Before Synagogue 3000, there was Synagogue 2000! S2K was a 10-year, longitudinal study that worked with over 100 synagogues spanning all the movements. It’s primary mission was the transformation of American synagogues.
S2K implemented its mission through the creation of cohorts, or groups, of synagogues which embarked on 3-year journeys of transformation during which teams of synagogue professionals and lay leaders participated in:
- Conferences: at which teams experienced innovative models of community, prayer, study, music, dance, and sacred space.
- Curriculum: through which teams grew in knowledge, and experimented with new models of synagogue life by studying Jewish texts and engaging in provocative discussions and exercises.
- Change Management: by which teams worked toward their goals with the help of team building, group dynamics, leadership training, and other recognized organization development processes.
While S3K no longer works with individual synagogues, S2K lives on, in part through its curriculum. You’ll find a wealth of knowledge available in these resources which we now make available to anyone at no charge. The curriculum is divided into four categories; Sacred Community, Limud, Prayer, and Torah Study. Feel free to browse and download at will. There’s no specific starting point although the Facilitator’s Guide is helpful place to begin.