminated aliyah cards on the ring to daveners volunteering or selected for aliyot.
• Finding a magbiah and gollel (the lifter and dresser of the Torah).
• Finding someone as an on-site coordinator if you will not be at your shabbat service or don't want to play that role.

Note: It is our custom not to give consecutive aliyot to immediate relatives. If you are unfamiliar with this custom, consult the back of the Artscroll siddur.

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There are many ways to set up the Auditorium. These guidelines describe the most common placement of the tables and chairs.

Before Shabbat: Getting Keys

• Get the Minyan keys from either the Keepers of the Keys or the previous week's Setup Coordinator or Kiddush Coordinator.

On Shabbat: Tables and Chairs

• Open the Temple school annex. See the section on locks for more information. Now enter Weintraub Auditorium.
• Set up three tables:
  • One large rectangular table at the front of the room as the Torah desk
  • One large rectangular table along the back wall of the room (for chumashim, siddurim, and tallit bins)
  • A small trapezoidal table or small rectangular table for the Torah ark on the right front, next to the small arched doorway. The right side (facing the curtain) is preferable, because it most closely reflects an eastward direction.
• Set up about 45-50 chairs for a typical shabbat (fewer for a summer or civil holiday weekend, or more if there is a special simchah that day). Be sure to leave space around the perimeter of the room and to create a center aisle for the Torah "parade."

On Shabbat: From the Closet

Unlock the closet and take out these things:

• The Minyan banner (you'll need it at the end)
• The Torah reading stand - usually the first thing you see in the closet, it's a large piece of wood on which the Torah rests and has pieces of wood underneath that raises it above the table on which it's placed
• The ark
• The cardboard box with the items used for the Torah service
• Enough siddurim and chumashim each for the number of chairs set up
• Tallit bins (members' tallitot as well as the smaller community bin)
• Toys for members' children

On Shabbat: Setting Up For Davening and Leyning

• You should find three white decorated cloths in the box with the Torah-related items.
  • The largest of these goes on the shulchan, decoration-side-up, as a tablecloth.
  • The medium-sized cloth is a tablecloth for the Torah ark table.
  • The smallest cloth is used to cover the Torah during the Torah service. Put it next to the Torah reading stand when you set that up.
• Put the Torah reading table on top of the tablecloth on the shulchan.
• From the box with the Torah-related items, choose a yad (silver hand pointer) from the several that are there and put it on the table next to the Torah reading stand.
• Put the 2 chumashim, laminated aliyah cards, and Torah blessings card next to the Torah table, too.
• Remove the denim cover and place the ark on top of the tablecloth. This usually takes two people. Remember that dropping the Torah, even in the ark, could damage both as well as leaving you hungry for 40 days.
• Put the denim cover and dolly back in the closet, or behind the curtain.
• Set up a black music stand next to the shulchan. Put the laminated time guidelines (in the box with the Torah-related items) on the music stand.
• Put the 3 boxes of tallitot, the chumashim, and siddurim on the back table. Stash the chumashim and siddurim crates under the table.
• Put the toys in the back corner of the room, by the coat closet.
• Put any available for-the-public documents (such as Welcome to Minyan Shaleym) on the glass table in the auditorium vestibule.

On Shabbat: Banner, Restrooms, and Keys

• From the closet, take the Minyan banner outside and tie it up on the railing at the entrance to the Temple Annex, so that it faces Sewall Avenue. Tie it snugly, but with a bow knot loose enough to undo easily, like tying shoelaces.
• Check the upstairs and downstairs restrooms for toilet paper, hand soap, and paper towels.
  • The downstairs restroom is at the bottom of the stairs that lie your right immediately upon entering the lobby from the outside.
  • The upstairs restroom is located to your right as you enter the vestibule from the lobby.
• If needed, restroom supplies are available in the janitor's closet directly across from the upstairs restroom. This closet opens with a special third key (#11) stored at Temple Sinai.
  • The #11 key is kept in the black keybox mounted on the right wall of the Minyan's upstairs closet, underneath the plastic document holder.
  • After you access the janitor's closet, make sure its door is closed and the lock is turned all the way back to its original, locked position before you pull the key out.
  • Use the special #11 key only if you need more restroom supplies before services. Otherwise, it should remain in its keybox and not leave Temple Sinai.
• Pass the set of two Minyan keys to the Kiddush Coordinator, unless you've agreed to lock up after services.

Then relax and enjoy the service!

