JCLP Presidents’ Forum
Congregant Engagement
Experiences of Selected Congregations
Wednesday, March 1, 2023
David Feldman: Malverne Jewish Center, Malverne, Long Island, NYC
Engagement has increased in my congregation as a result of:
Personal Congregant Interviews
Remarks by David Feldman, President, Malverne Jewish Center
Good evening. I’ll be briefly discussing our efforts to increase congregant and even non-member engagement in our synagogue by the use of personal surveys to learn (1) what members and prospective members expect from a synagogue, (2) how well we are fulfilling those wants and needs, and (3) what initiatives we need to put in place to address where we’re falling short as highlighted by the survey.
First, let me say that the “survey” was actually a series of surveys conducted to address a dwindling of our numbers, mostly the result of demographic changes experienced by our geographic area and the aging of our congregation. The most recent survey was actually the outgrowth of a major strategic planning project we undertook in late-2020 with the help of Noah and JCLP. Among the goals of the project and probably the most important deliverable was finding ways to make certain that each member is actively engaged in the life of the synagogue and capitalizing on the intelligence gained from the survey to help in attracting new members.
The survey was conducted by telephone using a fixed interview form to make certain we obtained the feedback we were after. One common theme noted from that feedback was that our shul’s lay leadership was removed from the average congregant when it came to active involvement in the everyday life of the shul and in making decisions which would affect the well-being of the synagogue. This lack of a “skin-in-the-game” mindset on the part of the average congregant not only impaired our efforts to expand active involvement in the synagogue, but exacerbated a situation where the responsibilities of administering the synagogue were left to the very few. So, the question was: How do we use the feedback garnered from the interviews to increase member and even non-member participation so we have a more vibrant and inclusive congregation, one that will enhance that skin-in-the-game mindset, promoting a mindset of belonging, and at the same time, encourage more members to participate in operating the synagogue?
First and foremost, we created a project team consisting of so-called rank-and-file members. While officers served on the project’s steering committee, the real work was performed by non-officers. The real work was performed by those who conducted the telephone interviews and who not only heard the words of the interviewee but was able to feel the emotions connected to those words. This proved very valuable in determining what changes we needed to make in order to remove any impediments to wider congregant engagement and to encourage active involvement of more members in the life of our shul.
The message we heard loud and clear was a feeling of non-engagement, of being left out in the running of the synagogue and the planning of its religious and non-religious programs. As mentioned, these responsibilities and privileges were left to the very few with little input from the rank and file member. In order to remedy this situation and to encourage wider participation by the membership, the project team recommended changes to the governance structure of the synagogue. Instead of a structure where the leadership made all of the decisions did everything, the project team recommended that small teams be created to take on the various tasks associated with governing and running the synagogue. These teams would consist of non-leadership volunteers, who would be responsible for such tasks as publicity and outreach, ritual and religious program-planning, other program-planning, membership recruitment, etc. Each of these volunteer teams would be empowered to make decisions which would drive the synagogue and its programs, significantly expanding decision-making and engaging a larger portion of our congregant body in the everyday life of the synagogue. Each of these teams would report to a responsible officer and would be accountable to the Board of Trustees and report on their activities monthly. No longer would the very few be responsible for running the synagogue and planning its programs, but those responsibilities would now be taken on by the broader congregant body, who would have the skin-in-the-game in the synagogue’s life mindset that only active engagement of can accomplish.
So, how have we done? Well, while the new governance approach has been put in place and has significantly enhanced the feeling of belonging that the interviews indicated was lacking, we’re still not there yet and are continuing to work on new ways to “spread the wealth” of certain tasks, and continue to promote even wider engagement of our current members and perhaps recruit new members as word spreads about our very inclusive congregation. As a result of the outreach of the interviews, we know what needs to be done to increase congregant engagement and will continue our efforts to achieve that goal.
Ann Tettlebaum: Temple Beth El, Jefferson City, Missouri
Engagement has increased in my congregation as a result of an Oral History and other Historical Legacy projects
Once Temple Beth El finished its Legacy Project — or what we called “long range” plan — we began implementing several of the activities discussed in that plan. With Noah’s help, we consulted several Oral history experts and made the decision that we could create oral histories on our own without the cost of hiring a professional. The experts that Noah suggested we contact at the Missouri Historical Society and the American Jewish Archives were of tremendous help in this endeavor and in reading and commenting on some of our draft transcript summaries. Through a generous donation from one of our past members, we purchased a high quality recording device and began those oral interviews. While we hope to continue this process, we have already donated two volumes of summaries, transcripts, photographs and recordings of oral histories to the American Jewish Archives. The mission of our oral history project was not to create biographies but To preserve the recollections of people who have
participated in the Temple’s activities, witnessed its events, and contributed to its continuance as a Jewish lay led congregation in Jefferson City, the capital of Missouri.
We found that participating in these interviews actually increased many of our members’ engagement and attendance at services. For example, many recalled how welcoming they found Temple Beth El when they first set foot in the temple. Doing the interview made them realize that they too could become those welcoming faces and become just as engaged as congregation leaders in the past.
One of the other projects was researching the names of people on our Yahrzeit Boards, uploading that information along with cemetery information on JewishGen, and sending Yahrzeit notifications not only to our members but also to families who had moved away. We engaged several members of the congregation to help draft and send the letters. While this was not intended as a fundraising project and no donation was requested, some of those receiving the notifications have made voluntary donations. It was exciting for our current members to hear from families who had long since left Jefferson City.
