Events & Webinars
Welcome to the USCJ Events Page, your central hub for all upcoming trainings, webinars, and events designed to empower and connect our community. Whether you’re looking to enhance your leadership skills, stay informed on the latest trends in Jewish education, or network with peers across the movement, our diverse lineup of events has something for everyone. Explore our calendar and register today to stay engaged, inspired, and equipped to make a meaningful impact in your congregation and beyond. Don’t miss out on these opportunities to learn, grow, and lead!
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Leadership Development
Derekh Eretz: Walking Together Amidst Differences
Four Sessions: February, March, May, June
Cosponsored by the Rabbinical Assembly
Presented by Simon Klarfeld, Leadership Consultant
Feelings of helplessness, fear, and grief continue to pile up alongside ongoing violence in Israel and the political turmoil at home. The issues that have arisen in Israel and the US have divided our communities and made it difficult for people to manage their own emotions and to engage with each other. In this age of polarization, echo chambers and hot-button issues, it seems as if we have forgotten how to talk with one another, how to listen to others’ viewpoints, how to respectfully disagree, or participate in civil discourse with people who disagree with us. We would like to provide the opportunity for the USCJ community to engage with their head and hearts through self-reflection and debate.
Explore all the sessions here!
Creativity for Times of Challenge and Change
Presented by Rabbi Adina Allen of the Jewish Studio Project
This program explores human emotion through the sacred words of Psalms and the creative process. Combining the words of Psalms, texts that speak to and can hold every human emotion and the power of creative process to regulate our nervous systems, to sit with our questions, to connect to our hearts and to guide our actions allows our communities and organizations throughout the Jewish ecosystem, to be with each other across difference, across space and time, and through all the emotions that have arisen.
For the Sake of Heaven: Beyond Words: When is it OK to Use Other Means of Persuasion?
| Sulam for Emerging Leaders: An Engagement Program to Inspire Participants to Increase Their Connections Within the Synagogue |
| Wednesday, June 11 at 2 pm ET (11 am PT)
Unlock your synagogue’s leadership potential with Sulam for Emerging Leaders (SEL)! This transformative program engages your community by inspiring participants to connect more deeply within the synagogue and step into leadership roles. Join us to gain access to this tested and proven curriculum for implementation in your own community. SEL is designed for members with leadership potential to foster personal Jewish growth and develop vital leadership skills. Implemented by your own senior staff and trained facilitators, the program is customizable to fit your congregation’s needs. Join over 1,800 energized leaders and enhance your connection to your community—dive into SEL today to fill your leadership pipeline!
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Creativity for Times of Challenge and Change – Session 4: The Path of Life: Finding a generative & generous way forward
Presented by Rabbi Adina Allen and Rabbi Adam Lavitt of the Jewish Studio Project
June 17th 12PM et
For the Sake of Heaven: Zionism vs. Anti-Zionism – A Very Jewish 19th Century Debate
Presented by Simon Klarfeld of Beyond Strategy
June 26th 8PM et
| P’rahim K’tanim (Small Blossoms) Small Congregations Conference – In Person! |
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Sunday, June 8 (starting 3 p.m.) – Tuesday, June 10 (ending 1 p.m.)
Join us for the Small Congregations Leadership Conference in Chicago this June! After a hiatus since 2019, this in-person event is the perfect opportunity for small congregations (250 member units or fewer) to reconnect and strengthen our community. Attendees will explore essential tools for enhancing lay-clergy relationships, strategies for building resilience in small synagogues, and engage in Limmud (learning), Tefilah (prayer), and Hizzuk (support). We encourage teams of clergy and presidents to attend together for a collaborative, interactive learning experience, guided by facilitators rather than traditional keynote speakers. Don’t miss this chance to network, share success stories, and develop new ideas—register now!
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New Directors Institute (NDI)
NDI is THE conference for synagogue Education Directors, Early Childhood Directors, Principals, Directors of Congregational Learning, and Clergy-Educators who are new in their roles or have been hired within the past two years.
| Strengthen Your Lay-Professional Relationships |
| Scheduled Just for You!
