Small Congregations

Small Congregation Grants

Small Congregation Grants provide financial assistance to members of congregations with 250 or fewer households who wish to attend URJ programs. To apply, visit the appropriate program page.


The URJ Hadrachah Program for Lay Leadership in Ritual Life

The URJ Hadrachah Program for Lay Leadership in Ritual Life trains individuals to lead services and conduct some life cycle ceremonies in support of the spiritual life of their small congregations with solo, part-time, or no clergy. Learn more about Hadrachah


SCHEIDT SEMINAR & PRESIDENTIAL NETWORKS

Send every new president to learn, network, worship, and enhance their leadership skills at the Scheidt Seminar for presidents and presidents-elect, which provides sessions tailored to attendees from small congregations. Learn more about Scheidt. You should also encourage your president to join a URJ Presidents Network, a small group that meets monthly for discussion and networking. Contact Barak Malkin at bmalkin@urj.org or fill out an intake form.


DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR BOARD MEMBERS

Plan a free, interactive Board Workshop tailored to your congregation's needs over zoom. Topics include membership engagement, defining your congregation’s mission, sacred partnership, and more. The URJ also has a self-guided Board Self-Assessment, a qualitative benchmarking rubric, to take an inward look at your community’s leadership, mission, and governance. Board members are also encouraged to sign up for one of our online courses for congregational leaders. Topics include: Finances, Governance, Culture of Philanthropy, and more.


GET SUPPORT WITH EMERGENCIES, SECURITY, AND ANTISEMITIC INCIDENTS

The Secure Community Network (SCN) and the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) have partnered with the URJ and are available to provide support for antisemitic incidents and/or security concerns. Be sure to join our Safety and Security Group in the Tent, where we post training webinars.


ENCOURAGE ETHICAL BEHAVIOR

We strongly urge all congregations to adopt a congregational ethics code. Learn more and access samples in the Tent’s Congregational Ethics Codes Group.


Small Congregations Eligible to be Served by Small Congregation Clergy Collaborative

To continue to meet the needs for clergy coverage for our smaller congregations, the URJ, CCAR, and ACC, in consultation with HUC-JIR, have created the Small Congregation Clergy Collaborative. This joint effort has brought together ordained rabbis and cantors to ensure that congregations of 75 or fewer households will continue to be served by clergy. Read more.


RESOURCES FOR MERGERS, RABBINIC TRANSITIONS, AND LAY-CLERGY RELATIONSHIPS

Our Consulting and Transition Management Team can provide support during a rabbinic transition, merger, or challenging interpersonal lay-professional-clergy relationships. For more information, please contact Rabbi Paula Winnig at pwinnig@urj.org.

If your congregation has 75 households or less, you may be eligible for our Small Congregations Clergy Collaborative. This new initiative offers clergy support for High Holidays, worship services, and other congregational needs. Please email urj1800@urj.org.


CONNECT WITH OTHER SMALL CONGREGATIONAL LEADERS

Ask questions and share resources with other small congregational leaders in the Small Congregations Group in the Tent.


WANT TO TALK TO SOMEONE FROM THE URJ?

Questions about URJ resources? Reach out to the Congregational Services Team at urj1800@urj.org.