Thriving Congregations
When you step into a thriving congregation, you can feel it. The warm welcomes, a tight-knit yet inclusive community, and a flurry of meaningful activities… A thriving congregation, no matter what size, truly feels like home.
Every synagogue strives to live up to this ideal, and many of our members have achieved it. We underwent an extensive learning journey with our member congregations to identify what, exactly, is the secret sauce to a thriving congregation?
Calling upon 100+ years of experience supporting congregations and new research with synagogue leaders across North America, we identified the top four indicators of a thriving congregation. And then, we organized our portfolio of resources and services to support you.
Thriving Indicator #1: Dynamic Leadership
It takes a lot of people to keep a synagogue running. Clergy, professional staff, and lay leaders must collaborate in harmony. We are heavily investing in Leadership Development opportunities, from reinvigorating our flagship Sulam programs to developing brand-new trainings addressing both ongoing and current-moment needs.
You can look forward to new Sulam offerings, monthly webinars, cohort-based trainings, and individualized consultations with leadership training professionals.
Thriving Indicator #2: Outstanding Clergy & Professionals
Rabbis, cantors, executive directors, education professionals, and other roles are key to a thriving community. We have strengthened our partnerships with the Rabbinical Assembly (RA), Cantors Assembly (CA), North American Association of Synagogue Executives (NAASE), Jewish Educators Assembly (JEA), and other organizations to help your synagogue find the most qualified professionals when you need them. And not just find the candidates – we’ll also help you develop internal culture to retain existing staff.
You can look forward to recruitment and retention webinars, talent search consultations, and support with mediation and negotiation.
Thriving Indicator #3: Effective Operations
Our synagogues exist to provide community and spiritual support to our members and Jewish individuals and families. That can only happen with strong, systemized operational effectiveness. Calling upon best practices from hundreds of synagogues across the continent, we will provide support and training on membership, marketing, finance, HR, insurance, technology, fundraising, and more.
You can look forward to monthly webinars and resources to deal with antisemitism, among other support. And don’t forget USCJ’s Marketplace, a hub of vendors and professional services for USCJ members.
Thriving Indicator #4: Vibrant Network
Recent Sulam participant Gary K. said it best: “Just being in the virtual room with other synagogue leaders, I felt relieved. I looked around the ‘Hollywood Squares’ on my screen and I knew I wasn’t alone. There were all of these other people facing the same concerns as me, and finding solutions I’d never have thought of on my own.”
USCJ’s strength is its broad network of synagogues and organizations across North America, Israel, and beyond. Our directors of synagogue engagement will connect you with peers and mentors individually and in cohort-based action communities. Additionally, we will organize affinity groups of shuls with similar goals and challenges for ongoing friendship and support.
Keep an eye on your inbox for a schedule of programs, new member benefits, and introductions to access our team members.
Thank you for your affiliation. We are stronger together.
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