Officers of the INS

Rules and Regulations (Charter)

 

Approved, December 7, 2006

 

I. Name of the Society and its objectives

1. Name of the Society: Israel Numismatic Society (INS). In Hebrewהחברה הנומיסמטית בישראל (ha-chevra ha-numismatit be-yisrael)

2. Objectives of the Society:

2.1  Advance and enhancement of the study of numismatics in Israel, to wit:

2.2  Encouragement of numismatic training and research on all levels and in all institutions in Israel interested in such

2.3  Administration of branches in which lectures and other activities will take place

2.4  Encouragement of the holding of scientific conferences and symposia on numismatic subjects

2.5  Cooperation with parallel organizations abroad, and with the Commission Internationale de Numismatique (CIN)

2.6  Cooperation with other scientific organizations in Israel in tangential fields

2.7  Publication of a scientific journal and other reports on behalf of the INS

2.8  Production and maintenance of an internet site to spread information of the Society’s activities locally and abroad

3. Symbol (Logo) of the Society:

3.1  The symbol (logo) of the Society will accompany all of its publications, and appear on its stationery

4. Financial Resources:

4.1  The Society and its branches will raise the funds for its activity from annual dues, donations of members and friends of the Society, grants from scientific and other organizations, and from income generated both by the sale of its publications and from other activities of the Society

4.2  The funds of the Society and its possessions will only be used for the Society’s objectives. The division of profits or perquisites to members or others (beyond those employed by the Society, with the approval of the national INS board) in any way, are forbidden

4.3  The funds deriving from the Society’s branches are for the sole use purpose of facilitating the branches’ activities

4.4  The funds deriving from international membership, and any other sums that will be donated to or raised for the Society, will be deposited in a bank account opened for this purpose, under the name of the Israel Numismatic Society

4.5  Responsibility for the administration of this bank account will be the responsibility of the Bursar of the Society, and under the supervision of the Society’s audit committee. In addition to the Bursar, two signatories for the account will be appointed from among the members of the national INS board

5. “Friends of the INS”:

5.1  The Society will encourage the creation of an organization of its supporters abroad, for the purpose of recruiting new members, raising funds for the financing of the publications of the Society, and donations for other purposes, such as conferences, scholarships and other activities among the Society’s objectives as determined by the national INS board

5.2  The funds which are raised will be deposited directly into the Society’s bank account. The Bursar will insure that those funds are utilized only for the purpose to which they were directed at the time of their receipt

5.3  The national INS board will appoint a chair-person for the supporter organization. The person selected for this position will encourage numismatic activity in Israel and abroad. His appointment to the position will be reconfirmed from time to time in coordination with the members of the supporter organization

 

II. Membership

1. Acceptance of Members:

1.1  Any person, institution or organization is permitted to be a member of the Society

1.2  Members who are residents of Israel are required to belong to one of the branches. Members who are not residents of Israel are directly connected to the Society through the national INS institutions, or through the supporter organization

1.3  All people registered as members of the Society on the day of approval of this charter, are members of the Society. A person requesting to be accepted as a new member will submit a request to the head of the branch to which he is interested in joining. Upon recommendation of the branch’s board, his membership will be accepted

1.4  The candidate for membership in the Society will submit the following written declaration: “I, (name, address, identity number), request to become a member of the Israel Numismatic Society. I am familiar with the objectives of the Society and its charter. If I become a member I will undertake to observe the Society’s rules and regulations, and the decisions of the General Meetings of the Society”

1.5  A non-resident of Israel who wishes to become a member of the Society, may do so. His request, submitted directly to the Secretary of the Society, and a decision will be taken by the national INS board, which through the Secretary will notify the candidate. International members will be entitled to receive the Society’s journal

1.6  All official documents of the Society (decisions and updates of the national INS board, as well as minutes of the General Meetings, and changes in the charter) will be translated into English and sent to its international members

 2. Membership Dues:

2.1  Membership in the Society, as in its branches, is conditional on payment of annual membership dues which will be collected by the bursars of the branches. The basic dues will be identical in all of the branches, and will be determined by the national INS board

2.2  Payment of this membership dues will entitle the member to membership only

2.3  A member may pay an expanded membership dues which will include receipt of the annual Society’s journal. In this case the branch’s bursar will deliver this additional sum (above the basic dues) to the Bursar of the Society

