Mid-Atlantic District ByLaws (Revised 2009)       

ARTICLE I  NAME

The name of this organization shall be Women of Reform Judaism Mid-Atlantic District (herein referred to as “District”).

ARTICLE II  PURPOSE

Section 1.  To further the goals of WOMEN OF REFORM JUDAISM, The Federation of Temple Sisterhoods (herein referred to as “WRJ”), and to promote its programs. 

Section 2.  To help member sisterhoods participate effectively in the activities of WRJ.

Section 3.  To bring the sisterhoods of the District into closer cooperation and assistance with one another.

Section 4.  To further the activities of member sisterhoods.

Section 5.  To assist in the organization of new sisterhoods within the District.

ARTICLE III  MEMBERSHIP

Section 1.  Any organization of women (herein referred to as "sisterhood") affiliated with WRJ and situated within the District shall be eligible for membership in this organization. The boundaries of the District shall be designated by WRJ.

Section 2.  A member sisterhood shall notify the District president and WRJ in writing as to any change in status.

Section 3.  In keeping with the WRJ constitution, any woman living in a community without a sisterhood and too distant from a neighboring sisterhood to make membership feasible, or who is a member of a Union for Reform Judaism congregation without a WRJ affiliate, may pay dues directly to WRJ and the District as a member-at-large.  She shall enjoy all the privileges of membership except voting and holding office.

ARTICLE IV  DUES

Section 1.  Each sisterhood shall pay annual dues to the District based on its per capita membership. The amount shall be determined by the District at its convention. This amount shall not exceed the maximum amount set for Districts by WRJ.

Section 2.  The fiscal year shall conform to the fiscal year of WRJ.

Section 3.  A sisterhood whose dues are in arrears for two consecutive fiscal years shall be considered suspended from membership and therefore ineligible to vote or to receive District services.

Section 4.  A sisterhood that has been suspended may be reinstated with the approval of the executive committee upon paying dues for the current fiscal year, provided that the sisterhood is a member in good standing with WRJ.

ARTICLE V  OFFICERS

Section 1.  The officers shall include: president, first vice president, four vice presidents, recording secretary, corresponding secretary, treasurer, and auditor.

Section 2.  To be eligible for office, a member shall be Jewish, shall have served on the District board, shall be a member of a sisterhood in good standing and shall be a member of a congregation affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism.

Section 3.  The officers shall be elected and installed for a two-year term at the District convention. Officers shall assume their duties at the close of the convention.

Section 4.  No two women from the same sisterhood may be elected as officers except the president and the corresponding secretary.

Section 5.  No woman may serve as an officer for more than three consecutive terms unless she becomes first vice president or president. The president and first vice president shall each be limited to one complete term.

Section 6.  If any office other than that of president becomes vacant, it shall be filled immediately by appointment of the executive committee. A vacancy in the presidency shall be filled by the first vice president.  Should the offices of both president and first vice president become vacant, the executive committee shall fill both positions.

Section 7.  Any officer serving in an unexpired term shall be then eligible for election for a full term in her own right.

ARTICLE VI  DUTIES OF OFFICERS

Section 1.  President

A.  The president shall preside at all meetings.

B.  The president shall appoint all committee chairs, board members-at-large and special task forces and shall determine their duties and responsibilities.

C.  The president shall be an ex-officio member of all committees except the nominating committee.

D.  The president shall supervise the work of the officers, authorize the disbursement of District funds as budgeted and perform such other duties as pertain to the office.

E.  The president or her designate shall represent the District at meetings and conventions of WRJ, the District, and the Mid-Atlantic Council of the Union for Reform Judaism. Expenses incurred by the president or her designate in the performance of these duties shall be paid in accordance with the budget.

Section 2.  First Vice President

A.  The first vice president shall assist the president and, in the event of the absence or disability of the president, shall perform the duties of that office.

B.  The first vice president shall directly supervise area directors and the arrangements for the district convention and interim board meeting.

