Getting to the Starting Line:Becoming a Connected

CongregationAdina Frydman, SYNERGY UJA Federation of New York

Lisa Colton, Darim Online / See3 Communications#connectcongs #URJbiennial

Current Landscape

• Is “joining” a thing of the past?• Individualism – DIY• Episodic Connection• Playlist Judaism• Affordability of Jewish life• Changing Nature of Jewish Identity – – Fluid, hybrid, self defined

Current State of Synagogues

• Declining membership -> Lack of Financial Sustainability

• Edifice complex• Fear + anxiety = imagination lock and Fortress Think• Transactional• A glimpse into some bold experiments• The heart of the community

• “Hurricane Sandy”

Innovations and Strategies for Synagogues of Tomorrow

• Platforms for 21st century synagogues:– Social Media Boot Camp (Darim Online)– Tomorrow’s Synagogue Today (Rabbi Hayim Herring)

• Data informed and Vision Aligned synagogues:– Sustainable Synagogues Business Models (Measuring Success)– Guide to Synagogue Management Systems (Idealware)

• Transactional -> Relational synagogues:– From Dues and Members to Sustaining Communities

of Purpose (Dr. Beth Cousens)– Connected Congregations (Darim Online)

What is a Connected Congregation?

A connected congregation is one that deeply understands the meaning of community, and works explicitly to build a strong, meaningful and engaged Jewish community.

Connected congregations prioritize relationships and shared values, and align all aspects of institutional management in service of the community.

Those within connected congregations feel a sense of shared ownership and responsibility for each other and the collective, and are empowered to contribute their ideas, energy and resources.

Program Governance Finance

Data, Metrics, Measurement

Communication Tools and Strategy

Staffing Structure, Skills, Allocation

Community Values, Vision and Culture

“Connected” Permeates Everything

When relationships are

part of your being, it can be

expressed through every

pore of the congregation.

Matter-NessWhen we experience community at its best,

we feel that we matter.

CHEVRUTA:Besides your synagogue, what is a community

in which you felt that you really mattered?

Why did you feel that way? Was there something made an important difference?

Turn to the person next to you, introduce yourself, and share a story.

Getting to the Starting Line:The Top 10 List

1. Clarification of organizational values

2. Rabbi/Exec/Board Chair/VP alignment of vision

3. Deep understanding of community and network organizing

4. Transparency and openness

5. Thinking about risk 6. Thinking about money7. Thinking about space8. Communications and

social media9. Designing for social10. Staffing, job

descriptions and expertise

Leadership Alignment

MOVING FROM TRANSACTIONAL TO RELATIONAL

Temple Beth Abraham, Tarrytown, NY:

“Our board had to discuss our approach to financial relief. The question posed was this: When families ask for special relief are we having a conversation about the pain that family is in or the state of their finances? In other words, are we acting as agents of Acts of Loving Kindness or the IRS?”

-From “Tilling the Soil”, a case study on the Darim Online blog

Communications

• Informational -> Relational• Broadcast -> Conversational• Exterior -> Transparent• Program -> Platform

Congregation Beth Israel, San Diego

Congregation Beth Elohim, Brooklyn, NY

Programs: Design for Social“We had tried social programming in the past but never got the turnout we hoped for, which led us to conclude (wrongly) that people did not want to make social connections through the Religious School.

Measuring Success helped us develop a targeted follow-up survey to probe deeper about social connections. That led to an “aha moment” when we learned that people do want to make social connections, they just do not want us to add new events to their calendars. When we realized that, we took steps to build socializing and community-building into existing events.”

—Barri WaltcherVP and Chair of Religious School CommitteeTemple Shaaray Tefila

From Vision and Data: Essential Building Blocks for Successful Synagogue Change, SYNERGY, UJA Federation of New York.

Complete the brief worksheet on your own, thinking about your own congregation. Where are you now, and where do you want to be?

Then with others from your congregation, or with your chevruta from earlier, share your observations. Why did you choose what you did? What would you like to see change?

Next Steps:

-Download the worksheet and do with your congregational team.

-Seek out reports and resources from SYNERGY and Connected Congregations and use them!

-Join the Connected Congregations Facebook Group to continue the discussion and knowledge sharing.

-Stay tuned for the Connected Congregations ‘Getting to the Starting Line’ workbook due out this spring.

Ask ourselves at every decision point, “Is this intended to benefit the community, or is this

intended to benefit the institution?”