Are new faces helped to find a seat? Or are Jews helped to find their place?

In other words, how well do we integrate Jews as members in the fullest sense, into our communities?

Integration can sometimes be ad-hoc, shallow and inconsistent, focusing on welcoming those people who are recognised – or mistaken! – as ‘new faces’. A siddur, a ‘Shabbat shalom’ and hopefully a meal invitation (even if not for that day!), are a good start. But they are just that, no more. Even the warmest welcome cannot always make a shul easy to walk into and feel at home in.

Jews in the Synagogue (1648), Rembrandt van Rijn

Prioritise the person

We can’t plan every social interaction and we can’t guarantee a sense of warmth and belonging. But we can make sure to always focus on the people we meet; leaving for another time talk of contribution, volunteering, helping with the minyan etc. There are communities, there are people, where it works to immediately address ‘how you can help’. But it should usually be for the individual to ask for opportunities, not for the community to push them.

‘New people’ may be at the start of a vulnerable, challenging process. Whether they are religiously unlearned, reconnecting with roots, on any kind of Jewish journey as individuals or households, or just ‘new in town’, their first priority may not be to make up your minyan, or to pay to attend your latest event or shiur. For many people, connection with other Jews must come first; your shul institution, your core of most-engaged members, may not feel like 'their place' or 'their people', if at all, for some time.

Structured integration is essential

Some communities have one or more of the following:

• Integration principles (e.g. ‘no rush, no sale, no pressure; or ‘person-centric’)

• Goals for integration (not just membership): e.g. a friendship circle; a form of contribution; regular attendance (perhaps not just at services).

• Low-key chats or social events for new faces or new members (cohort formation)

• Someone on the Executive or Synagogue responsible for ‘owning’ integration (volunteer management; communications; record-keeping)

• Buddies to keep in touch with new people in their first six to 24 months

• A set process of integration with myriad options and pathways

• Welcomer training and protocols

• Follow‑up procedures for new faces

• Buddy systems

• Hosts assigned to support new or returning members

These ideas are valuable even in isolation, but together can form a coherent plan to enrich the Jewish lives of people who encounter our communities. Tachlis, your chances improve of progressing from welcoming Jews to integrating them and facilitating their Jewish fulfilment and growth. A truly welcoming community is not defined by a warm greeting at the door, but by a sustained, thoughtful process that helps every member—new or established—find their place.

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The Community Development Team will facilitate a short online session, 'New member integration methods: peer-to-peer learning' (50 minutes) at 2000hrs on Tuesday 17^th February for people involved in integration, or interested in enhancing their community’s integration ‘offering’, to share and discuss what they do or might do. This is intended to be an opportunity for peer-to-peer learning. Please email me on bbvos@theus.org.uk if you would like to contribute or just take part.