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| SHAPE COMMUNITY |
Engage your membership! Involve the entire community in the your synagogue's process of renewal by hosting a night of brainstorming and planning. This will enable members to feel more involved and enthused about synagogue programs. The following are suggested sources for program ideas to spark everyone's creativity: Finding a Spiritual Home: How a New Generation of Jews Can Transform the American Synagogue, by Rabbi Sidney Schwarz, offers models of successful renewal programs. As described in its annotation, "This groundbreaking book…offers strategies for transforming and congregation into a place that the Jews of today can truly call home." Use this as suggested reading for all program participants! The Wexner Heritage Foundation has developed case studies of successful synagogue renewal programs. This link will connect you to their homepage, and from there you can reach their publication on the "Jewish Leadership Case Studies". This will enable you to download their program suggestions. The Orthodox Union offers many suggestions and services to increase synagogue enhance synagogue life. This link will connect you to their "Checklist of Programs for Your Synagogue," complete with internal links to their services, publications, and seminars. The National Council of Young Israel has organized resources to aid its membership in strengthening their leadership and programs. This link will connect you to their homepage, and from there you can connect to their "Department of Synagogue Services" so that your community can benefit from these services. Connect with other communities! Speak to lay leaders of synagogues with similar membership as your own to find out what worked for them! This site will allow you to find synagogues across the world. |