Interactive affinity group for synagogue leaders (lay, staff & clergy) at congregations with between 81-250 member units.
Interactive affinity group for synagogue leaders (lay, staff & clergy) at congregations with between 81-250 member units.
January 14, 11:00am PST//12:00pm MST //1:00pm CST //2:00pm EST
Small Congregations Gathering for leaders of synagogues with between 81-250 member units
(if your synagogue has fewer than 80 member units, we invite you to instead participate in the very small congregations leadership gathering the following day, designed for leaders of synagogues like yours.)
TOPIC: SYNAGOGUE FACILITIES
GETTING MEMBERS TO COME IN, MAXIMIZING USE AND GENERATING INCOME, MAINTENANCE, FEES AND FUNDS
This will be an participatory discussion and will rely on your participation. Please come prepared to share what takes place at your synagogue along with the desire to learn from others.
The conversation might include:
- When you think about your synagogue’s facility, what one word best describes how it feels most of the time?
- What is one success or bright spot related to your facility?
- What makes your synagogue space welcoming?
- What might make your synagogue space unintentionally feel unwelcoming?
- How is your building currently used – weekdays, evenings or weekends?
- Where do you see unused capacity—time, rooms, or outdoor space?
- Is your building used often enough to justify its size and cost?
- What would “right-sizing” usage look like without downsizing?
- How do you create warmth and energy in a space that may be larger than needed for the size of the turnout?
- What non-traditional or community uses have you explored or considered?
- How do you determine when income use supports the synagogue versus distracts from it?
- How do you currently prioritize maintenance and repairs?
- What tends to drive decisions—urgency, budget, safety, aesthetics, or values?
- Do you have designated funds (endowment, reserves, building fund) for facilities?
- What role do fees (security, rental, lifecycle, building use) play in your model?
- Do you rely more on emergency appeals than long-term planning?
- What is one small change you might explore related to your facility?
About which questions would you like to hear from others?
Staff, clergy and lay leadership are welcome.
The session is scheduled for 60 minutes. In order to optimize free-flowing conversation, it will not be recorded.
