Congregations: News

PEARL: Providing Education And Resources for Leadership

Lori Rubin — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 15:51:26 -0500

Click here to jump down to a listing of upcoming PEARL classes for 2010

PEARL, the distance-learning classes offered by JRF, provides meaningful information and strategies beneficial to congregational leaders, members, clergy, educators and staff. Expert speakers partner with JRF professional staff and lay leaders to support the strengthening of congregations and havurot, grow leadership, deepen Jewish spiritual life and continue critical Tikkun Olam work. Based on results from a survey of JRF congregational leadership, a variety of PEARL topics are selected each year.

Each PEARL class meets for 1-1¼ hour by telephone conference call. Classes are often supported by downloadable resources and select audio files. Some classes, labeled "2.0 Intermediate" are a follow up to previously presented topics. These "2.0 Intermediate" class listings include a recommended pre-requisite that participants review the audio and packet from the previously held, foundation-level, class. Participants are invited to send questions/comments in advance of the "2.0 Intermediate" class.

This year, when a section of the PEARL schedule falls during the Omer period (the seven weeks between Passover and Shavuot) classes will also focus on "tikkun hanefesh v'olam", the well-being and active repair of self, community and the world, and will be merged with JRF's annual Omer Initiative. JRF's first Omer Initiative was begun in 2005. For more information about JRF's Omer Initiatives, please see http://jrf.org/omer/home for the list of resources.

See sessions and resources from PEARL sessions since 2008. Also available are PEARL Programs available on audio.

2010 Upcoming Class Descriptions and Online Registration Information

Click on each session title to access session descriptions and any materials that may be available from that session.

Session Title	Presenter(s)	Date (all times are Eastern for North America)
Values-Based Budgeting	Rabbi David Teutsch	Mar 11, 2010 12:00 PM ET
Fundraising 2.0	Rabbi Herb Tobin	Mar 18, 2010 12:00 PM ET
Omer Project: "A House of Prayer for All Peoples": Diversity in Growing Sacred Community	Rabbi Jacob Staub, Shelley Rosenberg, Rhonda Shapiro-Rieser, Jody Rosenbloom	Apr 1, 2010 12:00 PM ET
Omer Project: Spiritual direction : "Growing God-ward"	Sarah (Sandi) Cohen, Rabbi Shawn Zevit	Apr 7, 2010 12:00 PM ET
Omer Project: Sustainable Living 3.0	Rabbi Fred Dobb, Seth Goldman, Mirele Goldsmith	Apr 14, 2010 12:00 PM ET
Omer Project: Varieties of Spiritual practice	Dr. Rabbi David Teutsch, Beulah Trey, PhD.,	Apr 22, 2010 12:00 PM ET
Omer Project: Liturgy and Prayer	Dr. David Teutsch, Hazzan rachel Epstein, Rabbi Shawn Zevit	Apr 29, 2010 12:00 PM ET
Omer Project: Growing Self and Community through Creativity and the Arts	Rabbi Margot Stein, Rabbi Shawn Zevit	May 6, 2010 12:00 PM ET
Is Your Congregation Ready for an Executive Director?	Neshama Mousseau, Rich Levine, Melissa Segal, Howard Glicksman	May 11, 2010 12:00 PM ET
Omer Project: Growing Spirituality in Education: Learning Across the Lifecycle	Sarah Chandler	May 13, 2010 12:00 PM ET
Omer Project: Tikkun L'eyl Shavuot: The Many Paths to Revelation of Torah	Rabbi Shawn Zevit, Janet Tobacman	May 18, 2010 12:00 PM ET
Innovations in Experiential Youth Education: Having Fun and Learning, Too!	Rabbi Carrie Vogel, Lori Rubin	May 25, 2010 12:00 PM ET
Considering Multiple Prayer Services: Process and Decision-making for Larger Congregations	Rabbi Erin Hirsh and Rabbi Jodie Siff	Jun 3, 2010 12:00 PM ET
“Branding” and Marketing Reconstructionist Judaism and the Reconstructionist Movement	Dan Cedarbaum	Jun 10, 2010 12:00 PM ET
The Opportunities and Challenges of Delegating: What to Keep and What to Give Away?	Carol Feder	Jun 17, 2010 12:00 PM ET

Resources from these sessions are provided free-of-charge to all JRF affiliates.

