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Big Questions and Fresh Ideas
I just returned from my first national conference of Synagogue Executive Directors and Administrators (NATA) and I want to share my thoughts about the experience. For three and a half days 200 professionals discussed and debated the challenges facing synagogues across the country, and offered ideas (and some successful solutions) for meeting those challenges.
There was a wonderful atmosphere of friendship. Everyone seemed genuinely interested in learning from each other and I took away several ideas that may find a place at Scarsdale Synagogue.
The theme for the lead presentation was the need to use objective, measurable data as the foundation for good decision making. Sacha Litman, managing director and founder of Measuring Success, an organization specializing in data driven consulting for non-profits, said that his research has found that many synagogue decisions are driven by anecdotal experiences rather than measured information drawn from existing databases or well crafted survey questions. He asked each of us to consider, "Does our data support and align with our vision?"
When planning for change, or evaluating existing programs, Sacha argued that we should turn to the voices of our members for direction. He suggested we look at surveys, budget/financial modeling and our existing data to hear those voices. Sacha pointed out that most synagogues do not fully utilize the information already available and stressed the importance of making better use of our own data.
At Scarsdale Synagogue we have already demonstrated our appreciation for the importance of listening to your voices. With "Community Conversations," the member survey completed last year and the decision to integrate the religious school and Mazel Tots data into our synagogue database software, we are looking closely at "who we are" and "what we want."
After learning that we must look to objective measures for the true voice of the community, the agenda turned to big picture issues facing Jewish communities across America. Rabbi Rick Jacobs talked about the challenges that will face the reform movement as he begins his tenure as President of the URJ. He used the image of the smoke-filled room of baseball scouts from the movie "Moneyball" to make the point that organized religion, and the reform movement in particular, must change. We must adapt to a Jewish world of changing priorities or face the threat of obsolescence.
Rabbi Larry Hoffman led a panel discussion about the changing of religion intended to answer the question, "Do Jews need synagogues?" The CCAR (Central Conference of American Rabbis) was represented by Rabbi Stein from Shaaray Tefila in NYC who suggested that one of the biggest challenges facing congregations is the privatization of Jewish religion. He recommended that we take a fresh look at the concept of "membership" and "dues" and begin to think in terms of "affiliation" and "support." He suggested that we look at ways of expanding our community.
Livia Thompson, President of NATA, repeated Rabbi Stein's point. Her synagogue, Central Synagogue in New York, uses the internet to expand the reach of its Shabbat services to those not able to attend in person and she added that they reach many who are not dues paying members. As an amusing aside, the program is so successful at inclusion that she receives many emails and calls from the "internet members" with suggestions or complaints.
As the talk turned to outreach, one idea that occurred to me is...perhaps we should consider using name tags in addition to tickets for the High Holy Days this year. It would serve the dual purpose of increasing "community" and would be a terrific advantage for our new Rabbi when he meets many of us for the first time.
Thinking...talking...sharing...learning. During a busy workday I don't often have the luxury to think. The conference fed my appetite for looking at big questions and thinking through approaches and ideas for fresh answers. I would love to hear what you think.
Gary
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Listen to the blessings before & after the reading of the Torah.
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Why Sing Your Sermons?
Each time I tell someone that I am presenting a sermon-in-song, I get a puzzled reaction. "A Sermon and Song", they often mishear, "How nice!" But for some time now, I have been fascinated by the power of music to instruct even as it makes the words of our tradition come to life. Music alone may move our spirits but joined with the compelling texts of our ancestors (as most Jewish music is), the melodies comment on the words and can even transform their meaning. Music brings us new understandings of ancient themes and values.
A sermon-in-song is an opportunity for us to use the breadth of Jewish music as "texts" for examination and discussion. The music serves to enhance the concepts of the sermon and to elucidate these ideas as would a text from our Torah, our Rabbis, or a contemporary poet. The melodies in a sermon-in-song stem from around the globe and across generations of time. They tell a story about their composer, the milieu from which they emerged and the phrases or words they highlight. A sermon-in-song is also a chance for us to broaden our Jewish learning as we expose ourselves to Jewish music that we might not hear (or hear very infrequently) otherwise. It is another moment to educate ourselves on a topic that many of us hold dear.
On Friday, January 13 at our 8 pm Shabbat Service, we will have the good fortune to bring together a combined choir of Scarsdale Synagogue and Shaarei Tikvah members along with our Shir Shabbat instrumentalists. Cantor Gerald Cohen, Cantorial Intern Amanda Kleinman and I will lead a special musical service with a sermon-in-song on the theme of "light" in Jewish tradition. In keeping with the proximity to Martin Luther King's birthday, we will think about how light is both a symbol of God's presence in our world and an ever-present reminder to keep the lights of justice, hope, and peace alive in our communities. Join us and sing along!
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Youth Engagement: Committing to the Jewish Future
A few weeks ago, I alongside members of both our professional staff and fellow lay leaders attended the URJ Biennial Convention near Washington, DC with over 6,000 fellow Reform Jews. Attending a Biennial always provides me with new ideas to transform synagogue worship, social action, and community building. This year's Biennial was no different and was the most exciting Biennial that I've ever been privileged to attend.
Reform synagogues all over the country have been re-envisioning the Jewish future, most specifically re-thinking approaches to engage our post B'nei Mitzvah students. The Reform Movement heard this call and created a special Education Summit that Ivy Cohen, our youth director, and I both were able to attend.
As I'm sure you know, across the United States, over 80% of children who become B'nei Mitzvah have no connection to the Jewish community by the time they reach 12th grade. The Reform Movement's new Campaign for Youth Engagement hopes to dramatically improve the Reform Congregations ability to involve young people in a meaningful Jewish life and to help strengthen post B'nei Mitzvah engagement and retention.
As a congregation, we've already begun our own journey over the last couple of years. The congregation hired a full time youth educator, Ivy Cohen, who has the ability to forge new relationships with our youth of all ages and to connect them to synagogue life. We've built new partnerships with the Jewish world, including piloting a teen philanthropy project with the URJ and the Jewish Teen Philanthropy Project. We've done our homework by collaborating with the Jewish Education Project and Brandeis University to research our community's needs as part of a New York area survey. Most importantly we've created new vibrant programs for our youth: Team Tikkun, a social justice based program; Team Middot, a peer mentorship program which addresses topics important to young adults; and a reinvigorated STEamY (senior youth group).
This is only the start of SSTTE's Campaign for Youth Engagement, but with the Reform Movement's wish to make this a priority, we will have the resources we need to dramatically change our synagogue's relationship with our youth. If we wish to commit to the Jewish future, we need to start now by thinking and rethinking our approach to welcoming teens into Jewish life.
L'shalom,
Andy Gordon
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