Welcome to the website of resources developed during Synagogue 2000/3000’s twenty-year run as a catalyst for excellence in synagogue life.
A good article about finding some balance for the upcoming High Holidays.
ejewishphilanthropy.com
By Rabbi Paul Kipnes, Sam Kaminsky, Rabbinic Intern Anna Calamaro, Hilla Israeli, and Madeleine Chansky When COVID-19 upended our High Holy Day plans, we at Congregation Or Ami (Calabasas, CA) partnered with Material, a modern marketing services company powered by analytics, deep human understanding...No comfort here for those who yearn for at least a modicum of in-person davening including social distancing, masks, and other precautions.
I don't always agree with Windmueller but think he's spot on with both his assessment and prognosis. Most importantly, his statement that, "Over the past several decades, a silo mentality has defined the Jewish landscape" sets the tone for the future of synagogues. Unless we can break from a competition model of synagogue and move to a communal (kehillah) model, I think our relevance is bleak.
The Revolution is Upon Us!Preparing for the New Normal - eJewish Philanthropy
ejewishphilanthropy.com
By Steven Windmueller, Ph.D. We are living in a transformative moment. This transition is less about the pandemic and more about the outcomes that we are preparing to experience. For certain, the economic picture is unclear, just as the political environment remains unsettled. “The impact of COVID...It'll be tough this year, and the pundits have predicted synagogues need alternative sources of revenue for 10+ years.
www.jta.org
High Holiday tickets have traditionally brought in much of their revenue. What will happen this year, when many services are virtual?"What’s clear, from this session and others, is that our congregations see this moment as an opportunity, and our leaders are looking for guidance on how to not go back to 'the way things used to be.'"
Asin is spot on both in her assessment and requests from synagogues. What I wonder though, is it seems most of the innovation is focused on doing what we were doing before differently, i.e. Shabbat services online instead of in person. I don't hear much from the movements about real changes like rethinking the role of the synagogue in Jewish worship practices.
What We’ve Learned about Congregations and Movements During the Pandemic
urj.org
When it became clear that the COVID-19 crisis was going to have an impact on our congregations, the Union for Reform Judaism – like our partner organizations in theYes, yes, yes, and more yes! I've said it before and will say it again - synagogues are judged by and competing with other online content. That includes professionally produced content on TV and Youtube. If your content doesn't look like this pro content, people will not stay and will not come back.
This isn't my opinion - it's been proven by the church world for a couple decades now and it's not coincidental that there are dozens of content creators in the that world. Mediocrity should never be ok for synagogues!
www.jta.org
The new model could be a glimpse into a future in which traditional services are transformed by technology or take place elsewhere.