“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.

A Sacred Trust: Effective Leadership Skills and Governance that Works: 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. As well, determining values that underlie congregational life can provide the framework for a viable approach to engaging and vibrant Reconstructionist Judaism.

NOTE:  To maximize communal learning, congregations are encourage to form a team (including clergy) and sign up for all three sessions designed for your congregational size, see http://jrf.org/pearl/sessions/2012

Expected Preparation:

http://jrf.org/pearl/2008/how-to-successfully-integrate-and-use-reconstr...

http://jrf.org/pearl/2011/Leadership-and-Governance/1

http://jrf.org/pearl/2011/Leadership-and-Governance/2 

A Sacred Trust: Effective Leadership Skills and Governance that Works: 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. As well, determining values that underlie congregational life can provide the framework for a viable approach to engaging and vibrant Reconstructionist Judaism.

NOTE:  To maximize communal learning, congregations are encourage to form a team (including clergy) and sign up for all three sessions designed for your congregational size, see http://jrf.org/pearl/sessions/2012

Expected Preparation:

http://jrf.org/pearl/2008/how-to-successfully-integrate-and-use-reconstr...

http://jrf.org/pearl/2011/Leadership-and-Governance/1

http://jrf.org/pearl/2011/Leadership-and-Governance/2

To listen to the recording of this call, go to: http://jrf.org/node/3312

You're Invited to JRF's Chesapeake Region Annual Celebration! This year's celebration will take place at Oseh Shalom in Laurel, MD on Sunday, March 4, 2011.

The theme for this year's event will be "JRF Salutes: L'dor v'dor (From Generation to Generation)"

As the JRF and the RRC (Reconstructionist Rabbinical College) continue towards restructuring the movement, JRF is celebrating the legacy of our first half-century as a congregational movement. We are creating a Legacy book to highlight JRF's communities. These books will be available in time for the Chesapeake Celebration.

REGISTER
PURCHASE AN AD IN THE TRIBUTE JOURNAL
DOWNLOAD THE PRINTABLE REGISTRATION FORM

A Sacred Trust: Effective Leadership Skills and Governance that Works: 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. As well, determining values that underlie congregational life can provide the framework for a viable approach to engaging and vibrant Reconstructionist Judaism.

Expected Preparation:

http://jrf.org/pearl/2008/how-to-successfully-integrate-and-use-reconstr...

http://jrf.org/pearl/2011/Leadership-and-Governance/1

http://jrf.org/pearl/2011/Leadership-and-Governance/2

You're Invited to JRF's New York/New Jersey Region Annual Celebration! This year's celebration will take place at The Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York on March 12, 2011.

The theme for this year's event will be "JRF Salutes: L'dor v'dor (From Generation to Generation)"

As the JRF and the RRC (Reconstructionist Rabbinical College) continue towards restructuring the movement, JRF is celebrating the legacy of our first half-century as a congregational movement. We are creating a Legacy book to highlight JRF's communities. These books will be available in time for the New York/New Jersey Celebration.

REGISTER ONLINE NOW

Download and Print the Registration Form

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.  Rabbi Erin Hirsh will discuss best practices in school budgeting, the roles of education directors, treasurers, education committees and boards and the relationship between synagogue and school budgets as well as considering sample budgets. New, exciting, and innovative experiential learning programs are cropping up across the Jewish world; some are happening within our own Reconstructionist movement.  This session will focus on exciting experiential youth education programs that combine the best of camp experiential learning and non-traditional congregational schools.

Expected Preparation (Reading and Audio):

http://jrf.org/pearl/2011/School-Budgeting/2

http://jrf.org/pearl/2010/Experiential-Education

To listen to the audio recording of this call, click here:  http://jrf.org/node/3336