A Sacred Trust: Effective Leadership Skills and Governance that Works (Part 1): We can’t lead in a vacuum – the work of leadership is done within a larger system. Whether you are on the board, a member of a committee, part of the executive committee, or a staff member, working within a well-defined governance structure can help to clarify roles and responsibilities. These sessions will highlight effective models for structuring and managing the congregational board as well as explore the key elements to effective Jewish congregational leadership. This year we ask participants to deepen their learning by signing up for both sessions on a given topic. The follow-up to this session is Mon. March 28, noon EST. Please register separately at www.jrf.org/pearl

Listen to the audio from this call here as you view the power point below.

In this era of technology, busy schedules, and high stress levels, our teens might find it difficult to stay connected to our Reconstructionist Jewish Communities.  What can we offer them as incentive to maintain their relationship to our congregations?  Our first webinar will explore different congregational approaches to teen programming.  Several teens will be presenting their views on why they choose to participate in teen programming at their congregations.  Our second webinar will focus on our college students.  How do they connect to their home Reconstructionist communities?  Do they find Jewish connections on their campus?  Hear from college students who attend schools both with and without a Reconstructionist presence and learn how we can help them succeed in maintaining their Jewish identities away from home.

Listen to audio while viewing the power point below:

http://jrf.org/connecting-to-our-college-students

A Sacred Trust: Effective Leadership Skills and Governance that Works, PT. 2 (first session on Mon, March 21st): We can’t lead in a vacuum – the work of leadership is done within a larger system. Whether you are on the board, a member of a committee, part of the executive committee, or a staff member, working within a well-defined governance structure can help to clarify roles and responsibilities. These sessions will highlight effective models for structuring and managing the congregational board as well as explore the key elements to effective Jewish congregational leadership.

Listen to the audio as you view the power point below.

In the best of times, it can be challenging for congregations to make good decisions about school budgets.  In times of economic hardship, it becomes even more important to address school budgets with great care.  In this workshop, Rabbi Erin Hirsh will discuss best practices in school budgeting. She will discuss the roles of education directors, treasurers, education committees and boards.  This webinar will also examine the relationship between synagogue and school budgets as well as considering sample budgets.

Download the audio and listen while viewing the power point below.

Money, Values and Congregational Life: In these challenging economic times, how do we make good financial decisions? We will talk about budgets as key documents that should reflect the congregation’s mission, and about how to create budgeting processes that effectively utilize the congregation’s mission, objectives and values. We will focus his session on values-based budgeting and how congregations can make good financial decisions even when choices are challenging. Many JRF congregations currently face painful challenges about where and how to allocate limited funds. How does a board go through decision-making processes to make necessary budget adjustments or cuts during tough times? How can congregations be successful in creating a dues structure that is in line with the best of its Reconstructionist values. How do we link budget processes with a congregation’s mission, objectives and values. Rabbis Shawn Zevit and Mordechai Liebling discuss the uses and variety of Jewish values-based approaches to money and other resources in congregational life.

This year we ask participants to deepen their learning by signing up for both sessions on a given topic. The follow-up to this session is Tues. April 12 noon EST. Please register separately at www.jrf.org/pearl

Listen to the audio while viewing the power point below:
Part 1
Part 2 (goes with session 2: http://jrf.org/pearl/2011/Money-and-Values/2)

Money, Values and Congregational Life, PT 2 (Follow-up from Tues, April 5th session): In these challenging economic times, how do we make good financial decisions? We will talk about budgets as key documents that should reflect the congregation’s mission, and about how to create budgeting processes that effectively utilize the congregation’s mission, objectives and values. We will focus his session on values-based budgeting and how congregations can make good financial decisions even when choices are challenging. Many JRF congregations currently face painful challenges about where and how to allocate limited funds. How does a board go through decision-making processes to make necessary budget adjustments or cuts during tough times? How can congregations be successful in creating a dues structure that is in line with the best of its Reconstructionist values. How do we link budget processes with a congregation’s mission, objectives and values. Rabbis Shawn Zevit and Mordechai Liebling discuss the uses and variety of Jewish values-based approaches to money and other resources in congregational life.

Listen to the audio and view power point below:
http://jrf.org/money-values-and-congregational-life-part-II

As our communities grow and explore a variety of approaches to compliment tradition-based egalitarian Jewish practice, many Reconstructionist communities have begun integrating a variety of Jewish religious practices, continued to reconstruct Shabbat practice, traditonal rituals and liturgy, meditation, mussar study, "Torah" yoga, healing services, chant and other forms of spiritual experience into core offerings. In these sessions, we explore some of these forms, how we make communal decisions around them and see the connection to and inspiration from Reconstructionism and Jewish spiritual life .

This year we ask participants to deepen their learning by signing up for both sessions on a given topic. The follow-up to this session is Wed. May 4th,  8pm EST. Please register separately at www.jrf.org/pearl

Listen to the audio as you view the power point below.