After Shabbat: Returning Keys

• If you still have them, return the Minyan keys to the Keepers of the Keys or to the next person who needs them.

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Their are two seperate  sets Kiddush Coordinator jobs that can be done by two different people. 

The first is the before job.  The person doing this job is responsible for purchasing food, delivering it to Temple Sinai, turning on the lights and disabling the motion detectors before shabbat. 

The second is the during and after job. This person is responsible for putting out the food during services, cleaning up after the kiddush, and returning to turn off the lights and enable the motion detectors after shabbat.

Temple Sinai expects the lights to be on for shabbat (or holiday) and not much longer. Please wait until Friday afternoon before turning them on, and turn them off Saturday evening.

PREPARING FOR SHABBAT (job #1):

Paying for kiddush. Upon request, the Minyan will reimburse kiddush expenses, but the Minyan also welcomes kiddush sponsors. The Kiddush Coordinator or someone else can sponsor the kiddush, but the Kiddush Coordinator remains responsible for bringing and setting up the kiddush regardless of how it is paid for.

Before Shabbat: Keys and Food

1. Get the Minyan keys from either the Keepers of the Keys or from the previous week's Kiddush Coordinator.
2. Buy kiddush food and bring it to Temple Sinai before shabbat.

Before Shabbat: Lights, Motion Detectors, and Nightlight

1. On Friday afternoon, turn on the lights in:
   • The vestibule outside Weintraub Auditorium
   • Weintraub Auditorium itself
   • The Minyan closet behind the stage area in Weintraub (lock closet afterward)
2. Disable the motion detectors downstairs by moving their switches to up. This will keep the lights from turning on automatically when you walk into that area. (Ignore the "Don't Touch" signs. These are warnings to others.) Both switches are about six feet off the ground.
   • One switch is located under the fire alarm light on the right hand side as you come through the metal door downstairs, opposite the Larkin Library.
   • The other switch is on the left wall outside the kitchen doors.
     
     

Switch position	When	Motion detectors are ...	Lights ...
Up	Shabbat/holiday	Disabled	On all the time
Down	Weekday	Enabled	Turn on and off in response to motion



3. Install the nightlight for the upstairs restroom. It is stored in the cutlery bin in the Minyan storage cabinet in the downstairs kitchen, on your right as you enter.
• Before plugging it into the restroom wall socket, check that the little red button in the center of the plug fixture is pressed in.
• Plug the nightlight into the wall socket. Check if it works by turning off the main (overhead) restroom light.
4. Do not worry about the downstairs kitchen lights.
5. Be sure Temple school annex doors are locked when you leave. See the locks section for details.

ON SHABBAT (job #2):

 Kiddush

1. Set up kiddush in the vestibule of Weintraub Auditorium. Most people start this during Musaf and get one or two others to help.
2. Temple Sinai requires kiddush to be consumed in the vestibule and lobby only, not in Weintraub Auditorium.
3. Clean up after kiddush. Others can help here as well.

On Shabbat: Storing the Minyan Banner and Locking Up

1. After kiddush, untie the Minyan banner hanging outside on the Temple Annex porch railing. Roll it up and store it in the Minyan closet behind the Weintraub stage area. Put it on top of everything else, so the next Setup Coordinator can find it easily.
2. Lock the Minyan's storage closet.
3. Before leaving, close the Weintraub Auditorium and vestibule doors.Then lock the doors to the outside. See the locks section for more about locking up.

After Shabbat: Lights, Motion Detectors, Nightlight — Keys

Return to Temple Sinai after shabbat (Saturday evening) to:

Return the keys to the Keepers of the Keys or to the next person who needs them.

What Can I Bring for Kiddush?

The kiddush can be as elaborate or simple. Minimum requirements are wine and grape juice, and some sort of munchie food. The usual things include chips, crackers, hummus, salsa, and fruit. Do not provide bread or challah as this is not a full meal and shouldn't require benching.

Warning About Food Allergies

There are Minyan members who have food allergies. Before you buy food for kiddush, make an effort to find out which foods members are allergic to and if people who have allergies will be at your kiddush. Contact the steerers if you have any questions.

Kiddush Supplies and Storage

Kiddush food must be labeled and stored in the downstairs kitchen of the Temple School annex, on the right-side floor of the refrigerator, which is to your left as you enter the kitchen.

Over to the right as your enter is the Minyan's storage cabinet. There you will find platters, napkins, plates, bowls, plasticware, large and small cups, etc., that you can use for kiddush. The cabinet is stocked with these supplies on a regular basis, so you don't have to buy those for your kiddush, unless they are low.

