Role of Synagogue Committees

• Adult Education Committee
• Budget Committee
• Bulletins/Publications Committee
• Cemetary Committee
• Financial Obligations Evaluation Committee
• Israel Affairs Committee
• Committee on Jewish Observance in the Home
• Library Committee
• Membership Outreach/Retention Committee
• Planning Committee
• Public Relations Committee
• Religious School Education Committee
• Ritual/Religious Committee
• Social Action Committee
• Committee on the United Synagogue and Conservative Movement
• Ways and Means Committee
• Youth Committee

Introduction

By its nature, a synagogue is a community. To be most effective, a congregation must be inclusive and welcoming. An excellent way to do this is to have committees with specific roles, defined duties and important functions, answerable to the board of the synagogue. In addition to helping the synagogue do its work, a functioning committee structure provides a training ground for future synagogue leadership. This list is not a roster of required committees, nor is it exhaustive. It provides suggestions for duties of nineteen committees often found in congregations. We know that there can be other valuable committees in each synagogue. While we have suggested staff members to work with each committee, the appropriate staff member may vary in different congregations.

You will note the refrain: “to keep minutes of committee meetings and to report regularly to the Board on the work of the Committee.” This is important as it provides history for the committee and information to the governing body of the congregation as to what’s happening. Contribute your time and energy, your talent and excitement to assure that Judaism thrives in your community.

Adult Education Committee

Works in conjunction with Rabbi, Hazzan and/or Educator.

Purposes:

1. To encourage large numbers of members to commit themselves to the goal of allotting time to the mitzvah of Torah each day of their lives; including Perek Yomi and Mishnah Yomit.
2. To arrange classes for adults in Bible, post-biblical Jewish classics, the Hebrew language, Jewish history, Jewish belief and practices and other appropriate subjects; to continually evaluate programs and classes to determine evolving strategies to make adult education more effective.
3. To arrange study-discussion groups, or havurot.
4. To arrange Oneg Shabbat programs on Friday evenings in conjunction with services and Shabbat dinners, or on Sunday afternoons, or similar sessions on holidays.
5. To cooperate with area synagogues and other Jewish organizations in sponsoring adult education programs and classes.
6. To make use of the Synagogue Bulletin to bring Torah regularly to the home.
7. To work with the Library Committee in encouraging the ongoing use of the library and the regular reading of Jewish books and periodicals.
8. To aid in the distribution of Jewish educational pamphlets in the Jewish Living Now series to all families in the synagogue.
9. To encourage congregants to become members of the Jewish Publication Society and other Jewish book distributors/clubs in order to build up their own Jewish home libraries.
10. To keep minutes of committee meetings and to report to the Board on the work of the Committee.

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Budget Committee

Works in conjunction with Executive Director or Administrator.

Purposes:

1. To obtain from each committee and department of the synagogue (at a specific time on an annual basis) a detailed estimate of the anticipated expenses and income for the coming fiscal year.
2. To draft, on the basis of the estimates, a global picture of the projected budget for the coming fiscal year, including suitable amounts for contingencies and for reserve for long-range building upkeep and maintenance.
3. To enlist the Ways and Means Committee for additional sources of revenue if the estimated budget shows a prospective deficit, and if necessary, to ask the Planning Committee or Board for instructions as to priority of expenditure.
4. To monitor income and expenses on a monthly basis.
5. To refer to the Board circumstances (other than the above-mentioned hardship) where all reasonable efforts have proven unsuccessful and to recommend a specific pattern of action to be taken which can alleviate the problem and resolve the situation.
6. To keep minutes of committee meetings and to report regularly to the Board on the work of the Committee.

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Bulletins/Publications Committee

Works in conjunction with Executive Director or Administrator.

Purposes:

1. In consultation with the synagogue leadership, rabbi and executive director, select those publications that are most appropriate for your congregation to produce, whether a regular newsletter, affiliations brochure, holiday booklet, etc.
2. Ensure that personnel are in place to produce the selected publications: editors, writers, designers, photographers, printers, desktop publishers, etc.
3. Establish an information-gathering network to collect information for your publications (e.g., committee liaisons, rabbi, pre-school director, etc.).
4. Ensure that materials selected for publication accurately represent the views and interests of the congregation and promote a positive public image.
5. Ensure that the congregational bulletin accurately conveys the scope of synagogue activities, contains news about the Conservative Movement as a whole, and is tasteful in layout and design.
6. Accesses USCJ material, i.e. News in Brief, Press Releases, High Holy Day mahzor inserts, for wide distribution to all congregants.

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Cemetary Committee

Works in conjunction with Executive Director or Administrator and Rabbi.

Purposes:

1. To arrange for adequate layout care and upkeep of the synagogue cemetery.
2. To maintain an up-to-date and accurate set of accounts for the financial operation of the cemetery, including a separate cemetery checking account