2.4  Beyond the basic membership dues which will be identical for all of the branches, each branch is entitled to collect an additional sum for the purpose of special branch activity (as in refreshments, field trips, rental of a hall or equipment). This requires coordination with the national INS board and the Bursar of the Society

2.5  The basic membership dues will be collected by the branch’s bursar. Control of these sums are the responsibility of the branches and are for the purpose of the facilitating the branch’s activities. Once a year the branches’ bursars will remit a sum of money—to be determined by the national INS board—to the Bursar of the Society, for the payment of the Society’s membership dues to the Commission Internationale de Numismatique (CIN)

2.6  International membership dues will be determined by the national INS board, will be deposited directly into the bank account of the Society

 3. Entitlements and Obligations of Members:

3.1  A member of the Society is entitled to participate in the Society’s activities and benefit from its services

3.2  A member of the Society is entitled to participate and vote in all of the Society’s General Meetings. He will have one ballot in each vote

3.3  Each member may become a candidate for the board of the branch to which he belongs, and/or to national audit committee

3.4  The cession of membership in the Society will not release the member from outstanding payments due to the Society from the member before the cession of membership, for the period until the cession of that membership

 4. Cession of Membership:

4.1  Membership in the Society ends upon:

4.2  The General Meeting is entitled, upon recommendation of the national INS board, to remove a member from the Society for one of the following reasons:

4.3  A branch’s board will only recommend to the national INS board that a member be removed from the Society after the member has been given a reasonable opportunity to present his position to it

 5. Notifications to Members:

5.1  All invitations, requests, warnings or other announcements of the Society to its members will be given in surface mail or electronic mail

  

III. General Meeting

1. Date and Place:

1.1  The General Meeting of members of the Society will take place once a year. If possible the General Meeting should take place at the annual conference of the Society

1.2  The national INS board will determine the date and place of the General Meeting, and send notification of it and its agenda to the Society’s members in surface mail or electronic mail at least 21 days prior to the appointed date

 2. Function of a regular General Meeting:

2.1  A regular General Meeting will consider the following subjects:

2.2  Each member of the Society may suggest subjects to be discussed in a regular General Meeting, on condition that he submit his request in writing to the national INS board at least 21 days prior to the meeting

 3. Quorum:

3.1  The General Meeting will only take place if at least one quarter of the members of the Society are present. If such a quorum is present at the beginning of the meeting, that meeting will continue its deliberations and make decisions even if the number present falls below the required number in the course of the meeting

 4. Decisions:

4.1  Decisions of the General Meeting will be taken by a simple majority of those voting. If the vote is tied, the chairperson of the meeting is entitled to break the tie

4.2  The General Meeting is sovereign with regard to the branches. Its decisions obligate all of the branches

 5. Minutes:

5.1  The Secretary of the General Meeting will take its minutes. The minutes will be translated into English for the Society’s international members, and for the “Friends of the INS” support organization

  

IV. The National Board of the Society (hereafter the national INS board)

1. Members of the national INS board:

1.1  The President of the Israel Numismatic Society, elected by the General Meeting, will be the chairperson of the national INS board

1.2  The national INS board will consist of 10 members representing the boards of the branches. Their numerical representation will be proportionate to the numbers of members in the branches. In the case where the proportions cannot be exactly replicated, preference will be given to the largest branch

1.3  The members of the national INS board will elect the following functionaries:

a. Secretary of the Society

b. Bursar of the Society

c. Scientific Advisor of the Society

1.4  A committee appointed by the national INS board and headed by the Scientific Advisor of the Society will propose the person to be editor of the journal. The national INS board will decide upon this according to the recommendations of this committee

1.5 The editor of the journal will be required to give a report on the progress of the preparation and publication of the journal at each meeting of the national INS board

1.6  The national INS board will select an attorney and accountant who will represent the Society

 2. Period of Office:

2.1  The national INS board will preside from the time of its confirmation by the General Meeting for a period of four years. An outgoing national INS board member may be elected to the new national INS board

2.2  A national INS board member may resign at any time from his office by a written announcement to the board. A board member will not preside if he has been convicted of a crime

2.3  If a position in the national INS board becomes open, the branch to which the member belongs will suggest a replacement, who will be confirmed by the national INS board

2.4  The national INS board will be careful not to appoint a person as a member of its board if at the time a relationship exists between that person and another member of the board which may be construed as a conflict of interest

 3. Meetings of the national INS board:

3.1  The national INS board will organize the dates of its meetings, the prior announcements of them, the quorum required for them and the mode by which they are implemented

