Jewish Reconstructionist Federation

We are pleased to announce that Daniel Cedarbaum has dramatically changed his relationship to the JRF this fall – stepping down from his volunteer leadership positions and assuming an important role as a full-time member of the professional staff of the JRF. Dan is now the JRF’s Director of Movement Growth Initiatives and Special Projects.

The centerpiece of Dan’s work will be to build on the innovative work that he began last year in Brooklyn – an initiative in movement growth that is intended to lead to a Reconstructionist presence where there is none currently, but to do so in a creative way. The Brooklyn initiative may result in the seeding of a Reconstructionist synagogue that will eventually be the subject of the wonderful work of our Outreach and Affiliations staff and committee, but it might well lead to the creation of a non-traditional institution or set of programs in response to contemporary realities.

Dan will start a similar initiative in Chicago and support efforts to do the same in the Los Angeles area. We expect that, before long, similar work will be undertaken in the Washington, D.C. area and, over time, in Montreal, Toronto, and other areas. A hallmark of this work will be to enlist some of our strongest congregations as collaborators in growing and strengthening the Reconstructionist presence in their locales.

The work Dan will be doing represents a very significant initiative on the part of JRF – to experiment with new models of outreach and community that, like Reconstructionism itself, involves finding creative ways to build on the past, respect the accomplishments of the present, and adapt to a changing environment.

We expect this work to lead to new insights about building community that will benefit participants, but also benefit our existing congregations, and, indeed, will have relevance to other sectors of Jewish life. Dan’s willingness to devote himself professionally to this enterprise is a tribute to its importance.

Dan can be reached at the JRF’s new Chicago area office:

Daniel G. Cedarbaum
1574 Ashland Avenue
Evanston, IL 60201
847-492-5200
dcedarbaum@jrf.org