For more information, please contact Lori Rubin at lrubin@jrf.org.

In The Forward: A Centennial Celebration for Congregation Beth El

Gari Weilbacher — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 15:55:23 -0500

Rooted in the stunning natural environment of Bennington, VT, Congregation Beth El celebrated one hundred years of organized Judaism in the town. The Hebrew Congregation of Bennington first associated in 1909 as part of the Orthodox movement, has since affiliated Reconstructionist. The complexity of making a Jewish home in rural New England is not lost on Rabbi Joshua Boettiger, No one moves to Vermont to be a part of the Jewish community. But these off-the-beaten track communities can be creative experiments in what it means to be Jewish. Read more…

Mayyim Rabim Celebrates Liturgist Ruth Brin

Rabbi Shawn Zevit — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:02:26 -0400

Well over 100 guests came together on Sunday, May 20 to honor Ruth Brin and the literary contributions she has made to our Mayim Rabim and far-reaching Reconstructionist communities over several decades.

Among those who spoke about Ruth and her work were Leah Kamionkowski representing the Reconstructionist Midwest Region, and Mordecai Specktor of the American Jewish World. Robin King Cooper acknowledged Ruth’s enthusiastic support of Mayim Rabim, and read greetings from Rabbi Renee Bauer.

Ruth Brin CelebrationJonathan Paradise, professor of Hebrew at the University of Minnesota, read his Hebrew translation of one of Ruth’s poems. Carla Vogel beautifully read selections from Ruth’s works.

Finally, Ruth shared some reflections and acknowledged significant persons who helped make it possible to pursue her writing career. A reception took place after the program.

Living Wages - Adat Shalom cited as model congregation

Rabbi Shawn Zevit — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 13:00:42 -0400

Pushing for Better Wages, Not Necessarily Giving Them: Conservative Leaders Support ‘Living Wage’ and Magen Tzedek, but So Far Little Change at Shul

Published October 07, 2009, issue of October 16, 2009,

Full article at http://www.forward.com/articles/116270/,Excerpt on JRF congregation Adat Shalom, Bethesda, MD http://www.adatshalom.net/, One synagogue that did systematically decide to pay a living wage is Adat Shalom, a Reconstructionist congregation in Bethesda, Md. The rabbi at Adat Shalom, Fred Scherlinder Dobb, raised the issue in 2001 — eight years before Jacobs’ teshuvah passed — when the Washington, D.C., City Council passed a living wage ordinance. Scherlinder Dobb faced opposition from the congregation president at the time, Judith Gelman, who is an economist.

“As an economist I thought it would break the bank,” Gelman said, looking back.

Scherlinder Dobb did not give up. His board calculated that paying two janitors a living wage would cost $8,000 extra a year — 1% of their annual budget, or $35 per member each year. For the janitors at the time, this meant $10.20 an hour with health insurance, or $11.80 without. The congregation ultimately reached this standard by raising more revenue and reshuffling its budget priorities.

The executive director at Adat Shalom, Sheila Feldman, said that she tried to promote what Adat Shalom had done at meetings of executive directors from synagogues across the Washington area — but she always heard that the other synagogues could not afford it.

“Believe me, my synagogue was in no better shape than theirs,” Feldman said.

One person who was eventually convinced was Gelman, the economist and executive director. She said she was surprised by the benefits that the move brought to the synagogue — most of all the quality of the employees who were attracted, and the lack of employee turnover. She also heard from one janitor who went to a doctor as soon as he got health insurance, and ended up catching a life-threatening illness early.

“To this day,” Gelman wrote in an essay about her experience, “he says that the congregation saved his life.”

See

http://jrf.org/living-wage,

http://jrf.org/omer/2006/4/living-wage-handbook,

http://jrf.org/resources/files/Tikkun%20Olam-Liebling.pdf,

http://jrf.org/files/PEARL%20-%20Tikkun%20Olam.pdf,

Contact Nathaniel Popper at popper@forward.com

Or Hadash joins "YES" coalition

Shelley Rosenberg — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 12:58:27 -0400

Has Or Hadash always been welcoming to lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgendered people? Yes! Has Or Hadash been officially listed as a welcoming congregation so that people searching for a synagogue will know that? Not until now!

