Our Vaad works in partnership with a Lay Advisory Council (“LAC”) to address communal concerns and interests.

What is the LAC?

The LAC is an advisory body comprised of those members of our local Orthodox community who have volunteered their time and service.  LAC members will serve for fixed terms in order to ensure a steady stream of new voices at our family table.

The LAC is not a board and does not have any legal or other “authority” over the Vaad or its members.  (Disciplinary actions and employment-related oversight remain the province of our members’ respective synagogues and of any rabbinic or other organizations to which our members belong.)  Nor will the LAC be involved in addressing any halakhic questions. Those remain the sole province of the Vaad and its members.

However, the LAC does serve several important functions.

• A Voice for Communal Concerns

Although our members are committed to a variety of forms of interactions and engagement with all of our community, the LAC provides a ready address through which to articulate communal concerns or to surface issues that may warrant the Vaad’s attention.  Our members also may consult the LAC from time to time to seek feedback on policy and other considerations.

• Ambassadors to the Community 

We also hope members of the LAC will act as ambassadors to the broader community, helping to clarify the vision and mission of the Vaad.

• A Vehicle for Accountability and Transparency; Reporting of Grievances 

Accountability and transparency are key principles for our Vaad.  The LAC will assist the Vaad in developing clear procedures for how it discharges its responsibilities in the areas of kashrut, conversion and the like.  Again, the LAC’s role is not to opine on the halakhic considerations that underlie those procedures, but instead to help develop best practices that create predictability and transparency and that ensure the dignity of each individual who comes to the Vaad for assistance or support.

For the same reasons, we also have asked the LAC to establish a confidential mechanism through which grievances concerning actions of the Vaad’s members may be reported. A person who believes that a member of the Vaad has abused his or her authority, has behaved unethically or illegally, or otherwise has acted inappropriately, may contact the LAC for assistance.

Upon receipt of a grievance, the LAC will work with the complainant to determine the best course of action.  Options may include mediation with the involved member, consultation with other members of the VAAD or with the member’s synagogue or rabbinic organizational leadership or, in some cases, public disclosure of the issue.  Where there is evidence of a crime, the LAC may report the situation to relevant law enforcement.

This grievance mechanism is entirely voluntary.  No one is required to seek recourse through the LAC instead of any other method that may be available. Moreover, as noted above, the LAC has no legal or formal authority over, or responsibility for, the Vaad or its members.  It is not intended to take the place of a synagogue board or other disciplinary mechanism.  The LAC’s role is entirely advisory, and its most severe sanction is to report to other bodies that do have such authority or to seek public exposure of alleged wrongdoing.

The LAC Grievance Procedure has been adopted formally by the Beltway Vaad as binding on all of its members.

For further details on the LAC Grievance Procedure, please click here.

To invoke the LAC Grievance Procedure, please email beltwayLAC@gmail.com. Include in your email how you would like to be contacted, and a member of the LAC will endeavor to reach out to you promptly.

Who Is the LAC?

Our LAC is comprised of members of our community and currently led by Rella Kaplowitz (chair). George Silberman (immediate past chair) and Benham Dayanim (founding chair) serve in consulting roles.

Past members

2024 – Rella Kaplowitz (chair), Matt Peterson, Rena Opert, Yishai Schwartz, and Rachel Milner-Gillers.

2021 – Rella Kaplowitz, Miki Moskowitz, Rena Opert, Matthew Peterson, Josh Resnick, Miriam Stein, Jud Subar, George Silberman (chair)

2018 – George Silberman, Elan Burman, Shari Kleiner, Rachel Leiser Levy, Allen Mansfield, Abi Dauber Sterne, Suzette Tanen, Gil Yehuda

2017 – Rich Dweck, David Gillers, Tovah Koplow, Tamar Zakheim

2016 – David Janus, Benjamin Neumann, Ahuva Orlofsky, Bruce Weiner

Click to view the Terms and Composition of Lay Advisory Council.

How Do I Contact The LAC?

The LAC and the Vaad are continuing to develop their relationship, and we fully expect the LAC’s role to evolve.  To that end, we welcome all ideas as to ideal models of lay-clerical interaction.  We also welcome any and all questions.

To contact the LAC, please email beltwayLAC@gmail.com or feel free to reach out to any of the LAC’s members individually.

How Do I Report A Grievance?

To invoke the LAC grievance mechanism, please email beltwayLAC@gmail.com. Include in your email how you would like to be contacted, and a member of the LAC will endeavor to reach out to you promptly.