| Long Range Planning Committee With the start of this New Year, there is an excellent opportunity for us all to reconcile our past with our hopes for the future – both as individuals and congregants in our beloved synagogue, Temple Judea. A synagogue is a community’s precious possession and the most influential institution for the preservation of Judaism. It must be nurtured by the present generation so that it survives, strengthens, flourishes and provides sustenance to the next. Long Range planning is a crucial component of this sacred care. All Synagogues, including thriving ones, struggle with:| We must begin planning for the future now by planting seeds – like farmers or gardeners so our synagogues can cope with change, attract unaffiliated Jews, grow and remain a positive central force within the Jewish community. Our Temple has shown its strength thus far. We have made a successful transition in our Clergy, Executive Director and Educator. What better time than now for us to examine our history, our present and bind together as a diverse community towards the future? Innovative Planning can help our Synagogue become a haven in which people can be part of a community, connect with one another, reflect, pray, dream, ask questions, and seek answers. Planning is also a rational process. It requires that a congregation ask itself where it is right now, where it would like to see itself at a given point in the future and how it must go about getting to that point. Planning is goal oriented and geared toward change. The planning process itself may help to achieve many goals since broad participation among members engenders loyalty and increased one’s personal stake in strengthening the Synagogue. As chairperson of the Long-Range Planning Committee, I am thrilled so far by the response of members wishing to join. Please bear in mind that the plan is for the committee to span a two year period of time, requiring varying degrees of involvement. The key to our success is having a cross section of the Congregation on the committee. It is essential to increase our core group of members as we need to reflect and represent (as well as to reach) all congregants. So far, during the 2009-2010 year we have discussed the following: Education: The idea of implementing a mandatory 3rd grade was brought up and will be reviewed by the Education committee. More parental involvement was discussed and a Parents Association has been formed. Social: A "middle generation social group" was proposed and, under the leadership of Barbara Newmark, the Baby Boomers was formed. A successful dinner was held at Limani and the next event will be a pot luck dinner and barbeque. The purchase of a shopping cart for the lobby was proposed for non-perishable food items to increase our social action overt presence. The idea of compiling resources of congregants with talents and professional services for Temple use was discussed. Webcasting and/or Youtube posting of services will be looked into and a Facebook page was enhanced. Fundraising: Fundraising projects will be listed on the website under Donations and these should be easily accessible. Ideas for fundraising include forming a Mah Jong group, dance lessons including Zumba on Sunday mornings, and trying to organize a golf outing. Other: The structural and aesthetical renovation of the sanctuary as well as the need to replace the carpet in the social hall was brought up as future projects. Cost-effective advertising was discussed. You can join our Committee by either contacting me directly or through the Temple Office, who will advise me of your interest. Most importantly, keep checking Temple Judea’s Website for updated information and meeting dates. Steve Goldberg, | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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