Donations vs. dues

I enjoyed reading Robert White’s letter to j. regarding functional religious communities beyond the conventional synagogue.

He criticizes my letter of Feb. 22, pointing out that the conventional synagogue is not the only model of religious community that works. He particularly refers to the Mission Minyan as an example of an alternative successful type of religious community.

While the Minyan has no dues, its website asks for donors and sponsors to pay the $110 per week it costs for the room it uses on Friday nights. The Minyan 1) meets every Friday night at a specific location in San Francisco; 2) seeks to match guests and hosts for home hospitality every Friday night; 3) meets every other Shabbat morning; 4) meets regularly for special learning sessions, holiday programs, social action projects and social services.

While the Minyan is not a “congregation,” it does provide regular, ongoing activities far beyond what is provided by the seven-person group that received so much recent attention from j.

Yes, Mr. White, institutions such as the Minyan can work with proper financial support. They are more worthy of our commendation than the recently featured San Jose group.

Theodore R. Bresler   |   Fremont