One of the priorities set forth by the Board of Trustees in 2006 was a review of Temple Beth Zion's governance structures and processes. It was determined that this is a good time to review our governance since there are no major issues or controversies that will interfere with an objective assessment. Every good organization goes through this type of review periodically. We have not seriously reviewed our governance in many years and as a result many of the structures and policies that we have in place date back to the 1960s and before.

An ad hoc Governance Committee was formed by TBZ President Wendee Lorbeer. Members of the Ad Hoc Governance Committee, chaired by Kenneth Rogers, include David Brock, Susan Brown, Mark Criden, miriam treger honig, and Ronald Maier. This Committee will be working throughout 2007 and into the first half of 2008 to make sure that the review is both comprehensive and inclusive.

The Committee has developed a comprehensive and participative process that was reviewed by the Board of Trustees at its meeting of May 15, 2007. There will be many meetings with existing committees, groups and auxiliaries through the fall of 2007. Ideas and opinions will be solicited congregation-wide. Best practices from congregations around the country will be researched and brought forward for our review. Recommendations will be developed over the winter. A series of review sessions that reach out to the congregation will be established in Spring 2008. It is the hope of the Committee that final congregational actions, including by-laws amendments (if any) will take place at the annual congregational meeting of 2008.