C.  The first vice president shall be an ex officio member of the district’s budget and bylaws committees.

D.  Expenses incurred by the first vice president in the performance of her duties shall be paid by the district in accordance with the budget.

Section 3:  Vice Presidents

A.  Each vice president shall be responsible for one of the departments as designated by WRJ. Each vice president shall coordinate and oversee the work of the committees in her department and shall perform additional duties as requested by the president.

B.  If neither the president nor the first vice president is available to carry out the duties of the presidency or to appoint a substitute, the immediate past president shall convene the executive committee to designate a vice president to carry out those duties.

C.  Expenses incurred by the vice presidents in the performance of their duties shall be paid by the District in accordance with the budget.

Section 4.  Recording Secretary

A.  The recording secretary shall take the minutes of all District meetings and distribute them in a timely manner.

B.  The recording secretary shall have charge of all official documents and shall keep up-to-date the bylaws and policies of the District to include any adopted revisions.

C.  At the expiration of her term, she shall promptly transfer all records to her successor.

D.  The recording secretary shall serve as a member of the bylaws committee.

Section 5.  Corresponding Secretary

A.  The corresponding secretary shall conduct the general correspondence of the District subject to the order of the president and shall send notification of all meetings of the District.

B.  The corresponding secretary shall compile and keep current a directory of officers, members of the board and committee chairs. She shall distribute copies to each member sisterhood, other district board members, WRJ and Mid-Atlantic Council for Union of Reform Judaism.

C.  At the expiration of her term, the corresponding secretary shall promptly transfer all District correspondence and records to her successor.

Section 6.  Treasurer

A.  The Treasurer shall send bills, receive all monies due the District and be the custodian of all District funds. She shall expend District monies as provided for in the budget or as authorized by the convention, the board or the executive committee.

B.  The treasurer shall be a member of the budget committee.

C.  The treasurer shall provide an audited financial report to WRJ at the close of each fiscal year.

D.  The treasurer shall keep the president apprised of the finances of the District. She shall present a written financial report to the District convention and to the meetings of the board.

E.  At the expiration of her term of office, the treasurer shall arrange for the immediate transfer of all District funds and records to her successor, and shall work jointly with her to assure a smooth transition.

Section 7.  Auditor

A.  The auditor shall promptly audit the books at the close of the fiscal year and send a written report to both the president and WRJ.

B.  The auditor shall serve as an ex-officio member of the budget committee.

ARTICLE VII  AREA DIRECTORS

Section 1.  Area directors are elected members of the district board and serve on the executive committee.

Section 2.  Area directors shall be the liaison between their assigned local sisterhoods and the District.

Section 3.  Area directors shall develop and coordinate area days and represent the District at same.

Section 4.  Area directors shall represent the District at local sisterhood events when possible.

Section 5.  Vacancies between elections shall be filled by appointment of the president with the consent of the executive committee.

ARTICLE VIII  EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Section 1.  The executive committee shall consist of the officers, area directors and the immediate past president of the District.

Section 2.  The executive committee shall manage the affairs of the District between board meetings.

Section 3.  The executive committee shall meet as necessary at the designation of the president or at the request of three of its members.

Section 4.  The executive committee may not modify any action of the delegate body or the board unless such action is found to be contrary to the policies of WRJ.

Section 5.  Fifty percent of the executive committee shall constitute a quorum, provided that they represent sisterhoods from at least two different states and include at least four officers. The District of Columbia shall be considered a state for this purpose.

ARTICLE IX  BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Section 1.  The board of directors shall include officers, area directors, past District presidents, committee chairs, up to four members-at-large and sisterhood presidents or a designee by a sisterhood without a president. Members of the board of directors of WRJ residing within the District shall be ex-officio members of the board.

Section 2.  The board shall have authority over the affairs of the District between conventions. It shall not modify any action taken by the delegate body unless such action is found to be contrary to the policies of WRJ or the District.

