URJ - November 2001

A CASE STUDY
How One Temple Created a Spark and a New Generation of Temple Leadership with L’dor Vador
SEPTEMBER 11, 2001
New York Area Congregations Rally to Comfort Their Members and the Community
BOSTON BIENNIAL FINAL UPDATE
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A CASE STUDY
How One Temple Created a Spark and a New Generation
of Temple Leadership with L’dor Vador

During its 140-plus years’ existence, Gemiluth Chassodim in Alexandria, LA (105 member units), a small, somewhat isolated congregation, has kept up with changes and trends in Reform Judaism. When Jim Levy became the synagogue’s president in 2000, he expressed concern about his ability to lead the congregation. Consequently, the temple’s rabbi, Arnie Task, suggested that Jim participate in a UAHC regional leadership conference in New Orleans. Jim attended a workshop on how to create a Leadership Development Program within a congregation, led by Paula Milsten, the president of the UAHC Southwest Council. She suggested that he use L’dor Vador: Creating a New Generation of Temple Leadership, a publication of the UAHC and a valuable, practical step-by-step instructional manual, as a model to implement his congregation’s Leadership Development Program.
Jim Levy decided to give it a try. He had specific goals in mind: to help develop leaders for the congregation who are knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the synagogue; to engage younger members in temple activities and leadership; and to boost participation in synagogue life by all the members. Inspired by and with the help of Paula and other UAHC regional staff members, Jim structured a Leadership Development Committee by engaging a broad spectrum of experienced and committed temple members who met for months before the program began. He also went to a UAHC meeting to recruit experienced presenters and even engaged a Methodist minister!
The response of the membership was more than inspirational, and the result for the congregation was nothing short of transformational. Twenty-five congregants attended the initial session; fifty attended most of the seven sessions. Jim now has no less than six viable candidates for president for the next eighteen years. The L’dor Vador course has also inspired new programming, for example, a Mitzvah Day, a movie night, interest in the use of a new prayer book, and Hebrew classes, just to name a few.
Rabbi Task is thrilled with the program, which has strengthened his relationship with the congregation:
“Through the use of L’dor Vador, we have discovered a whole younger generation of potential
committee members and leaders who are implementing various programs within the congregation and who understand the extraordinary resources available to them through membership in the UAHC.”
To obtain L’dor Vador: Creating a New Generation of Temple Leadership, you may download the PDF, or contact the UAHC Ida and Wilkoff Department of Synagogue Management by telephone at 212.650.4040 or by E-mail at synagoguemgmt@uahc.org.

SEPTEMBER 11, 2001
New York Area Congregations Rally to
Comfort Their Members and the Community
The tragic events of September 11 have touched everyone in the New York City area personally. Houses of worship rallied to offer comfort and assistance to their congregants and their community. We thought our fellow Board members across the country would be interested in and stirred by the response of two synagogues that are located near “ground zero.”
Volunteers from Temple Shaaray Tefila, located on the Upper East Side in New York City (1,400 member units), called every congregational family. The volunteers first and foremost inquired about the health and well-being of each family. They learned that one congregant and six family members of congregants had been lost in the tragedy. This information was immediately conveyed to the rabbi, who made personal contact with each of these families. The volunteers also informed the members about the prayer service being held at the temple on Wednesday evening, September 12, and told them about new heightened security measures, including plans to search all purses, every bag, and even tallit bags brought into the temple. About 900 people attended the community service. Later that evening, the clergy conducted another service at the local firehouse.
Because members wanted to help those in financial need, the decision was made to designate 20
percent of the money collected from the Kol Nidrei Appeal to the Rabbi’s Discretionary–World Trade
Center Fund. This fund will be used to assist temple families who experience financial need resulting from the disaster, including personal expenses and adjustments in temple fees, if necessary. Any remaining funds will be sent to the Police and Firemen’s Survivors’ Funds.
Westchester Reform Temple in Scarsdale, NY (1,100 member units), also lost a member, and the congregation has vowed to be there for his family and two young boys for “the long haul.” The synagogue chose to keep religious school open on September 11. The rabbi met with the children and
their parents in small groups, conducted intimate services, and allotted time for members to share their thoughts. The Board of Trustees, Religious School Board, and Early Childhood Center Board called every member to verify his or her well-being. President Amy Lemle noted that “our congregants were deeply moved by the outreach that was extended to them.”
Amy also noted that the temple held a very focused, respectful, appropriate, and moving Shabbat service on September 14. The lights were dimmed, a memorial candle was lit, no instrumental music was played, and those who had been in the World Trade Center area and had escaped were honored with aliyot. The American and Israeli flags were displayed on the bimah, and the d’var Torah elicited a discussion about how the parashah was related to the disaster.
Just like many other congregations in the metropolitan area, the temple became a conduit for making sandwiches and collecting water and protein bars for delivery to the rescue workers..
On-line donations can be made to the UAHC Disaster Relief Fund or sent by mail to UAHC Disaster Relief Fund, Attn: Development Department, 633 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017.

BOSTON BIENNIAL FINAL UPDATE
www.uahc.org/Boston