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October 22, 2018 | 13 Heshvan, 5779
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By Mark J. Pelavin and Amy Asin, 10/18/2018
Update: October 18, 2018
As those affected by Hurricane Michael are returning to their communities and homes, there are several opportunities to support those impacted.
Temple B’nai Israel (Panama City, FL) is accepting donations in order to repair damage to their building and to support families who have incurred huge property losses, some of which are not covered by insurance.
Temple of Israel in Wilmington, NC, which was...
Read More By Miriam T. Chilton, 10/16/2018
One of the great joys in my role as vice president of youth for the Union for Reform Judaism is hearing stories from alumni.
I hear stories about how NFTY shaped their Judaism and encouraged them to seek out congregational connections. I hear stories from alumni from interfaith families about how their time at camp forged their Jewish identity and gave them the gift of a...
Read More By Rabbi Esther L. Lederman, 10/16/2018
Our world is rapidly changing, throwing challenges at us that frequently have no known solutions. Congregations are on the front lines of these challenges as they strive to strike a balance between delving into ancient traditions and finding relevance for 21st-century people.
To succeed, all congregations need to focus on developing appropriate governance structures that allow them to be both mission-driven and flexible in how their leaders achieve that mission.
Here are four ways to cultivate a 21st century governance structure in your congregation:
1. Strike a... Read More By By Amy Asin, 10/16/2018
An executive committee can play a crucial role in the strategic leadership of a congregation. Regrettably, many congregational executive committees – rather than fulfilling their true purpose – serve only to preprocess board decisions, leading to a disengaged board. We have seen a trend among congregations that realize this diminished role is ineffective but lacking an understanding of the true value of the executive committee, are choosing to eliminate it.
This trend is problematic because a well-functioning executive committee provides tremendous value to a congregation. Certain...
Read More By Rabbi Joshua Garroway, Ph.D., 10/16/2018
While we Jews celebrated our parade of early autumn festivals, our nation was embroiled in a political firestorm for the ages.
At issue, of course, was the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. The already contentious partisan confirmation process boiled over in mid-September when the judge was accused of sexually assaulting a woman 36 years earlier. What ensued was a fortnight of unending national conversation about how the truth ought to be determined.
Supporters of the accuser claimed that the truth is determined by her testimony. Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi...
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