Congregational Finances

This is an archive of less frequently used content from www.JRF.org, a website which no longer exists. The new online home of the Reconstructionist movement is www.JewishRecon.org.

Finances: Fundraising in Difficult Times

Apr 27 2009 - 12:00pm
Apr 27 2009 - 1:15pm
Session Facilitator: 
Rabbi Nancy Epstein
Session Presenters: 
Herb Tobin, Marla Friedenberg

This is a repeat session of our Fundraising workshop at JRF's 2008 Convention.We will discuss how to integrate your community's mission and values with fundraising intiatives.

The audio recording of this call is available at http://jrf.org/node/2605

Presenter Bio(s): 

Herb Tobin of Herb Tobin Consulting is a Development Consultant to the Partnership for Excellence in Jewish Eduction; the Grinspoon Foundation and Hillel.

Marla Friedenberg holds a master degree in Public Administration (1975) from the University of Pittsburgh. She held the position of Assistant Housing Director of The City of Philadelphia from 1976 until 1984. In 1994 she received a MBA degree from LaSalle University and held the position of Director of Operations for a Philadelphia-based fundraising consulting firm specializing in the American Jewish milieu until 2004. She left the consulting field to become Director of Development at Abrams Hebrew Academy where she successfully raised the funds to erect a new and modern educational campus. She is currently the Assistant Development Director for the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation and Camp JRF.

Rabbi Nancy Epstein (RRC '06) is the Director of Congregational Relations for the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation (JRF). Nancy has worked with communities for over 30 years, holding positions of leadership in the areas of community organizing, nonprofit management, public policy, legislation and advocacy. She is trained in systems-centered approaches to organizational development and as a mediator of interpersonal and complex policy disputes and has served as a consultant to professional associations, not-for-profit organizations, universities, and national foundations. In addition to her role at JRF, Rabbi Epstein serves as an Associate Professor of Community Health at the Drexel University School of Public Health.

Finances: Values-Based Budgeting

May 21 2009 - 8:00pm
May 21 2009 - 9:15pm
Session Facilitator: 
Rabbi Nancy Epstein
Session Presenters: 
Rabbi David Teutsch

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.

The audio recording of this session can be accessed here: http://jrf.org/node/2608

Presenter Bio(s): 

Rabbi David Teutsch has been a builder of religious community since becoming a congregational rabbi over thirty years ago. He is the Wiener Professor of Contemporary Jewish Civilization and director of the Levin-Lieber Program in Jewish Ethics at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, where he served as president for nearly a decade. He previously served as executive director of the JRF. The editor in chief of the groundbreaking Kol Haneshamah prayer book series published by JRF’s Reconstructionist Press, he has also authored several other books including Imagining the Jewish Future and five volumes in the series A Guide to Jewish Practice published by RRC Press. A renowned consultant and trainer, he pioneered values-based decision making.

Rabbi Nancy Epstein (RRC '06) is the Director of Congregational Relations for the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation (JRF). Nancy has worked with communities for over 30 years, holding positions of leadership in the areas of community organizing, nonprofit management, public policy, legislation and advocacy. She is trained in systems-centered approaches to organizational development and as a mediator of interpersonal and complex policy disputes and has served as a consultant to professional associations, not-for-profit organizations, universities, and national foundations. In addition to her role at JRF, Rabbi Epstein serves as an Associate Professor of Community Health at the Drexel University School of Public Health.

Finances: Money & Jewish Spiritual Values

Apr 14 2009 - 12:00pm
Apr 14 2009 - 1:15pm
Session Facilitator: 
Rabbi Shawn Zevit
Session Presenters: 
Rabbi Mordechai Liebling

Rabbis Shawn Zevit and Mordechai Liebling discuss the uses and variety of values-based approaches to money and other resources in congregational life. They will engage in a lively discussion about the way money has historically been and can be a spiritual tool for communal and societal transformation. Special focus is given to the meaning ascribed to money, issues of class and social justice in Jewish life.

Prior to class please read Jewish Values, Money, and Your Community and listen to two audio files (1/2 hour each) Money and Jewish Community

Presenter Bio(s): 

Rabbi Shawn Israel Zevit, is the Director of Outreach & Tikkun Olam, and a congregational consultant and resource developer for the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation. He is a founding member of Shabbat Unplugged and the Davenning Leaders’ Training Institute, and a spiritual director for numerous clergy and communities. He has written and developed resources and delivered workshops in the areas of community building, leadership, prayer, interactive midrash, contemporary views of GOD, prayer and spiritual leadership skills, money and Jewish values, social justice issues, Jewish environmental concerns and Jewish men's issues. He is the author of "Offerings of the Heart: Money and Values in Faith Community (Alban, 2005) and a forthcoming book for Jewish Men.

Rabbi Mordechai Liebling served as executive director of the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation for 12 years and is the Executive Vice President of the Jewish Funds for Justice. He is a consultant to JRF, a consultant on Money and Values issues for the Shefa Fund of Philadelphia, and a member of Reconstructionist Minyan Dorshei Derekh in Philadelphia.

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