About the Department of Leadership Development

The Department of Leadership Development was established in 1992. In its 13 years of activity, it has become a vital component of the United Synagogue's commitment to providing direct service to our congregations. The Department has developed a pattern of activities which benefit the regions, individual synagogues, boards of trustees and specific officers of congregations. Over 250 synagogues have participated in the Board of Trustee Training Seminars from the Department, in addition to scores of seminars conducted by regional directors for their synagogues.

Congregations are assisted in writing a Synagogue Mission Statement. Leaders participate in exercises and discussions on programming, fundraising, committee efficiency, leadership skills, membership outreach and retention, volunteer motivation, building an effective board and creating a team including lay and professional leaders. These personalized seminars are conducted at the congregation.

Rabbi Moshe Edelman is often invited to be a Scholar-in-Residence, which dovetails with a board leadership training. In addition, multi-congregational gatherings of synagogue leaders, coordinated by regional directors, discuss leadership skills and programs. The Department has written a special questionnaire as a tool for congregations to do reflective study and self-evaluation in order to maintain or achieve the standards established by The United Synagogue. Heshbon Hanefesh Kehilati (Congregational Self-Evaluation), is available upon request.

The Department's SULAM program has proved to be a great success in the field of leadership training. Vice-presidents of congregations spend four days in intensive study preparing for their presidency. Since its inception, 25 sessions have been conducted in hotel locations throughout North America. The 640 vice-presidents who attended represented more than 250 congregations. SULAM is open to vice-presidents from affiliated congregations. Click here for the latest dates of SULAM training sessions.

The SULAM experience includes more than sixteen training sessions, extensive networking between attendees, a beautiful Shabbat and study of Jewish texts on leadership themes. The development of an understanding of the president and board as Jewish role models, mitzvah-observant Jews and Conservative Jews is a high priority of the Thursday through Sunday program.

For more information about Leadership Development, please contact Rabbi Moshe Edelman, edelman@uscj.org.