Emanu-El looks deep within itself as it plans for the future
Marjorie Mallin Margolies has been a member of Congregation Emanu-El B’ne Jeshurun for most of her life, and, until about four years ago, “always assumed that the temple ran itself.”
And she liked it that way, she said in a recent telephone interview.
It was only when the synagogue faced a series of serious challenges and transitions over the past several years that Margolies decided to get involved.
“It seemed the whole thing was up for grabs,” she said, referring to the retirement of long-time spiritual leader Rabbi Frances Barry Silberg, the resignation of Cantor Ronald Eichaker, the retirement of long-time educator/administrator Mike Fefferman, dwindling membership and the sale of the congregation’s historic building on Kenwood Ave. and move to River Hills.
So Margolies got involved in several committees: the rabbinic search committee, the cantorial search committee, the lifelong learning committee, the worship committee and the building committee. She was also a member of the board.
Margolies has been one of many congregants, synagogue leaders and staff who have helped move Emanu-El into a new period of synagogue planning and revitalization, according to synagogue president Sandra Kohler Stern.
After the appointment of a trio of synagogue leaders — Rabbi Marc Berkson, Cantor David Barash and Director of Education Lisa Goldstein — the congregation began to think about expanding its new facility on the Zilber Campus in River Hills.
“But we weren’t going to leap into an expansion until we felt that we had our house in order,” said Stern.
So in spring 2002 the congregation began a process of self-evaluation and strategic planning that culminated at its annual meeting last month with the approval of a series of operating principles.
The principles, explained Stern, “include sound fiscal policies to produce a balanced budget, plans to enhance our facilities on the Zilber Campus and an aggressive marketing program to recruit new members.”
“Our goal, if we are able to accomplish our stated objectives, is to be able to celebrate our 150th anniversary in 2006 in an expanded facility,” she said.
Challenges and openness
Self-evaluation began informally long before the formal process. Soon after he joined Emanu-El almost four years ago, Berkson gathered a group of congregants together for a series of meetings, from which was born a new mission statement.
“In all that we do, we are guided by that mission statement,” said Stern.
By spring 2002, the board, staff and other key leaders began to work with an outside consultant, who helped them examine the congregation’s strengths and identified areas that needed work.
One of these strengths was the synagogue’s “outstanding staff,” said Stern. Also, “We felt that our worship experience was spiritual and uplifting…. We felt that musically we were carrying on the tradition of our congregation. We felt that our education program, with its variety and innovation, was a very strong feature.”
The group also eyed areas that needed improvement. “We wanted to have a firm handle on our financial position. Also, we felt that one of our drawbacks was that we needed to expand our facility,” Stern said.
Moreover, membership remained a challenge. There are now some 600 member units, Stern said, down about 900 from a peak in the 1980s.
Communication, among synagogue leadership and with congregants, was also an area slated for improvement. “[Communication is] so critical, because there’s always this feeling that some macher is running the congregation and members don’t know anything. We wanted to be sensitive to that,” she said.
In fall 2002, Stern was assigned the responsibility of appointing a task force to study and provide recommendations in several areas. Though she originally anticipated a protracted strategic plan, the approximately 35 people who were invited to participate decided against it.
“They said, ‘We know who we are and we know what we want. We want to get down to the basics of getting it done,’” Stern said. So she assigned them to three groups: finance and development, facilities, and membership and marketing.
Now that the resolution of operating principles has been approved, the synagogue has begun implementing its plans. In late July, the congregation unveiled and rededicated photos of past rabbis and presidents on walls throughout its building.
“We want to keep our history around us as we plan to extend it long into the future,” said Stern, who is beginning her second two-year term as president.
And those involved in the review process agree that it was highly successful in improving communication and openness, which Stern said were central to the process and something that people “crave.”
Mike Mervis, member of the board and of the executive committee, believes that the congregation’s open communication with its members has helped contribute to the positive feeling among congregants, as evidenced by the successful “A Garden and Art Walk” on July 27-28, which Mervis said sold about 1,000 tickets.
“The openness has brought us that. It’s the openness that says, ‘Yeah, I have a wart, but I’m working on it,’” he said.
As a congregant, Margolies also appreciates the candor. “Not only is the board communicating openly with the congregation, but also they are open and receptive to our input and feedback.”
The process, Stern said, has been challenging but healthy for the congregation.
“Self-evaluation is always challenging…. But you’ve got to confront the good and the bad so you can understand what has gone on and work to build on your strengths and improve things. I think that’s what we’ve done. I think it’s been a valuable experience for all who participated,” Stern added.
“One of the exciting things,” Berkson said, “is that lay leadership and professional leadership were together energized about the process. It’s exciting to see that happen.”
Loading ...