Congregational Development - Affiliation Process
- Capital Campaigns
- Community Building
- Fundraising
- Innovative Programming
- Interfaith
- Marketing
- Membership
- Money and Values
- Ritual Life and Music
- Synagogue Administration
- Article: A Group Discussion About Money (RT Winter 1999/2000)
By Rabbi Shawn Zevit
This article from Reconstructionism Today contains a transcript of a conference call involving Rabbi Shawn Zevit, JRF board members and synagogue representatives from the West Coast Region about the Torah of Money workshops.
- Article: A Jewish Approach To Obligatory Giving
By Bob Leventhal, Rabbi Shawn Zevit
This article explores our discomfort with money, offers some historical perspective and some contemporary solutions of how American congregations have set up their dues structure.
- Article: Boundaries and Identity: Discussing Where We Stand and Who We Are
By Rabbi Richard Hirsh
An article on how to discuss the "how" and "what" of setting boundaries around interfaith families and who is Jewish for the purpose of religious school attendance in your congregation. Why are these discussions important? What gets in the way of having them?
- Article: Dues And Financial Policy: Our Tax For Jewish Citizenship
By Rabbi Jonathan Malamy, Rabbi Shawn Zevit
This article brings a historical perspective on biblical taxation, suggesting that synagogue dues are a tax for Jewish citizenship. It also introduces the idea of "fair share" dues, where individual members' dues vary based on their income.
- Article: Kehillah Builders: Inreach, Outreach And Membership
By Rabbi Shawn Zevit
This article connects effective inreach and outreach in the process of community growth. Thinking about how to grow can help a congregation figure out how to better serve its current members as well.
- Article: Perhaps You Belong In A Reconstructionist Community
By JRF
An overview of Reconstructionist philosophy and community life, plus testimonials from members of Reconstructionist congregations.
- Article: The Role of Text Study in Congregational Values-Based Decision Making
By Rabbi Yohanna Kinberg, Rabbi Jonathan Malamy, Sara Mosenkis, Rabbi Shawn Zevit
How studying texts from Torah to mission statements, from Talmud to synagogue newsletters can help us shape our communal values and decisions.
- Article: The Torah of E-mail
By Rabbi Shai Gluskin
This article uses a brief and simple e-mail exchange as a text study. It's purpose is to point out how certain e-mail practices can achieve much in humanizing the time we spend communicating with others via electronic methods.
- Audio Interview: The Changing Role of the Rabbi
By Rabbi Richard Hirsh, Rabbi Shawn Zevit
An exploration of the many facets of being and becoming a rabbi in contemporary society with Rabbi Richard Hirsh. What were the pre-modern roles and responsibilities of a rabbi? How have they changed into the 21st century? What is particular to being a Reconstructionist Rabbi and leadership in Reconstructionist communities? How has the movement-wide Role of the Rabbi Commission approached these issues? An episode of Heart, Mind and Spirit, the first regularly scheduled Reconstructionist radio show in the history of the movement.
- Audio Interview: Training the 21st Century Rabbi
By Dr. David Teutsch, Rabbi Shawn Zevit
A dynamic conversation with Rabbi David Teutsch about the historic and current methods of identifying and training future Jewish leaders, with particular attention to the experiences and programs at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College and models of becoming a Reconstructionist Rabbi. An episode of Heart, Mind and Spirit, the first regularly scheduled Reconstructionist radio show in the history of the movement.
- Bibliography: Books On Values And Resources
By Rabbi Shawn Zevit
A list of books about Jewish values and money.
- Bibliography: Resources On Community Building
By Rabbi Shawn Zevit
A list of books and periodicals about congregational growth, outreach and inreach.
- Bibliography: Resources On Congregational Leadership And Governance
By Rabbi Shawn Zevit
An extensive list of books and articles about many aspects of effective institutional leadership and governance.
- Bibliography: Resources On Money And Congregational Life
By Rabbi Jonathan Malamy
An annotated bibliography of books and articles about Jewish perspectives on money.
- Community Discussion Guide: Parashat Noah: A Community Discussion For Disaster Planning
By Rabbi Fredi Cooper
What are the provisions that we have made in our community to care for our members if a disaster should strike during the operation of the building? How much can this community invest in this preparation? These are just two of the questions raised in this thoughtful guide to a community discussion on a topic most people want to avoid.
- Evaluation Tool: Values Inventory
By Rabbi Shawn Zevit
An exercise examining your congregation's goals and values, evaluating successes and planning for the future.
- Glossary: A Values-Based Approach To Jewish Communal Leadership And Congregational Governance
By Rabbi Shawn Zevit
Defines the terms "leadership" and "governance" to help create holy and whole communities.
