This Month in The Tent: Policies and Ideas for Your Congregation

As 5776 gets into gear, congregational leaders are asking lots of terrific questions in The Tent, the URJ’s online communication and collaboration forum. In response, those leaders with relevant experiences, practical information, and useful suggestions are sharing their expertise.

These topics, in particular, are fueling interesting dialogue:

• Does your congregation have policies about its membership roster? Can members access it for professional networking, marketing, or other purposes? Is it off-limits, or is it printed and distributed to congregants? Check out the conversation to learn more.
• Are you looking for something other than the president’s Kol Nidre appeal to kick off this year’s giving? Or perhaps you’ve found an especially effective annual appeal technique that other congregations might replicate. Join the conversation to share your experience.
• If your congregation streams worship services, are you aware of the associated copyright clearance issues related to worship music? Learn how other synagogues manage this challenge.
• What if synagogue music were like Pandora, and you could give a thumbs up or a thumbs down to the tunes your congregation uses for “Adon Olam,” “Oseh Shalom,” and others? Check out this creative solution to make sure you don’t hear worship music you don’t like.
• What are your congregation’s policies regarding children in the synagogue preschool? Do their families have to be members? Chime in on the conversation.

During this busy High Holiday season, feel free to come on into The Tent to join the conversations and explore the wealth of resources and information available around all aspects of congregational life. For additional support, contact the URJ Knowledge Network team.