4. Decisions:

4.1  Decisions of the national INS board will be taken by a simple majority of those voting. If the vote is tied, the chairperson of the board is entitled to break the tie

4.2   If and when the national INS board cannot meet in order to discuss and make a decision,  the discussion will be held and the decision taken by electronic mail and/or fax in the following way:

 5. Minutes:

5.1  The national INS board will be responsible for notation of its minutes and its decisions. The minutes will be distributed to all of its members

 6. Signatories:

6.1  The national INS board will appoint two of its members to sign documents in the name of the Society, and to carry out transactions for the Society

 7. Chairperson of the national INS board:

7.1  This position will be filled by the President of the Israel Numismatic Society. Only a person who has been a member of the Society for five years may be elected to this position 

7.2  The Chairperson of the national INS board is responsible to convoke the General Meeting, meetings of the national INS board, to organize conferences of the Society, to supervise its publications, and to represent it in international organizations such as the CIN. He is responsible for the correct operation of the different committees appointed by the national INS board, and will report to the General Meeting of the activities of the national INS board. He will report to the audit committee

7.3  In carrying out these duties he will receive assistance, primarily from the Secretary and Scientific Advisor of the Society, as well as by the committee or committees, and member or members, who help him

7.4  The President of the Society, in his function as Chairperson of the national INS board, will be elected by the General Meeting for a period of four years. If after this period, other members have not submitted their candidacy for this position, then the General Meeting is entitled to extend the President’s period of office for an additional year, until new elections will be held

 8. Secretary of the Society:

8.1  Only a person who has been a member of the Society for five years may be elected to this position. The Secretary will assist the Chairperson of the national INS board and the national INS board in executing their duties 

8.2  The Secretary will take the minutes of the General Meeting and of the national INS board. The Secretary will announce changes in personnel in the national INS board and audit committee, and of the signatories for the Society’s bank account, to the national INS board

8.3  The Secretary will conduct the correspondence duties between the national INS board and the Society’s members, with regard to conferences, lectures, and the General Meeting. The Secretary will be responsible for maintaining an updated list of the members of the Society and members of the national INS board

8.4  The Secretary will be elected for a period of four years. If after this period, other members have not submitted their candidacy for this position, then the General Meeting is entitled to extend the President’s period of office for an additional year, until new elections will be held

9. Bursar of the Society:

9.1  Only a member of the Society may be elected to this position. If possible preference will be given to a person with experience with fiscal or administrative management 

9.2  The Bursar will be responsible for the Society’s funds and investments and in their use for normal activities of the Society (annual conferences, publications, incidental expenses incurred in the daily running of the Society and its committees)

9.3  The Bursar will request permission for all special expenses (as in expenses related to guest lecturers, symposia, special publications, etc.) from the national INS board

9.4  The Bursar will be responsible for the annual financial report. In advance of the General Meeting the Bursar will receive financial reports from the bursars of the branches in order to prepare this report. The Bursar and the audit committee will submit the annual financial report to the General Meeting

10. Scientific Advisor of the Society:

10.1  A person of internationally recognized scientific standing, who has been a member of the Society for five years, may be elected to this position. The Scientific Advisor will be elected for a period of four years. The national INS board may extend this period. Among the Scientific Advisor’s responsibilities is to chair the committee which recommends the Society’s publications editor. In addition, the Scientific Advisor will be a member of the journal’s editorial board

 

V. The Audit Committee

1.  The audit committee will include two members elected by the General Meeting

2.  The members of the audit committee, elected for a period of two years, may be candidates for an additional term, requiring approval of the General Meeting

3.  The audit committee will examine the budgets, financial activity and investments of the Society. It will receive the annual financial reports and balance sheet from the Bursar, and, together with the Bursar, will present this report to the General Meeting

4.  If the audit committee uncovers irregularities in the financial running of the Society it will immediately notify the President of the Society and the national INS board so that they may determine ways to solve the problem. If the national INS board refuses to cooperate, the audit committee is authorized to convoke a special General Meeting to discuss the findings of the committee

5.  A member of the audit committee is not entitled to serve on the national INS board, or any other committee of the Society, or serve in any other capacity in the Society

 

VI. The Branches of the Society

1.  A branch shall include any body of no less than ten members conducting organized scientific numismatic activity

2.  Each branch will elect the following functionaries through elections: chairperson, secretary and bursar. Each branch will determine the dates of these elections, and will notify the President of the Society of the date. Any member who has paid dues to the Society is entitled to be elected to these posts. The results of the elections will be reported to the President of the Society