- Glossary: Governing Documents
By Rabbi Yohanna Kinberg, Rabbi Shawn Zevit
This document defines different kids of core documents that are important in congregational life: mission/vision statements, bylaws, minutes, guidelines and policies.
- How to: Budgets: Living Our Values In A Financial Plan
By Rabbi Jonathan Malamy, Rabbi Shawn Zevit
A guide to exploring your community's relationship to money and creating a budget for your congregation based on your values and priorities.
- How to: Disaster Preparedness And Response For Clergy And Congregations
By Patricia Hayes
Recent hurricanes have demonstrated the importance for clergy and caring teams to receive excellent disaster preparedness, training, and response. This article provides practical suggestions for community disaster planning.
- How to: Fundraising Tips
By Rabbi Shawn Zevit
Values-based tips for general fundraising, continued support, capital campaigns, studying feasibility and movement giving from the JRF Department of Affiliate Services.
- How to: Governance Structures
By Rabbi Yohanna Kinberg, Rabbi Mordechai Liebling, Rabbi Shawn Zevit
This document serves as a guide to different kinds of leadership structures that are important in congregational life and their wellbeing: the board, the executive committee, other committes, meetings.
- How to: Guide To Media Publicity
By Judy Goldschmidt
A helpful guide to the who, what, where, when, why and how of getting your community's events publicized for free.
- How to: How JRF Synagogues Can Pursue TZEDEC
By Rabbi Shawn Zevit
A guide for congregations to realize their tikkun olam vision of increasing economic justice in America’s low-income communities as part of the Shefa Fund's TZEDEC campaign.
- How to: Lay Leadership/Staff
By Rabbi Yohanna Kinberg, Rabbi Shawn Zevit
A guide to thinking about the interaction of lay leadership with professional and non-professional staff in a Reconstructionist congregation.
- How to: Organizing Money: Capital Campaigns And Fundraising
By Rabbi Jonathan Malamy, Rabbi Shawn Zevit
A guide to values-based, community-oriented fundraising. Includes sections on general/annual fundraising, capital compaigns and solicitation.
- How to: Planning For Change: Dollars And Sense
By Rabbi Yohanna Kinberg, Rabbi Shawn Zevit
A guide to thinking about and implementing long-term strategic planning in your congregation as a community building process.
- How to: Preparing For A Rabbinic Sabbatical From The Perspective Of The Congregational Leadership
By Rabbi Fredi Cooper
A document to help Reconstructionist communities prepare for a rabbinic sabbatical as a time of growth for their rabbi and for their community. Relates to the biblical agricultural sabbatical and includes an outline of questions to shape planning.
- How to: Suggested Ingredients to Synagogue Social Justice Initiatives
By Boston JCRC
A guide to healthy, effective synagogue social justice initiatives from the ground up.
- How to: Ways to Welcome New Members
By Rabbi Shawn Zevit
A list of ways to warmly welcome new members into your community, from partnering new members with veteran members to running special programs for members' uninvolved partners and families.
- Listserve Thread: Synagogue Membership as a Requirement for Religious School Enrollment
By Rabbi Shai Gluskin
A message on the edtalk listserv requested information about not requiring synagogue membership as a way to attract greater number of students to school with declining population. Four congregations responded. None of them have this policy past preschool classes. Consensus was that not requiring membership is generally discouraged as it doesn't serve the community building function of synagogue membership.
- Manual: JRF Guide To The Process Of Affiliation
By Rabbi Shawn Zevit
Deciding to affiliate with a major Jewish movement may well be one of the most challenging, energizing and exciting processes your community undertakes. This document, a Brit Kehillah - Community Covenant, guides communities through a visioning process and outlines the rights and responsibilities of being a member of the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation.
- Policy: Recommendation on Membership and School Enrollment
By JRF Task Force On The Role Of Non-Jews In JRF Congregations
An excerpt from Boundaries and Opportunities report on the role of non-Jews in JRF congregations, which includes the commission's recommendations on membership and religious school enrollment. A summary of the report is also available in the Online Resource Library and the full report is available for purchase from the Reconstructionist Press.
- Policy: Religious School Mission Statements
By Rabbi Shai Gluskin
Mission statements from the religious schools of 4 Reconstructionist congregations across the United States.
- Policy: Summary of Boundaries and Opportunities Report
By JRF Task Force On The Role Of Non-Jews In JRF Congregations
After two years of study and discussion, the JRF Task Force on the Role of Non-Jews in JRF Congregations released the Boundaries and Opportunities Report. This summary of the report give background information, outlines the twelve recommendations made by the Task Force and explains a Reconstructionist decision making process that can be used to further discuss relevant issues locally in each congregation. The full report is available for purchase from the Reconstructionist Press.
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