At the December (2008) Board meeting, the leadership of Or Hadash voted to become a member of the Yes!Coalition, an interfaith council of faith communities that welcome sexual minorities, their families and friends. The Coalition organizes the Guide to Welcoming Congregations, an online list of welcoming congregations throughout the five-county Philadelphia area. Until now, only 12 of 120 listing congregations were synagogues, and Or Hadash was not one of the 5 Reconstructionist congregations listed. [Note: Since December, the Coalition has expanded its listing to approximately 300 congregations, including at least 15 synagogues and Jewish organizations.]

The Coalition, which is a project of the Interfaith Working Group, undertakes projects that speak to the religious diversity and justice concerns of the LGBTQ community. In existence since 2001, Yes! has sponsored or supported several conferences, the interfaith New Freedom Seder, and the first Philly Pride Interfaith Celebration. The organization is currently undertaking a reorganization and outreach effort that will expand the Guide to Welcoming Congregations, activate a Speakers Bureau, and plan and coordinate outreach and events that will further the Coalition’s goals. To that end, Shelley Rosenberg, a current Board member and former president of Or Hadash, has joined the organization’s central council as liaison to the Jewish community.

It is also worth noting that Or Hadash is part of the Reconstructionist movement, which has been on record with resolutions supporting LGBTQ inclusion in its member congregations, rabbinical association and rabbinical college.

Now, Or Hadash can truly state: Yes, we are welcoming. And, Yes, we are actively reaching out and extending that welcome to all.

For more information see JRF's resources on LGBTQ inclusion http://jrf.org/node/1742 , the YES! coalition website, http://www.yescoalitionphilly.org/, and the YES! Coalition outreach efforts featured in the Jewish Exponent, http://www.jewishexponent.com/article/18401/.

To visit Or Hadash in Ft. Washington: http://jrf.org/orhadash/

B’Hatzlacha! Congratulations! Two New Affiliates Join the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation

Gari Weilbacher — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 11:27:06 -0400

Following an unanimous vote of approval by the JRF Board, we welcome The Little Minyan of Columbus, Ohio and Kol Haneshamah of Sarasota, Florida, to the JRF community of communities.

Just a year and a half old, Congregation Kol HaNeshama, founded by a small group of year-round and seasonal residents, has already established itself as a creative force in Sarasota, and has now joined JRF as the 106th affiliate. Since its inception it has grown to 38 households, and is operating on a 12-month calendar, including all major holidays.

The Little Minyan began with the pipedream of folks who envisioned a congregational model that included a holy community (kehilla kedosha) that truly cared for and supported one another in times of need, joy, and sorrow. Their vision was shared by a small group that began to meet regularly, jokingly calling themselves The Little Minyan that Could, and on Shavuot 5766/June 2006, The Little Minyan held their first Sabbath service.

Congregation Kol HaNeshama

Congregation Kol HaNeshama offers a variety of programs, including Shabbat morning services, lively musical services on Friday evenings, and holiday services and celebrations. On alternate weekends the congregation offers a very popular “Lunch and Learn” Torah study program, and an extensive adult education program will be offered next year. RRC student Evette Lutman served the congregation this year, and next year’s student rabbi, Nehama Benmosche, will be welcomed and introduced to the community on June 6.

Rabbi Shawn Zevit, Director of Outreach, welcomes Kol Haneshamah as “another jewel in the Florida Reconstructionist crown” and Rabbi Mark S. Kram, of Temple Beth Or in Miami sent greetings: “Welcome to JRF! And best of luck in growing your community. We send our best wishes and an offer to help in any way we can from Miami. B’hatzlacha!

Founders include Dr. Linda Charnes (President) and her husband Stanley Yudin; B’nai Keshet members Murry and Leona Brochin, board members of JRF and RRC, respectively; Adat Shalom members Kayla Niles, another JRF board member, and John Niles; and Charles Silberman, former RRC board member from West End Synagogue

President Linda Charnes says, "If you're thinking about Florida for a vacation next winter, think Sarasota and Congregation Kol HaNeshama. We will welcome all members of other Recon communities with open arms, good food and friendship. Let us know you are coming and we will be sure you are invited for Shabbat dinner at one of our members' homes."

Visit Kol HaNeshama's website, www.congkh.org, for information and the full schedule of activities.

The Little Minyan

The Little Minyan, Columbus, OhioThe Little Minyan, a vibrant and highly participatory Jewish congregation in central Ohio, has chosen to enter into the covenantal relationship of affiliation with the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation (JRF). Although the Little Minyan will be the only Reconstructionist congregation in central Ohio, there are currently affiliates in Cleveland, Cincinnati and Wooster.