Are you ready to elevate your lay-professional team and create a thriving work environment? Join us for an individualized two-hour workshop designed for your board president, clergy, and executive director to collaborate and strengthen their leadership skills. Together, we will explore personal leadership strengths, manage communication and conflict, clarify roles and responsibilities, and identify community priorities. This workshop sets the tone for a successful year, empowering your team to reach new heights and enhance your congregation’s overall effectiveness. Don’t miss this opportunity to invest in your leadership journey! Contact Daniel Langenthal to schedule a custom leadership workshop for your congregation. |
Operational Effectiveness
A Framework for a More Efficient Synagogue
Thursday, June 5 at 2 pm ET | 11 am PT
We all want our synagogues to run more smoothly. When our processes work well, we save money, use resources wisely, and serve our members better. There’s probably a process you’d like to improve—maybe around High Holidays, member communication, financial tasks, or another area entirely.
Led by a former synagogue Executive Director, this seminar offers practical tools for improving efficiency in a Jewish communal setting. It’s based on proven methods like Lean Six Sigma but shaped for synagogue life.
You’ll leave with ideas you can use right away and a better way to approach what’s not working.
About the Presenter:
David Markovich is a former synagogue Executive Director who has helped lead large-scale Process Improvement efforts for synagogues, associations, and small businesses. A certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, he founded Improve My Process to fill a gap in process improvement tools for nonprofits.
Engagement & Programming
| Small Congregations Leadership Gathering |
| Thursday, June 5 at 8 pm ET (5 pm PT)
Join fellow small congregations (200 or fewer household units) for peer discussion and networking. This is an open forum for brainstorming and ideating. |
Youth & Education
Inclusion
Rimonim for Rabbis:
A Cohort Program About Intermarriage, Inclusion & Authentic Judaism for ALL clergy
Cohort IV, 2025 will meet weekly on May 8, 15, 22, and 29
Consecutive Thursdays at 1:00-2:15 pm ET / 10:00 am-11:15 am PT
*Cohort registration requires attending 3 out of 4 sessions.
Sessions will not be recorded.
Rabbis in the Conservative/Masorti Movement are facing unprecedented opportunities to build relationships with and engage “interfaith” couples and families. According to Pew Research’s Jewish Americans in 2020 study, 72% of non-Orthodox Jews partner with people of other faith backgrounds. How can rabbis and communities fully embrace all Jews and their loved ones within CJLS guidelines?
The goal of this RA/USCJ cohort program is to emphasize the authority of the rabbi as pastor, teacher, ambassador, and mara d’atra to lead their community with wisdom and compassion. Participants will learn about relevant research, share fears and challenges, and exchange ideas. These conversations are intended to connect rabbis working across our Movement to each other and to the organizations supporting them.
Join us for this four-week intensive program to discuss new narratives on interfaith families and Jewish engagement. We will explore both the theoretical and best practices for rabbis working in all settings of Jewish life.
Session I. May 8 Dr. Keren R. McGinity, USCJ Director of Intermarriage Engagement & Inclusion
“Gender Matters: The New Narrative about Jewish Intermarriage and Our Movement”
Q & A with Special Guest Andy Kirschner, 18Doors Chicago Director
Session II. May 15 Rabbi Aaron Brusso, Strategic Planning Standards Committee Chair
“Rabbi, Will You Do Our Wedding?” Pastoral Approaches to Interfaith Couples
Session III. May 22 Open Mic for Constructive Collaboration What Have You Tried in Your Community? What Would You Like to Try? What questions do you have for USCJ/RA leadership to be able to best serve your community?
Session IV. May 29 Rabbi Jacob Blumenthal, CEO USCJ/RA
“Tradition and Modernity: What Does an Inclusive Movement Look Like?”
Movement Events: Save the Dates!
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