Less than two months from now, when the High Holidays begin, we should expect even greater numbers at synagogues like BJ and others around the country. Many of us will want to design a glossy brochure of exciting program offerings and send well-crafted emails promoting all our congregations have to offer, but relying solely on these approaches will miss the moment.
We suggest a bolder approach, one that runs counter to prevailing institutional culture. Instead of allocating most of our time and money into programming to win over prospective members, let’s redirect our investment to what community is really about: people.
We imagine a future where every single member of a congregation understands it as their job to bring newcomers into their community by mastering a new skillset.