As part of its North American Leadership Series, JRF is proud to present PEARL: Providing Education and Resources for Leadership. We recognize that not everyone is able to join us for these exciting conference calls; we are pleased to make resources and audio recordings from the calls available here on our website. Resources from these sessions are provided free-of-charge to all JRF affiliates. It is our belief that by providing congregational leaders with the resources and experiences needed for growth, each of our communities – and the Reconstructionist movement as a whole – will benefit.
For more information, please contact Isaac Saposnik at isaposnik@jrf.org
CONGREGATIONAL GROWTH
Growing Your Congregational Community
Rabbi Shawn Zevit, Noah Drezner, Jane Krantz, Rabbi Elyse Wechterman
Growth isn’t only about numbers; if your congregation is to grow, it must focus also on dynamic changes. Members of congregations of various sizes will share their stories of successful growth and will provide workshop participants with opportunities for practical application to their home communities.
Cultivating Leadership: Responding to the Volunteer Dilemma
Dr. Carl Sheingold, Dr. Saul Carliner, Jean Miller, Rabbi Steve Segar
“The board members haven’t changed in years and they are getting tired – what do I do?” Exciting and engaging congregants to take on new leadership roles is crucial to the health and growth of the congregation. This workshop will focus on models for engagement of members, succession, and transition of leadership.
How Do We Run a Successful Congregational Fundraising Event?
Barry Nove, Carrie Greene - congregations with less than 250 units
Barry Nove, Ron Glickman - congregations with more than 250 units
Planning a fundraising event can be nerve-wracking: What will be successful? How much will members contribute? Who will organize the details? Will members resist being asked for additional funds? What is a reasonable scope for our event? Alleviate your nerves – and those of your congregation – by exploring answers to these questions, and more.
Congregational Dues: Models That Work
Rabbi Shawn Zevit, Melissa Segal, Francine Shetterly, Susie Speer
The way a congregation develops and markets its dues structure speaks volumes about its values, membership, and goals. Whether it be flat rate, fair share, hybrid, or another model, learn how congregations can be successful in creating a dues structure that is in line with the best of its Reconstructionist values.
Using the Web and Newsletters for Successful Community Building and Engagement
Rabbi Shai Gluskin, Lisa Tuttle, Debbie Hotz, Jane Susswein
In the fast paced and ever-changing world of technology and marketing, congregations must be innovative in order to effectively reach out to their congregants. Using best practices and new models for engagement, this workshop will highlight exciting models for sharing the ongoing life of your congregation, enhancing your website and newsletter, and using both to mobilize members to be active in the community.
Creating A Home: Thinking it Through From Building Renovation to LEEDs Platinum Certification
Rabbi Jeffrey Eisenstat, Gary DeBode, Alan Saposnik
Whether you are moving into an existing facility, adding an addition, or starting from the ground up, building a new synagogue can be both challenging and exhilarating. Issues of location, finances, communal commitment, and values are critical to building a truly Reconstructionist community; explore these issues, and more, with three congregations that have had successful building projects in the past decade.
RECONSTRUCTIONIST LEADERSHIP
Embarking on Strategic Planning for Smaller Congregations: Mission, Vision, and Values
Dr. Carl Sheingold, Rabbi Mordechai Liebling, Aura Ahuvia
It’s hard to know where you are going if you don’t first know where you are. Strategic planning cannot take place without first undertaking strategic thinking: what are the mission, vision, and values of our community? Explore ways to think about these key issues, models for creating cohesive statements that respond to them, and challenges and opportunities of doing this work in a smaller congregation.
Boards That Work: Building and Sustaining an Effective Governance Structure
Carol Feder, Rabbi Nancy Epstein
We can’t lead in a vacuum – the work of leadership is done within a larger system. Whether you are on the board, a member of a committee, part of the executive committee, or a staff member, working within a well-defined governance structure can help to clarify roles and responsibilities. This session will highlight effective models for structuring and managing the congregational board.
How To Successfully Integrate and Use Reconstructionism in Synagogue Processes
Dr. David Teutsch, Dr. Carl Sheingold, Lisa Charendoff, Rabbi Shawn Zevit
Determining values that underlie congregational life can provide the framework for a viable approach to engaging and vibrant Judaism. Values-based decision making (VBDM) and similar processes can help to make your congregation uniquely Reconstructionist – this workshop will present models of how.
THE RABBI-CONGREGATION RELATIONSHIP
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Hiring a Rabbi
Rabbi Joel Alpert, Rabbi Nancy Epstein, Dr. Carl Sheingold
A conversation about the Reconstructionist placement process. From filing for placement to interviewing to entering into negotiations, this session will walk step-by-step through the Reconstructionist Placement Guidelines, providing answers to your most practical questions.
System Evaluation in the Rabbi-Congregation Relationship
Rabbi Richard Hirsh, Dr. Carl Sheingold, Rabbi Nancy Epstein
The congregation is not a business; it’s a system. Understanding how the system works is central to the process of evaluation, whether it be of program or of the rabbi-congregation relationship. Using systems theory as a basis for discussion, examples of successful goal setting, liaison structures, and evaluation processes will be highlighted.
TIKKUN OLAM
Sustainable Synagogues, Part 2: JRF Congregations Best Practices of 2008
Rabbi Shawn Zevit, Carole Caplan, Rabbi Nina Beth Cardin, Tamara Zielony
As part of JRF's ongoing Sustainable Synagogue Initiative, this call is a follow up to the very successful synagogue greening call of last June, which had over 60 participants from 40 JRF congregations. This call will feature some of JRF's leading communities and their work in creating financially, socially, environmentally and spiritually sustainable Jewish communities.
Tzedek Tzedek Tirdof: Actively Pursing Social Justice: Congregational Based Community Organizing and Congregational Advocacy
Rabbi Shawn Zevit, Shuli Passow, Rabbi Steven Carr Reuben, Kathy Kaufman, Josh Goldstein
For the last two years JRF has partnered with the Jewish Funds for Justice and some of JRF's own leading rabbis and lay leaders in the field of congregation-based community organizing to help promote and develop spiritually activist communities. Two conference calls were held last February in conjunction with a national CBCO training conference sponsored by JFSJ in Santa Clara, CA. This call is for anyone who is interested or has embarked on this powerful method of social justice organizing in faith community.
Living our Values of Tikkun Olam Inside and Outside: Processes and Programs in our Congregations; Taking Action in the Larger World
Rabbi Shawn Zevit, Rabbi Fred Dobb, Clifford Goldsmith, Rabbi Lauren Grabelle Herrmann, Rabbi Cheryl Weiner
This call will explore best practices for creating committees and buy-in for effective social justice work in our congregations, including integrated youth and adult education and tikkun programming, as well as service-learning, decision-making and advocacy outside our communities.