Members of the major movement, including Director of Outreach, Rabbi Shawn Zevit, will participate in Erev Shabbat services on Friday, June 12th, 7:30 p.m., to welcome the Little Minyan. The Little Minyan holds monthly erev Shabbat and Shabbat morning services at Covenant Presbyterian Church, 2070 Ridgecliff Road, in Upper Arlington. In addition, a wide variety of educational, celebratory, and social action activities of the Little Minyan can be found on their website, littleminyan.org.

The Little Minyan began with the pipedream of two 40-year-old moms, Irene Donhowe of Dublin, and Jessica Shimberg Lind of Upper Arlington, who met through their children and spent years serving in leadership positions at a Reform synagogue. They envisioned a congregational model that included meaningful educational opportunities for children and their parents, a participatory worship experience that welcomed innovation and fostered learning, and a holy community (kehilla kedosha) that truly cared for and supported one another in times of need, joy, and sorrow. Their vision was shared by a small group that began to meet regularly, jokingly calling themselves The Little Minyan that Could, and on Shavuot 5766/June 2006, The Little Minyan held their first Sabbath service.

Within 18 months of forming, the Little Minyan had worked together to create a chuppah (wedding canopy) to celebrate a wedding, welcomed their first Little Minyan baby with a lovely brit chayim (covenant of life ceremony), and assisted in creating a meaningful Shiva/mourning period for a beloved parent. In addition, the community had successfully created Shabbat and High Holy Day worship services, extensive educational programming, and social and social action opportunities, all with the energy and talents of individual members and on a very modest budget.

Over the course of their first three years, the Little Minyan has, on occasion, invited rabbis and other professional teachers to both study with and lead worship for the congregation. However, the Little Minyan remains primarily lay led and completely volunteer driven. With the assistance of a national movement that shares the values and dynamic vision of the Little Minyan, the congregation looks forward to a bright future serving its members and the central Ohio community. Affiliation affords the Little Minyan many opportunities while maintaining a great degree of autonomy.

Full listing of JRF congregations

Affiliating with JRF

JCPA 2009 Plenum Resolutions- JRF National Religious Organzation, Voting Member

Rabbi Shawn Zevit — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 15:52:53 -0400

For your information, here are the resolutions that came out of the recent JCPA plenum. In the two years since JRF became a member religious organization and fourth Jewish movement in the JCPA, we have participated in many coalitions and sign-on initiatives. This Plenum marked the first time we were a national religious organization co-sponsoring three of the resolutions below. Thanks to Carl Sheingold (JRF Executive Vice-President), Bob Barkin (JRF President) and Val Kaplan (JRF Chair of External Affiliations) for representing us and voting on our behalf at the Plenum,

Full list of 2009 JCPA Resolutions

Full listing of partner organizations and sign-ons,

L'Shalom,

Shawn

Rabbi Shawn Zevit
Director of Outreach and Tikkun Olam
Congregational Consultant
Jewish Reconstructionist Federation

JCPA
JCPA speaks to you each week, alerting you to what the community relations field is doing to safeguard the rights of Jews here, in Israel, and around the world and to protect, preserve and promote a just, democratic and pluralistic American society. For three generations, we have brought together diverse voices in the Jewish community to unite a strong Jewish public policy force.

Date: March 11, 2009
From: Max Mulcahy, Program Director, JCPA

Below are the final versions of the JCPA resolutions as adopted by the 2009 Plenum. Click on the links to access the resolution text in pdf format. Please share these resolutions with your board and leadership. If you have any questions please feel free to contact JCPA offices.

Strengthening the Assets of Low Income Households

Challenges in Coalition Building

Comprehensive Energy Policy

Criminal Justice Reform

Darfur

Freedom of Expression/Defamation of Religion

Supporting Comprehensive Early Childhood Care and Education Programs for All

Muslim Jewish Relations

Alleviating Hunger and Food Insufficiency among Children, the Elderly, Persons with Disabilities, and other At-Risk Individuals in the U.S. and Internationally

Reform of the Federal Poverty Measure

JRF North American Leadership Series: Workshop on Congregational Growth – Register Now!