Creating an inventory of our fixed assets and artwork — a project that Noah suggested — was a community effort. Many congregants could recall a story around one of our valued possessions why it had been donated. . Plus, we realized how many old damaged prayer books were taking up room in our small storage space. So we gathered as a community for a genizah service to bury those books on a farm owned by one of our members. We also made sure the American Jewish Archives had up to date copies of our temple and sisterhood minutes and made digital copies of all of those records. In doing so, we discovered the congregation had adopted a refugee family during World War 2. We even made contact with the child of the family – now in his nineties. This and other stories about our past history in the local newspaper may have prompted several previously unknown Jewish members of the community to reach out and join Temple Beth El for the first time. I am sure that learning about our past community generosity and the commitment of members long ago has inspired each of us to treasure our congregation even more, participate in our services and activities more frequently, and make each new guest and potential member know they are being welcomed into a special place.
Sidney Brunschwig: Temple B’nai Abraham, Elyria, Ohio
Engagement has increased in my congregation as a result of Personal invitations to Social Activities outside of synagogue building
Every week, I meet with our Rabbi for what we call Tag Up. This is just to keep Rabbi and myself on tract for present and future events. On occasion, our Ritual Chair and Sunday School Chair join in. During one meeting toward the end of December, our Rabbi brought up how nice it would be to have either Shabbat dinners together in a restaurant prior to services or have someone host a pot luck on a Saturday, as food always brings people together. I wrote an article in the temple Bulletin asking for volunteers to host.
We had two responses to our plea, and held one pot luck brunch in January (30 plus people) and another congregant has volunteered, but no date has yet been set. Another member had a small gathering on Super Bowl Sunday for just one new couple. These have proved to be successful in getting to know our new members in a more relaxed and inviting setting.
We also have had dinners for Rosh Hashanah, Break the Fast, Hanukkah and Tu B’Shevat. We will be having one for Purim on March 10th. We have asked for “kitchen help” from our newest members to help set up and do cleanup for these dinners. They have been more than willing, and here we get to know them on a more “social” basis.
If a potential member or guest joins us on Zoom for a Friday night service, we always try to make a point in introducing them and making them feel welcome.
There are pros and cons of being a small synagogue (55 members), but one of the pros is , we have that feeling of “family.” With no paid staff, except for our Rabbi, cantorial soloist and janitor, we have to encourage our members to step up to the plate, so to speak, to help out. I will admit, it is not always easy, but we are making small strides.
Ryan Goldin: Congregation Beth Israel, Gulfport, Mississippi
Engagement has increased in my congregation as a result of Diversified Programming
Congregation Beth Israel’s engagement has increased year over year since we hired a full time Rabbi 3 years ago. We merged with our local Chabad and our numbers started increasing. We would have more engagement for events, high holidays, and Shabbos services. All of this was going on during COVID. The Rabbi and I shared a focus which was increased engagement. We decided that we would roll out different events to see what people thought and how the numbers for the events shook out. We would open these events/programs to folks within the local Jewish Community regardless of whether they were a member or not.
Our hope was that a person/family would feel comfortable with the rabbi and the congregation, they would eventually make the decision to become a member. We have had a very good success rate with this approach. Our membership is down from pre-Covid but our engagement and attendance at events have increased. For those who are non-members that show up to events, either pay a non-member price for the event (community Shabbos dinner, higher Sunday school rates, Purim, etc.) or give a donation when they come. One of our biggest milestones is that this year’s Sunday School is the largest in CBI’s history (15 kids).
Marcia Storch: Congregation B’nai Israel, Olean, New York
Engagement has increased in my congregation as a result of Dedicated Volunteers
Temple B’Nai Israel of Olean, NY started their journey with JCLP in 2012. David Sarnat visited us and ask us some very important questions. These questions were hard not only to hear but to realize they really pertain to us. At this time our membership had dwindled to probably about 20 maybe 25 family units, we had no children in religious school, and those who left Olean for college never returned. We had some very dedicated volunteers who kept temple B’nai Israel viable. But once we convinced our congregants that the building was too large, the congregation was too small, and we really needed to make a plan as to what to do with our temple items our temple building and our temple money. We also had a cemetery to consider. Answering these questions were very difficult but we realized that we did need to make a plan we did need to make a legacy and we had just the right agency helping us to do it. They were very patient David Sarnat made several trips to Olean NY and in 2014 we had a congregational vote, and we made a draft legacy plan. Some of our money was sent to the foundation in Buffalo NY. We also had a relationship with the Buffalo cemetery organization. We sent some things to the archivist in Cincinnati OH. And we had the good fortune of selling our building to a local theatre group in July of 2019. Fortunately, we found some space in a Catholic school for our congregation to hold services. recently we had the opportunity for one of our congregants who had donated a Torah cover to the temple to donate a Torah with the cover to his grandson’s summer camp.
At this time in 2023, Temple B’nai Israel in Olean, New York has maintained engagement with the few dedicated volunteers, they provide engagement for the approximately 15 units. It holds Shabbat services twice a month, celebrates all the holidays, and has an opportunity to serve those Jews in the community the best they can. They also are active in Interfaith events. There are no Jews moving into Olean. So their motivation is to engage those who are left, and keeping the community aware of the Jewish community in the area. Temple B’Nai Israel owes a truckload of gratitude to the JC LP for sticking with us, for helping us form this plan, for connecting us to those who could help us in the state of New York and now for those left have a clearer future . They know what to do when the last member has to turn off the lights. Thanks to David Sarnat and his team of worthy soldiers who are helping congregations all over the country when they are asked these very hard questions.