Section 3.  At least one scheduled board meeting shall be held annually. In the year of the District convention, a board meeting shall be held immediately prior to and in the same place as the convention.  A second board meeting shall be held immediately following the convention.  Special meetings of the board may be called by the president in consultation with the executive committee or at the request of ten members of the board.

Section 4.  A quorum shall consist of twenty members of the board of directors, providing it includes four officers and a designated chair.

ARTICLE X  COMMITTEES

Section 1.  Committees shall correspond to those of WRJ or shall meet specific needs of the District.

Section 2.  Each committee chair shall submit a report to her respective vice president thirty days prior to the interim board meeting and convention.

ARTICLE XI  NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS

Section 1.  The nominating committee shall consist of seven members selected by the President with due geographic consideration. The committee shall include three members of the board, three representatives of member sisterhoods and the chair, none of whom may be nominated as an officer

Section 2.  The chair shall be the immediate past president of the District. If she cannot serve in this capacity, the president shall appoint another past president to be the chair.

Section 3. Prior to the nominating committee meeting, the chair shall request each sisterhood to submit one name, approved by its board of directors, for consideration as a District officer or area director.

Section 4.  The nominating committee shall meet at least four months prior to the convention to determine the slate of officers and area directors for the District.

Section 5.  The committee shall submit the slate in writing to sisterhoods no less than sixty days before the convention where the election shall take place.

Section 6.  Additional nominations may be made in writing to the chair no later than thirty days before the election. Each such nomination shall be submitted only with the consent of the nominee and the endorsement of at least ten members of her sisterhood.

Section 7.  Should there be more than one candidate for election to any position, a plurality of those present and voting by written ballot, provided a quorum is present, shall decide the election for that position.

Section 8.  Should vacancies occur on the slate prepared by the nominating committee prior to election, the committee shall submit to the convention for election another nominee's name for that position.

ARTICLE XII  BUDGET AND FINANCE

Section 1.  All District checks shall require signatures of two of the following: treasurer, president, first vice president, immediate past president.

Section 2.  The budget committee shall prepare a two-year budget.  It shall be submitted to WRJ for approval and then sent to the board at least sixty days before the board meeting held closest to the beginning of the first fiscal year of the two-year budget.  It shall be adopted at that board meeting.

Section 3.  The budget committee shall review the expenses of the District each year.

Section 4.  Expenses shall be budgeted within the limitations set by District bylaws and policies.

ARTICLE XIII  CONVENTION

Section 1.  The convention shall be held in the alternate fiscal year of that in which the assembly of WRJ convenes.

Section 2.  The voting body of the convention shall consist of the board and the delegates or alternates appointed by each sisterhood in good standing.

Section 3.  Each sisterhood may appoint five delegates and five alternates who are not members of the District board. An alternate shall be entitled to vote only in the absence of a delegate. Sisterhoods may send additional members to the convention as non-voting participants.

Section 4.  A quorum shall consist of twenty-five members of the voting body representing at least nine sisterhoods.

Section 5.  Representatives of sisterhoods contemplating membership in WRJ shall be invited as official visitors.

ARTICLE XIV  AMENDMENTS

Section 1.  Proposed amendments to these bylaws shall be submitted in writing to the board for approval and then to the convention for adoption after first having been approved by WRJ. 

Section 2.  Amendments to these bylaws may be proposed by the delegate body of the convention, the board, the executive committee, the committee on bylaws and revisions or a sisterhood. In addition, ten individual sisterhood members may propose an amendment.

Section 3.  Every sisterhood shall receive a copy of proposed amendments at least sixty days prior to the convention.

Section 4.  A two-thirds vote of those present and eligible to vote at the convention shall be required to adopt an amendment, providing there is a quorum. Upon adoption, an amendment shall become a part of the bylaws.

ARTICLE XV  PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

Section 1.  The governing authority shall be Roberts Rules of Order, Revised.