On Jews and Traffic Lights (2 of 2)

Red, Orange and Green...

In the first post on this subject, we used the 'Traffic Lights' method to see how to identify and refine a group of members who are neither the most engaged nor voluntary separate from the community. When has one unearthed this 'Orange' group, between the 'Red' disengaged people and the 'Green' very engaged people, we're ready to move on. Care will be needed, because even more sensitive than categorising members, is prioritisation...

What prioritisation is and is not

Prioritisation aims to give neglected or just slightly underserved groups, however defined, more institutional attention so they can be part of your community's Vision and Mission.

Prioritisation should ideally involve the community having a pulse of extra, carefully-aimed activity over a year or two. Prioritisation should not feel like a dividing line is being drawn between members, even a temporary one. Prioritisation of a group involves a rational concentration of limited resources; it is temporary; it is not exclusive; it is not important enough to sacrifice relationships within the community; and it certainly does not make anyone inherently more or less special. Therefore my suggested golden rules for prioritisation are:

1. Members, volunteers and staff should understand what you’re trying to achieve together;

2. A time limit should be decided at the outset;

3. Impact on those who not prioritised at this point, should be minimised where possible; and

4. Prioritisation should not be so emphatic as to cause division among members.

   
   

Programme accordingly

Prioritising an identified group means your community continues to work towards its vision, but with a particular - not exclusive - concentration on the target group, for a specific period.

Let’s say that you find that your community has two major ‘Orange’ groups: young parents who have been members of the community for five years or less; and some of the over-80s who have joined after retirement, so also have few existing connections.

The aim is not – is never – to ‘get people through the doors of the shul’. The aim is to build relationships between the people in the target group and to adjacent groups on the Venn diagram already created (see the first post). From relationships, other good things can follow.

Therefore programming must include these ‘four programming pillars’:

1. Quality provision;

2. Jewish skills (even a bracha!);

3. Jewish education; and

4. Relationship growth between Jews.

   
   

So for example:

• Young parents: as part of an 18 month-long focus, a ‘Jewish parent skills course’ could run every six weeks in members’ homes.

  • Quality and Skills: Over quality takeaway and a dvar halachah from the host, parents can learn from childcare and education specialists, and share domestic Jewish skills (Shabbat songs; kiddush; Shema; suitable books; Pesach-with-babies, etc.), in a conversation curated by the host with help from the Rabbinic team.

  • Education: They will hopefully emerge confident in their own ability to begin passing on their heritage to their children. The overtly Jewish nature of the parent-child interactions at and due to this course, will empower parents and enrich their parents.

  • Relationships: The shul institution and the people encountered through it, will be associated with that experience; the shul building itself, is irrelevant to the process. New parent-parent social relationships are also a key potential achievement.

• Over-80s: run a ‘University of the Third Age’ course of speakers on various subjects which tie in with the parsha, all introduced by the Rabbinic team.

  • Quality: Lunch is served. Even with facilitated introductions and social interaction, it is much easier for people to give to and take from each other, over a meal.

  • Education / Skills:The eventual aim is to set up members from this cohort to share their own skills and knowledge and their Jewish aspects or relevance, towards the end of the course.

  • Relationships: At all stages, the social and skills content is planned by community staff, so that interactions with new people have a gentle structure. Small groups making integration and connection easier.

  • Again, participants are intended to emerge a little bit more Jewishly-empowered and to value their new relationships with the people who were with them on that short journey; and again, the building is not relevant. The wider shul community is the venue, not the shul sanctuary, though we absolutely intend for the expression of new Jewish confidence, to take place in shul.

Lead accordingly

For each target group of ‘Orange’ people, a person or small team[1] on or reporting to the Synagogue Council, should ideally be responsible for knowing and understanding the people in that group. Responsibilities might include various logistical elements but must concentrate on the ‘four programming essentials’ above, with most focus on planning, monitoring and reporting on the fostering and growth of relationships between Jews.

Push the button

The Community Development Team are available to help at any stage of the Traffic Lights process. Be in touch!

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[1] Members of any such team should commit to relevant US policies including that on confidentiality and sign a Volunteer Confidentiality and Data Protection Agreement (which we can provide).