July 1 is a Big Day in the Reform Congregational World

It's the day seasoned board members begin a new term, re-energized and ready to get back to work, they're eager to recruit new members, reduce expenses, increase revenue, and create meaningful programs that attract people from throughout the community. It's also the day newly-elected leaders begin their first term on the board. They, too, are eager to get started serving the congregation. They have a lot to learn about their temple mission statement and bylaws, get up to speed on recent issues, and clarify expectations for the year to come.

The first of July is the day you can engage both new and experienced leaders on your board, help ensure they do their jobs well, and play a meaningful role in leading the congregation. With your support and guidance, your trustees can lead with wisdom informed by our shared tradition, the history of the community, and the best expertise the Reform Movement has to offer.

July 1 is almost here, so let the Union for Reform Judaism help you maximize the full potential of your entire board by getting them in The Tent, the communication and collaboration platform for Reform Movement leaders.

In The Tent, your leaders can connect, learn, and share with almost 17,000 other Reform leaders, many of whom share similar concerns about congregational life. Active discussion groups thrive in The Tent, and are focused on topics like membership, safety and security, technology, and communications.

Within these groups are crowd-sourced and curated resources, reflecting the most current expertise of our Movement. Do you need to see a good membership form or two? Looking for examples of great employee handbooks? You'll find them in The Tent. Do you have an excellent Yom Kippur appeal speech others may find useful? You can share it in The Tent. Do you need to know more about copyrights and video streaming? You'll find everything you need in The Tent.

Users can also create private groups, which will allow your entire board to work together in a transparent, productive space and make it easy for new board members to get up to speed on topics that pre-date their time on the board.

To request access for yourself or individual leaders of URJ-affiliated congregations, please either visit the website, or email us a spreadsheet of all lay and professional leaders' names, email addresses and leadership positions to marketplace@urj.org.

After activating your account, maximize The Tent's resources by checking out the Tent and Yammer Information group, helpful user guides, and our informal and informative monthly Tent Office Hours webinars (register for the next one on June 15^th at 4:00 p.m. ET).

Together, we can make The Tent work for your leaders and your congregation!