Synagogue Partnership Programs

Jewish Outreach Partnership has developed three programs to help synagogues reflect on their current structures and realities, to explore other possibilities and opportunities and to take actions that will renew and enhance their ability to meet their missions. Each program brings together teams of lay and professional leaders from the synagogue; each calls for a different level of commitment to the realization of change. Taken together, these programs form a ladder through which a synagogue can begin a conversation about change, continue that conversation with an in depth exploration and a guided, implemented plan for change, and, finally, become part of a network to continue to work for institutional enhancement and renewal. In each of these program Jewish text study is used as a lens through which to view current models of change and the realities of the modern synagogue.


Designing the 21st Century Synagogue

 Designing the 21st Century Synagogue is a four-session seminar designed to introduce teams of lay and professional synagogue leaders to the language, theories, practices and challenges involved in synagogue renewal. Each year this seminar series has a different focus, enabling synagogues to participate for multiple years. Each session explores synagogue systems from both a professional and a Jewish values perspective. In its first three years participants have studied:
21st Century Synagogue Participants click HERE.


Synagogue Mentorship Program

 The Synagogue Mentorship Program offers a synagogue a vehicle to continue and deepen the self-examination it began in 21st Century Seminar. The great innovation of this 18-month program is that it gives each synagogue the opportunity not only to reflect and study their culture, but also to actualize a change in a challenging area of synagogue life. The Mentorship Program begins with the creation of a Synagogue Profile, culled from interviews, focus groups and a review of the synagogue’s literature. This Profile is a snapshot of synagogue life as well as a foundation to explore and

Making Connections kits can be customized so that you can provide information about upcoming prog identify areas of challenge. Next the synagogue is matched with an experienced Synagogue Mentor who guides a lay/professional team through a process of planning and implementing a change. During this part of this process there are several leadership workshops to ensure that the challenges identified in the profile are being met and effectively communicated to the congregation. The Mentorship program concludes with a final evaluation and recommendations for next steps.


RESHET: The Network of Synagogue Communication and Renewal

 RESHET, the Hebrew word for network, enables lay and professional synagogue leaders to continue to explore issues related to organizational development and change through an innovative network of face-to-face and online consultation. RESHET brings together synagogue leaders (a) in areas of common concern, and (b) in job-alike groupings (Presidents, Rabbis, etc) to explore common issues. Currently RESHET is in its pilot year, working with 8 Bux-Mont synagogues on the topic of Recruiting, Involving and Nurturing Members. During the year of the program each synagogue will explore the issue and, with the help of JOP staff and consultants, develop a new strategy, structure or program to be implemented to better serve the congregation. At the end of the year, all of the synagogues will come together to celebrate the changes they have made and to launch the next area of exploration.