The Dynamics of Growth: Outreach/Inreach, Marketing, Branding and the Covenant of Membership: Growth isn’t only about numbers; if your congregation is to grow, it must focus also on dynamic changes. Members of congregations of various sizes will share their stories of successful growth and will provide workshop participants with opportunities for practical application to their home communities. Creative “branding” and marketing of Reconstructionist Judaism is crucial to the growth of individual Reconstructionist congregations and havurot and to the movement-as-a-whole.  These sessions will share some of the wealth that is being developed in these areas.

Listen to audio while viewing the power point below:

http://jrf.org/pearl/dynamics-growth-marketing-2011-session1-part1

http://jrf.org/pearl/dynamics-growth-marketing-2011-session1-part2

As our communities grow and explore a variety of approaches to compliment tradition-based egalitarian Jewish practice, many Reconstructionist communities have begun integrating a variety of Jewish religious practices, continued to reconstruct Shabbat practice, traditonal rituals and liturgy, meditation, mussar study, "Torah" yoga, healing services, chant and other forms of spiritual experience into core offerings. In these sessions, we explore some of these forms, how we make communal decisions around them and see the connection to and inspiration from Reconstructionism and Jewish spiritual life .

Listen to the audio as you view the power point below.

Celebrating Israel- Reconstructing  Zionism : Mordecai Kaplan believed that nowhere else could Jews live so completely a Jewish life as in Israel. However, because not all Jews intend or even desire to emigrate to Israel - nor did Kaplan believe that there is an imperative to do so - he envisioned that Jewish communities around the world ought to be interdependent. Such a relationship to Israel and to Jewish communities around the world, maintains Israel as central to our historical self definition and affirms our identity as a nation within the global family.

One of the core principles as a Reconstructionist community is the support of Israel's right to exist as an independent nation, which includes both advocating on behalf of policies and needs in Israel, as well as challenging policies if they contradict other sacred values.  Because of the emotional complexity of dealing with Israel, opportunities for real dialogue and discussion of the critical issues facing the Jewish homeland have suffered. Such discussion will also, we hope, help promote our movement's active support of a Jewish state that is secure and living at peace with its neighbors, a place where democracy and pluralism can flourish. This goal comes directly out of our movement's support and love of Israel, as well as out of our commitment to Jewish values of peace and justice.

Download the audio while you view the power point below.

The Dynamics of Growth: Outreach/Inreach, Marketing, Branding and the Covenant of Membership: Growth isn’t only about numbers; if your congregation is to grow, it must focus also on dynamic changes. Members of congregations of various sizes will share their stories of successful growth and will provide workshop participants with opportunities for practical application to their home communities. Creative “branding” and marketing of Reconstructionist Judaism is crucial to the growth of individual Reconstructionist congregations and havurot and to the movement-as-a-whole.  These sessions will share some of the wealth that is being developed in these areas.

Click Here to listen to the audio while viewing the power point below.

For access to Michael Clancy's complete "branding" presentation, go to: http://jrf.org/keruv-library. You will find the link on the page in the fourth paragraph beginning with "Michael Clancy."

“Where there is no vision, the people lapse into chaos” Proverbs. 29:18

It’s hard to know where you are going if you don’t first know where you are. Strategic planning cannot take place without first undertaking strategic thinking: what are the mission, vision, and values of our community? Explore ways to think about these key issues, models for creating cohesive statements that respond to them, and challenges and opportunities of doing this work in a spiritual community.
Where we are now: Assessing environment, organizational lifecycle, strengths, etc. (data collection: SWOT and SOAR models); Where are we going: Developing mission-vision-values-goals-strategies; Specific actions; Communication and alignment side ; Managing the execution- how will you know you are doing a good job? Examples of JRF community plans and/or working with presented examples.

Part I: Download the audio
Part II: Download the audio

“Where there is no vision, the people perish” Proverbs.
It’s hard to know where you are going if you don’t first know where you are. Strategic planning cannot take place without first undertaking strategic thinking: what are the mission, vision, and values of our community? Explore ways to think about these key issues, models for creating cohesive statements that respond to them, and challenges and opportunities of doing this work in a spiritual community.
Where we are now: Assessing environment, organizational lifecycle, strengths, etc. (data collection: SWOT and SOAR models); Where are we going: Developing mission-vision-values-goals-strategies; Specific actions; Communication and alignment side ; Managing the execution- how will you know you are doing a good job? Examples of JRF community plans and/or working with presented examples.

Part I: Download the audio
Part II: Download the audio

As part of JRF's ongoing Sustainable Synagogue Initiative, these sessions will focus on Jewish values and successful greening of synagogue life. Special focus on texts and traditions on religious and ecological consciousness and sustainable practices in ritual, programming and policy aspects of Jewish communal life, using alternative energies, and emerging best practices.

Below you will find a packet of texts to be used in the call in addition to the PowerPoint presentation that will be used and uploaded later, and a copy of the packet from the 2009 PEARL call on Sustainability.

To listen to a version of this presentation go to http://greenfaith.org/programs/denominational-partnerships/the-reconstructionist-jewish-movement

As part of JRF's ongoing Sustainable Synagogue Initiative, these sessions will focus on Jewish values and successful greening of synagogue life. Special focus on texts and traditions on religious and ecological consciousness and sustainable practices in ritual, programming and policy aspects of Jewish communal life, using alternative energies, and emerging best practices.