3.  Each branch will select its candidates for the national INS board, as noted in paragraph IV.1.2

4.  Each branch will manage its finances based upon payment of membership dues, for the regular running of the branch’s affairs

5.  The regular running of the branch’s affairs is the sole responsibility of the branch, and will be audited by a person appointed by the members of branch, according to the charter of the Society

 

VII. Administration of Special Projects

1.  Any initiative for special projects (publications, conferences, symposia, field trips, etc.) will be examined by the national INS board, in whose purview it is to appoint a committee for any special project, as needed. For each special project a work plan, budget and schedule will be prepared. Each special project will be brought before the national INS board. The board’s decisions are subject to the ability of the Society to fund the project from sources other than national membership dues

 

VIII. Publications of the Society

1.  The Society will inaugurate a scientific journal entitled Israel Numismatic Research.

2.  If possible the journal will be published annually. As the scientific journal of the Society it will aspire to the highest international standards

3.  The journal will include scientific articles, and book reviews, in English (preferred language), French, Italian, German and Spanish

4.  The journal will be financed through international membership dues. In addition, the Society will work to receive donations for the publication of the journal

5.  The national INS board will determine who will edit the journal, and the make-up of the editorial board. The board will approve the language editor and the printing press which will produce the journal. The editorial board as well as the editor will be subordinate to the national INS board

6.  In the case where one of the functions relating to the editing of the journal will not be filled satisfactorily, the national INS board is entitled to replace the person filling this position

7.  In addition to the journal, the Society will publish a “Researches and Studies” monograph series, and other publications in the field of numismatics. Towards this end, the Society will raise earmarked funds for each of these publications. The decision to publish a monograph or other publication belongs to the editor and editorial board, and is subject to the approval of the national INS board

8.  The national INS board will determine the price of the Society’s publications

9.  The national INS board will determine the bodies responsible for distribution, sale and storage of the Society’s publications

10.  A member who has only paid basic membership dues is entitled to purchase the journal at a reduced price

11.  A member who has paid expanded membership dues is entitled to receive the journal at no cost

12.  No costs of the journal will be born by the Society’s branches.

 

IX. Annual Conference

1.  The Society will endeavor to hold an annual conference. An announcement will be made 21 days prior to its date. The conference will include scientific and general lectures on numismatic subjects

2.  The national INS board will announce its intention to hold the annual conference two months in advance, to enable each member wishing to lecture at it to request to do so of the national INS board not later than one month before the date of the conference

3.  The Scientific Advisor of the Society is responsible for the content of the conference

4.  If possible, the General Meeting of the Society will take place at the annual conference

5.  The Society will endeavor to hold additional scientific symposia. These may be held in coordination with other institutions and organizations dealing in tangential fields

 

X. Scholarship Fund

1.  The national INS board will deduct a sum from international membership dues for the purpose of enabling Israeli numismatic researcher or researchers—who have been members of the Society for at least two years—to participate in the International Numismatic Congress of the CIN which takes place every six years. The Society will raise additional earmarked funds for this purpose from other sources. The national INS board will publicize the conditions by which a candidate may receive this scholarship

 

XI. The Legal Status of the Society

1.  The national INS board will register the Society as an “amuta” at the “Registrar of Amutot” office, after this charter is confirmed by the General Meeting

 

XII. Distribution of the Charter

1.  Within a month of the confirmation of this charter by the General Meeting, the national INS board will make copies of the charter available to all members of the Society. A copy of this charter will be given to each new candidate for membership in the Society

2.  The charter will be translated into English for international members

3.  Proposals for corrections and changes in the charter will be brought to the members at least 21 days before the annual General Meeting of the Society. The corrections and changes will be approved by the General Meeting by a simple majority vote, on condition that it was previously approved by the national INS board.

4. The updated charter of the INS will appear at the website of the INS.

  

XIII. Assets after the Dissolution of the Society

1.  The voluntary dissolution of the Society will be done in a General Meeting, to which all members have been notified at least 21 days beforehand, and for which the subject of the Society’s dissolution is explicitly stated. The decision on dissolution will require a two-thirds majority vote of those present at the meeting

2.  Both a voluntary dissolution and a court mandated dissolution will be conducted according to the regulations of chapter zayin of the “Amutot Law” (1980)

3.  If, upon dissolution, after the Society’s debts have been paid, there remain assets, these will be given to a another society whose objectives are similar.