Seating policy

From time to time persons including members, members and seat holders, seat-holders and non-members request seats in the one of the services of Caulfield Hebrew Congregation including the Main Shule, the Hall Minyan and Or Chadash. As there may not always be sufficient seats to satisfy all requests the Board has formulated this policy to provide transparency in the allocation of seats. Please note that Clause 9(2) of the Constitution, which deems a seat to be vacant if seat rental payment is in arrears, will be strictly enforced.

Seat/s available

In the case where a request for seat/s can be accommodated then a seat/s should be allocated, with the consent of the applicant, at that time.

No Seat/s available

• Should there be no vacant seat/s available for allocation then the applicant should complete a written application, which is then recorded in the Seating Request Register on its delivery to the Shule office.

• The Seating Request Register should record the applicant's name, contact details, their shule account details (if applicable), the number of seat/s requested in each part of the Shule, any special requests and the date the written request was delivered to the Shule office.

• At such time as seat/s become available the allocation of the seat/s will be based on the chronological order of the request as recorded in the Seating Request Register.

• As Per Clause 9(1) of the Constitution, Members shall be entitled to seats in priority to non-Members.

• An existing seat holder who has requested a different seat takes preference on the allocation of a seat that most closely matches their request, on condition that they relinquish their existing seat for general allocation.

• In the case where a sufficient number of seats becomes available to satisfy two or more requests, and one of the requests is for a seat immediately adjacent to a current seat holding, then that request will take priority for the adjacent seat.

Voluntary Relinquishing of Seats

• All seat-holders wishing to voluntarily relinquish their seat/s must do so in writing.

• In the event that an existing seat-holder wishes to voluntarily relinquish their seat they may nominate an immediate family member, defined as grandparent, parent, sibling, child or grandchild (this also includes their spouse), who is 18 years old or over to take over the seat.

Passing of a Seat holder

• As soon as reasonably possible after of the passing of a seat-holder, and preferably within 30 days, Caulfield Hebrew Congregation should be informed in writing with respect to the wishes of the estate with regard to the seat-holding. Should the estate not contact Caulfield Hebrew Congregation within 30 days of the passing, the Shule may write to the estate of the deceased seat-holder requesting confirmation of their wishes with regard to the seat-holding.

• The estate may wish to nominate an immediate family member, defined as grandparent, parent, sibling, child or grandchild (this also includes their spouse), who is 18 years old or over to take over the seat.

• In the case where the estate wishes to relinquish the seat then it is allocated on the basis of points 3 and 4 above.

Timing of Seat Allocation

• Seat allocation commences approximately one month prior to Rosh Hashanah each year.

THIS POLICY IS EFFECTIVE FROM 29 March 2009