Lisa Tuttle — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 16:42:24 -0500

“The Dynamics of Congregational Growth"
Sunday, March 29, 2009, 1 pm to 6 pm, at Beth Israel Congregation, Media, PA -- Register Online Now!

Come learn how to use a congregational systems approach to understand the dynamics of congregational growth connected to your mission and Jewish values. Gain important skills and ideas about how to effectively reach out to attract new members, reach in to strengthen already-existing members and volunteers, and how to creatively grow the congregation's financial resources.

All JRF affiliates are invited to send representatives to this special one-day workshop! We strongly encourage you to come in teams of three or more to maximize the benefits.

Presenters: Rabbi Shawn Zevit, JRF Director of Outreach & External Affairs/Tikkun Olam, Marla Friedenberg, JRF Assistant Development Director, and other experts in the field.

This workshop is part of JRF's North American Leadership Series.
Register Online Now
Goals and Benefits

Learn how to use a congregational systems approach to understand the dynamics of congregational growth.
Discover how a congregation’s stage of development relates to issues of membership and financial resources.
Come away with important skills and ideas about how to effectively reach out to attract new members, reach in to strengthen existing members and volunteers, and to creatively grow the congregation's financial resources, qualitatively and quantitatively.
This workshop will benefit all those working on congregational growth and development, including board members, membership and development committees, treasurers, planned giving and capital campaign advocates, senior administrators, and education and program directors.

Tuition: $45

For more information contact Gari Weilbacher at 215-885-5601, ext. 19 or gweilbacher@jrf.org.

For related resources see www.jrf.org/PEARL-resources

Rabbi Shawn Israel Zevit (RRC '98), JRF’s Director of Outreach & External Affairs/Tikkun Olam, has over 25 years experience in spiritual leadership. He has conducted leadership training and developed numerous resources on outreach and volunteer development for JRF and its congregational affiliates across the country. Shawn is well known for his work in the areas of leadership and community building, social justice organizing, davenning leadership, music and the “Torah of Money,” authorimg "Offerings of the Heart: Values-Based Approaches to Money in Faith Community" (Alban Inst). Having served numerous JRF communities, he was the visiting rabbi for JRF affiliate Dor Hadash, Pittsburgh, PA, from 2005-2008.

Marla Friedenberg holds a master degree in Public Administration (1975) from the University of Pittsburgh. She held the position of Assistant Housing Director of The City of Philadelphia from 1976 until 1984. In 1994 she received a MBA degree from LaSalle University and held the position of Director of Operations for a Philadelphia-based fundraising consulting firm specializing in the American Jewish milieu until 2004. She left the consulting field to become Director of Development at Abrams Hebrew Academy where she successfully raised the funds to erect a new and modern educational campus. She is currently the Assistant Development Director for the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation and Camp JRF.

Or Hadash and JRF Featured in Philadelphia Jewish Exponent

Gari Weilbacher — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 09:36:01 -0500

Rabbi Joshua Waxman
Rabbi Joshua Waxman of Or Hadash in Ft. Washington, PA and Rabbi Nancy Epstein, JRF Director of Congregational Relations are both featured in the Philadelphia Jewish Exponent article Congregations Grapple With Spiritual, Financial Woes. The article examines the way synagogues are managing the economic crisis and what services they are providing their congregants. Rabbi Waxman opens the article with sensitive but concrete measures to support his congregants.

Read the whole Exponent article.

Oseh Shalom to Host Shabbat Iyyun: "Faith-based Initiatives and the Perils of Government Funding"

Lisa Tuttle — Thu, 15 May 2008 14:39:54 -0400

When: Friday, May 23, 8 PM
Where: Oseh Shalom, 7515 Olive Branch Way, Laurel, MD

This special evening at Oseh Shalom is third in a series featuring intellectual inquiry woven into the Friday evening service.

Featured speakers from The Interfaith Alliance (TIA) are Ari Geller, Director of Communications, and Preet Singh, Deputy Director of Public Policy. TIA is a nonpartisan organization whose goal is to promote the positive and healing role of religion in public life.

Speakers will address the complex and timely issues surrounding faith-based initiatives or charitable choice proposals — legal, ethical and practical ways for faith organizations and government to work together to remedy societal ills.

Services and presentation 8 - 9 PM. Oneg/dessert and discussion to follow.

For additional information and directions, call (301) 498-5151 or www.oseh-shalom.org.