Congregational Life

The URJ is partnering with the Jewish Community Response and Impact Fund (JCRIF) to provide access to a $3-million interest-free loan program in support of URJ congregations. This is the first but not only opportunity for URJ congregations to access funds via JCRIF. Join us on Monday, May 11 at 2 pm ET for a webinar with Shira Hutt, JFNA Chief of Staff and JCRIF liaison, and Amy Asin, URJ Vice President for Strengthening Congregations. Learn more and ask your questions about this program.

Join us for a webinar on May 13, 8pm ET with Amy Schiffman, consultant and coach from Giving Tree Associates. Together, we will uncover strategies to continue building relationships with members and donors in a crisis environment. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions about virtual galas, mailings, special campaigns, and solicitations during a time of extreme uncertainty... and leave with a plan of action.

Join us on Thursday, May 7, 8pm ET, for a webinar on congregational collaborations, mergers, and alternatives to mergers. We’ll discuss various models of collaborative efforts among congregations, how to’s and logistics, and best principles of success. Participants will hear from leaders whose congregations have entered into successful collaborations, will learn how to plan from a place of vision and strength, and will discover how to turn a possible moment of “oh, no!” into a moment of “oh, yes!”

Join us on Thursday, May 21, 3pm ET, for a webinar with URJ Vice President for Strengthening Congregations, Amy Asin. We will discuss how congregations can imagine the possibilities of a hybrid society, experiment and innovate, and rebuild for new realities.

Join us on Thursday, April 30, 2:30pm ET for the opportunity to talk with other educational leaders about what's on your mind. 

Join us for an informational webinar on May 21, 1pm ET to learn about the URJ Small Groups Course, which will launch in July 2020. This online course will cover topics including why small groups, how to get started, building support for small groups in your congregation, and leading small groups. On this call, we'll provide an introduction to the Pathwright online learning platform, will share an overview of the course topics, and will discuss logistics.

Join us on Friday, April 24, 1pm ET for a pop-up session on scenario planning for educators. Scenario planning is a creative process that enables leaders to identify a variety of possible futures and figure out implications for each, resulting in knowing when to make decisions. This call will provide you with the opportunity to learn about and workshop scenario planning for next year with other Jewish educational leaders.

Planning for a clergy transition in the midst of COVID-19? Join us for a webinar on Wednesday, April 22 at 8:00pm ET on how to “say goodbye” to your current rabbi or cantor and “say hello” to their successor during these unusual circumstances.

Join us for a URJ webinar on March 25, 8pm ET to discuss the top 10 questions we’re currently hearing from you about finances in light of COVID-19 and how to move forward with optimism. Topics include staffing logistics, managing cashflow, the implications of this crisis on congregational budgets, supporting congregants, and more. While most questions don’t have a “one-size-fits-all answer,” we will discuss different options that your congregation could consider.

URJ, ARJE, and ECE-RJ invite you to join other Jewish educational leaders from around North America on March 25, 1pm ET, to share ideas, problem-solve, and build skills!