If you see that any kitchen supplies are low, contact the Kitchen Supplies person. Do not use Temple Sinai kitchen items.

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We sometimes have a full catered or potluck lunch in Ehrenfried Hall, in Temple Sinai's basement, and a volunteer acts as Lunch Coordinator. Kiddush may or may not be combined with lunch, and either can be designated and sponsored to celebrate a personal simchah.

For either Minyan or personal events, Temple Sinai requires two months prior notification for use of Ehrenfried Hall. A fee applies for personal events. Contact the Temple Sinai liaison.

A Week Before the Lunch: Calls for Food

Send an email announcing that you're the Lunch Coordinator.

• If volunteers or caterers are bringing lunch items, be sure they know these guidelines.
• Specify when, and where, the food can be dropped off. This will be either at the Temple, or at the host's home. It's standard to give people a 1-to-2 hour window for dropping off.
• For potlucks, list what people should bring: challah, salads, entrees, side dishes, drinks, dessert. If there's no separate Kiddush Coordinator, include basic kiddush food as described in the pre-shabbat directions for the Kiddush Coordinator.
• Ask members to contact you by Wednesday evening before the shabbat of the lunch to tell you what they intend to bring.
• Direct people to the Minyan's kashrut guidelines.

During the Week Before the Lunch: Planning the Meal — Kashrut

• It's your responsibility to maintain the nutritional balance and culinary interest of the meal. If you already have, say, two pasta dishes, and someone volunteers another one, explain the situation and suggest something else to contribute.
• Dishes should be edible at room temperature and require no cooking after delivery.
• Assign store-bought items (drinks, challah, desserts, etc.) to people who don't have kosher kitchens.
• If someone has specific questions about the Minyan's kashrut observance, direct them to the steerers.
• Send another food-coordinating email, if necessary, on the Wednesday before the lunch.

During the Week Before the Lunch: Keys — Receiving the Food

• Get the keys from the Keepers of the Keys.
• Be at the Temple to receive people's contributions between the times you specified in the original email. If there isn't a separate Kiddush Coordinator, the Lunch Coordinator is responsible for turning on lights, etc., as described in the pre-shabbat directions for the Kiddush Coordinator.

On Shabbat: Setting and Cleaning Up

• Set up drinks, cutlery, cups with wine and juice, etc.
• Set up kiddush in Ehrenfried Hall. Follow the kiddush coordinating guidelines.
• Take food out of the refrigerator to bring it to room temperature.

After Shabbat: Locking Up — Lights, Etc.

If there isn't a separate Kiddush Coordinator, the Lunch Coordinator is responsible for locking up after lunch, and for coming back after shabbat to:

See the post-shabbat kiddush coordinating guidelines.

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The Temple Sinai Religious School annex has both mechanical and electronic locks at its main entrance, a set of double doors facing Sewall Avenue. Weintraub Auditorium itself, inside the school building, should not be locked.

Electronic Lock: Automatic But Passive

The electronic lock is programmed to lock the Temple school annex doors at 1:00 pm on Saturdays. But the electronic lock actually locks only in conjunction with the exit bar on the inside of the outer door. For the door to actually be locked, you must also pop out the exit bar. See below for more about the mechanical lock and exit bar.

Should you need to manually set the electronic lock, the lock code is written in the guidelines in the closet . Remember that the electronic lock does not actually lock the door unless you also pop out the exit bar on the inside of the door before or after you enter the code.

Do not operate the electronic lock on shabbat or holidays.

Mechanical Lock: Manual and Enabling/Overriding

• If you want to disable the door latch so that others can come in without a key, you must use the Minyan allen wrench. It's kept in its case under the light on the right wall of the Minyan closet behind the stage.
• To unlatch the door, press the exit bar on the inside of outer door, insert the allen wrench in the hole on the bar and then into the socket behind it, and turn it so that the bar remains in the pressed position.
• The hole in the bar and the underlying socket can become misaligned. You might have to slide the bar a bit to align them.
• To re-latch the door in order to lock it, reinsert the allen wrench and turn it until the exit bar pops back out.

If you are coming in to deliver items or do pre-shabbat/holiday setup (no services), you should not unlatch the door after you enter. The door should remain locked to others without keys, unless it is already unlocked for other reasons.

Contact the Temple Sinai liaison if you have questions about the locks.

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