BETH SHALOM THREE YEAR PLAN
JULY 2011-JUNE 2014
- 1. Background. Temple Beth Shalom is in transition. For many years, the community worshipped in the annex to St James Church. We acquired our current premises in 2001. Services were led by student rabbis who would fly in, usually on a monthly basis. Temple membership in recent years has generally been in the 65-90 family range. In July 2009, Rabbi Ed Stafman became our first resident rabbi on a half-time basis. During Rabbi Stafman’s tenure, membership has grown to its current level of approximately 105 family units. In July, 2011, Rabbi Stafman begins a new five year contract as a three-quarter time rabbi. If revenue and expenditure were to remain flat during the term of the Rabbi’s new five year contract, the Temple would be risking insolvency at the end of his term (June 30, 2016). This plan addresses the actions that the Temple proposes to take over the period July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2011 to June 30, 2014 to ensure the future of a viable and robust Jewish community in Bozeman, Montana.
- 2. Our Vision. In 2010, we adopted the following vision statement: “Congregation Beth Shalom is a place where members — adults and children alike — come together to learn about the spiritual offerings of our Jewish tradition in order to enhance their own spiritual experience in a Jewish community. We come together to pray in a meaningful and joyous way and to celebrate the history and traditions of Judaism. Ours is a kind and nurturing community where members genuinely care about one another, which is reflected at multiple levels, especially around simchas and tragedies. We promote and cultivate a lifelong connection to Judaism through our congregational programs, and those available through the Reform and Renewal movements, including camps and Israel experiences”. The three pillars to our vision statement are:
- A community open to all Jews
- A commitment to interpreting Judaism through the lens of progressive Judaism
- A reaching out beyond the Temple walls.
- 3. Engagement. The Temple has identified four top level goals for the next three years (see Section 4). Success in all of these goals depends on member engagement. In the words of Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel: “Assembled in the synagogue everything is there-the body, the benches, the books. But one thing is absent soul. It is as if we all suffer from spiritual absenteeism. The problem is not how to fill the buildings but how to inspire the hearts. . . .The problem is not of the synagogue attendance but one of spiritual attendance. The problem is not how to attract bodies to enter the space of a temple but how to inspire souls . . .” Engagement, in turn, depends on developing a sense of sacred community. For this, we need more personal contact between congregants, the development of chaverot, and times when the entire community attempts to gather, especially on Shabbat. In furtherance of this goal, the membership and social committees will develop and implement strategies for member integration, and the ritual committee will develop strategies to increase attendance at services.
- 4. Top Level Goals. Our four top level goals for the next three years:
4.2. Recruit new members
4.3. Increase revenue
4.4. Provide and foster leadership
- 5. Retention. Our membership grows every year and retaining new members is a paramount goal. While some attrition is normal, a number of members leave because the Temple fails to meet their needs. Newly joined members are at particular risk. In a small community, we inevitably have to cater for widely divergent interests. Some are spiritual seekers, some prefer worshipping practices of the denominations in which they were raised, some look for an opportunity to participate in social action, while look for opportunities to socialize with other Jews. We are committed to the following strategies to promote retention:
5.1.2. improve the quality of our children’s programs, using teachers who are knowledgeable in Hebrew and Judaics, and with the Rabbi teaching at least once per month, visiting the Tots regularly, and teaching b’nai mitzvah students
5.2.2. organize successful and creative events to celebrate Festivals, with a special focus on High Holidays, Passover, Purim and Chanukah
5.2.3. encourage and support families to participate in life cycle events through the Temple
5.2.4. focus at all times on making the events that we organize successful using the maxim: Quality is better than quantity
5.2.5. observe all major holidays and as many Shabbatot as is feasible
5.2.6. replace our High Holiday books with more suitable material
5.2.7. provide opportunities for Jewish students at MSU to worship with us
5.2.8. hold services at our satellite communities in Big Sky and Helena
5.2.9. provide a functioning chevra kaddisha.
5.3.2. hold at least one event each year for interfaith families
5.3.3. reach out to new members and create opportunities for all of them to interact with existing members
5.4.2. provide care and support to Jews in need in our community, through an active Caring Committee
- 6. Recruitment. New members are the lifeblood of our community. Over the next three years, we will:
6.2. foster satellite communities in Big Sky and Helena
6.3. use adult and children’s education, as well as personal meeting with the Rabbi and board members as vehicles for attracting new members
6.4. organize a social event each year to welcome new members
6.5. provide a welcoming environment for Jewish students at MSU
6.6. Link new members to others in the community with similar interests
6.7. Create a stronger sense of community and spirituality at services by increasing attendance so that potential members who visit are more inclined to feel welcome and to wish to return.
- 7. Revenue. The Temple must increase its top line in order to survive. Over the next three years, we will:
7.2. raise revenue through the addition of new members (see section 4.4)
7.3. organize at least one fundraiser in addition to the Sweet Pea fundraiser.
- 8. Leadership. None of the above can happen without good leadership, good management and increased volunteerism. In the next three years, we will:
8.2. create a succession plan to provide visibility into future leadership by identifying within the next four months the people to fill key positions for the next three years
8.3. encourage, and create opportunities for future leaders to attend leadership training programs
8.4. promote volunteerism in our community by volunteering, soliciting and supervising volunteers, and by acknowledging and thanking them for their contribution
8.5. as Board members, lead by example. We cannot expect better attendance if leaders do not attend. Also, prospective and current members sense disinterest when leadership is generally absent from services, adult education, and the like.
8.6. within available funds, beautify our facility by creating a more welcoming environment, which may include dining room renovations, enlargement of the worship area, and moving the entrance.