Miriam’s Fund: Ensuring Our Library’s Future
Rabbi Ken Ehrlich, Librarian
Our TES Library recently received a $5000 grant from the Beck Family Charitable Foundation, a Florida-based foundation that supports causes and institutions that reflect the Beck family’s Jewish values.
When I met with the Beck family, I told them of Miriam’s Fund at the TES Library, a fund our Library Committee established in memory of our dear Miriam Schiffman. I told them that Miriam was a founding member of our Library Committee; that her love of books inspired all of us. I told the Becks that Miriam reminded us at every opportunity that we must make wise use of technology to broaden our opportunities for learning. The Beck Family Charitable Foundation agreed: its generous gift to Miriam’s Fund stipulates that we are to use the grant to expand, enhance, and support technology in the TES Library.
The gift has already made a difference: shortly before Rosh Hashanna, we will introduce our new cloud-based library catalog, along with instructions on how to search (on computer or smart phone) our catalog by title, author, or subject, and where to locate the book(s) in our Library. Miriam began this project for us. We are grateful that the Beck Family Charitable Foundation enabled us to complete it.
Miriam often said at the conclusion of a Library Committee meeting: “Well done. But we still have a lot to do.” If you would like to contribute to Miriam’s Fund, please contact Rabbi Julie, our co-Presidents, Melissa or David, or myself, Rabbi Ken.