Jewish Federation executive director Michael Weil has been an advocate for changes in the Federation’s articles of incorporation and by-laws, which will allow non-Jews to serve on the boards of constituent agencies. (Photo by Alan Smason)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The meeting will occur prior to a planned executive board meeting of the Federation at the Goldring-Woldenberg campus at 3747 West Esplanade in Metairie.<\/p>\n
Morton Katz, president of Federation, met with members of the CCJN more than a week ago to discuss the proposed changes, which were first brought up in 2014. He said that a committee was formed to answer any critics who were concerned with the original language of the proposals. New language has been inserted that Katz feels will make any outstanding objections moot.<\/p>\n
An earlier vote at a Federation general membership meeting in December was postponed and at the time it was suspected the revised proposals would not be ready until May or June. However, with little outstanding opposition to the measures, Federation trustees voted on the amendments in January and have also moved that the items be placed on its agenda to be considered tonight.<\/p>\n
The changes in the charter, or articles of incorporation that exist with the State of Louisiana, will be considered first. Once those pass, then the membership can tackle the changes to the by-laws.<\/p>\n
The proposed changes affect Federation and those organizations defined as constituent agencies, including Tulane Hillel, the Jewish Community Center, Jewish Children’s Regional Service and Jewish Endowment of Louisiana. Under terms of the proposed amendments, non-Jewish surviving spouses and domestic partners would be allowed to be elected to the boards of the constituent agencies. Under the existing by-laws only those who identify as Jewish are allowed to be members of the consitutent agencies and, thus, only Jews serve on the boards.<\/p>\n
The proposals were originally advanced by Tulane Hillel because a major donor, whose spouse had died was informed that as a widow she could not serve on its board of directors. Hillel inquired if the by-laws could be changed in order to accommodate this request.<\/p>\n
Thus, the changes to the by-laws ramped up. Meanwhile, changes to the articles of incorporation are essential because the charter still has Federation domiciled in Orleans Parish, where it was instituted more than a century ago.<\/p>\n
Here are the resolutions:<\/p>\n
RESOLUTIONS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF GREATER NEW ORLEANS TO AMEND THE BY-LAWS, TO AMEND THE ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION AND TO PROPOSE AMENDMENTS TO CONSTITUENT AGENCIES POLICIES <\/strong><\/h3>\nThe Board of Trustees (hereinafter \u201cthe Board\u201d) of the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans (hereinafter \u201cthe Federation\u201d or \u201cthe Corporation\u201d) met on Thursday, January 22, 2015 at the Jewish Community Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. The following Resolutions were approved by the Board to amend the Federation By-Laws, and shall become effective upon approval by the Membership of the Corporation of the proposed amendments to the Articles of Incorporation as set forth herein below at the Special Meeting of the Members currently scheduled for March 16, 2015:<\/strong><\/p>\nBE IT RESOLVED that the following provision shall be added as a new Section 8 to Article X of the By-Laws<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\u201cSection 8. Definition of Domestic Partners As used in the Articles of Incorporation, the term \u201cdomestic partners\u201d means persons in an interpersonal relationship who live together and share a common domestic life.\u201d<\/p>\n
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Section 5 of Article VI of the By-Laws shall be amended to read as follows: <\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cSection 5. Nominating Procedures. The names of the persons nominated by the Nominating Committee, as reflected in its report to the Board of Trustees, shall be delivered to the Board of Trustees not later than July 31 immediately preceding the Annual Meeting.<\/p>\n
At least forty-five (45) days before each Annual Meeting of the Members and each Special Meeting at which Trustees are to be elected, the Secretary shall either cause notice to be published in a local Anglo-Jewish publication or send notice to each known Member, in accordance with Article X, Section 6 of these By-Laws, setting forth a list of persons nominated by the Nominating Committee to serve as Trustees and Officers (as the case may be), together with a statement that Trustees and Officers (as the case may be) may also be nominated by petition containing the signatures of a least fifty (50) Members and that all such petitioners have made a donation to the Corporation in the preceding campaign year ending June 30.<\/p>\n
Nominations by petition shall be submitted, in writing, to the Secretary at least thirty (30) days before the Annual Meeting or Special Meeting. Thereupon, the Secretary shall have prepared an official ballot of all the nominees, and the vote by the Members shall be by secret ballot. Nomination for election as Trustees or Officers at an Annual Meeting or Special Meeting shall only be made by the Nominating Committee or by petition as aforesaid and may not be made by any other means. If the Secretary does not receive any timely submitted petition(s), the election may be conducted by a voice vote.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Board further resolved to recommend a change to the Articles of Incorporation of the Federation by amending Article III, Section 2, thereof, to read as follows:<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cSection 2. All persons of the Jewish faith, their spouses, domestic partners (as defined in the By-Laws), former spouses or former domestic partners and who are over the age of majority, support the Mission and Purposes of the Corporation, and contribute to the Corporation\u2019s Annual Campaign shall be Members of the Corporation from the date on which the contribution is made through the end of the fiscal year succeeding the fiscal year during which the contribution is made. Members shall be entitled to vote beginning July 1 of the year after the contribution is made.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Board further resolved to recommend the following changes to the Articles of Incorporation of the Federation by amending the following Sections of Article IV thereof<\/strong>:<\/p>\nA proposed change to the first sentence of Section 1 to reduce the maximum number of Trustees from seventy-five to fifty-five, thereby amending the first sentence of Section 1 to read as follows<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\u201cSection 1. The affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by a Board of Trustees which shall consist of such number of Trustees, not less than twenty-five nor more than fifty-five, as the By-Laws shall provide.\u201d<\/p>\n
A proposed change to Section 3 to delete the second sentence which currently reads as follows: <\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cThe By-Laws may provide that any one or more of the persons serving as General Campaign Chair of the New Orleans Jewish Welfare Fund Campaign, Chair of the Women\u2019s Division of that Campaign, Chair of the Women\u2019s Forum of Presidents, and Chair of each standing committee of the Corporation, or in any comparable position specified in the By-Laws, shall by virtue of such service and during the course thereof serve as Trustee if such persons are not otherwise serving in that capacity.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Board further resolved to recommend a change to the Articles of Incorporation of the Federation by amending the first sentence of Article XIII thereof to correct the address of the Corporation\u2019s Registered Office, to read as follows<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\u201cArticle XIII REGISTERED OFFICE AND AGENTS The Registered Office of the Corporation is 3747 West Esplanade Avenue, Metairie, Louisiana, 70002.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Board further resolved to submit the aforesaid amended provisions of the Articles of Incorporation to the Membership of the Corporation at a Special Meeting of the Members to be scheduled on March 16, 2015<\/strong>.<\/p>\nThe Board further resolved to recommend a change in Section 2 of Constituent Agencies Policies in \u201cAdditional Policies, Practices and Guidelines\u201d (Addendum to the By-Laws) as follows, with a minor change<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\u201cThe Articles or By-Laws of each Constituent Agency shall provide that only individuals who support the Mission and Purposes of the Corporation and who contribute to the Corporation\u2019s Annual Campaign on an annual basis shall be eligible to serve as Members of the governing Board of such agency.\u201d<\/p>\n
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