Leadership
Our Leadership team works with synagogue officers and board members to help them develop the knowledge and skills they need to effectively lead their congregations. Our flagship SULAM (ladder) series of programs supports lay leaders so they can partner effectively with synagogue staff and clergy in moving their synagogues forward. Our team also addresses such foundational issues as developing a congregational mission and vision, improving team collaboration, creating a leadership pipeline, running effective meetings, board development, improving board governance and structure, and navigating mergers.
Thank you for visiting our website. We are currently in the process of updating our leadership pages and moving our resources. If there are documents or resources you are looking for, please click here to visit our previous leadership pages.
At-A-Glance:
Meet the Leadership Team


Linda Sussman
Director of Leadership Development & Implementation/ Synagogue Consultant, METNY
Leadership Services
- Facilitating board orientation
- Developing a leadership pipeline
- Creating a mission and vision
- Running effective meetings
- Strengthening lay-professional relationship collaboration
- Improving team-building
- Building board effectiveness, governance, and structure
- Supporting presidents and officers
- Coaching for volunteer engagement
- Navigating mergers
Contact us for more information.
Sulam: Our Flagship Leadership Program
Join the ranks of thousands of Sulam alumni! Our flagship leadership program consists of virtual conferences for lay leaders at every level.
Sulam for Presidents | Sulam for Strategic Planners | Sulam for Current Leaders |
Sulam for Emerging Leaders | Sulam for Purposeful Living | Sulam for Imagineers |
Lay-Pro Workshops
Do you want to have the best lay-professional team possible? Are you interested in learning to create a healthy work environment with your partners? Do you want to participate in an experience with your leadership team that will help you thrive and minimize challenges?
If that resonates with you, apply for this custom two-hour workshop. Your board president, clergy, and executive director (if applicable) should all participate. Some of the things we will cover:
- Explore personal leadership strengths, goals, and preferences
- Examine approaches to managing communication, time, conflict, and stress
- Help to clarify roles and responsibilities
- Work to identify personal, team, and congregational priorities
- Begin to develop a working agreement
This work can set the tone for your entire year together and assist your lay-professional team in soaring to new heights for your congregation. Contact us to learn more.
Mergers & Collaborations
Many synagogues may find themselves needing to take bolder steps to improve financial sustainability and synagogue vibrancy.
With issues of generating necessary revenues, costs of maintaining aging buildings, changing demographics and shrinking participation and volunteer bases; these challenges may cause synagogue leaders to consider mergers/consolidations, sharing space with other synagogues, or identifying opportunities for collaboration. Learn more.
Upcoming Events
Click here to view a full list of upcoming events and webinars.