Asset based community development

A few weeks ago, my union, the Rabbinical Assembly had a fascinating webinar. It was interesting way of understanding something I’ve grappled with for a long time. Synagogues are in trouble because we’re great with the 15% of those who enter our doors and mediocre with the 85% who are affiliated marginally or are completely indifferent. More and more, we are no longer one people speaking the same language and wanting to share similar experiences.
The 15% are, so to speak, “empowerment Jews.” They are self directed and they know what they want… But the 85% ... are “engagement Jews.” They have deep emotional and spiritual needs but they don’t know what they want. Today we spend 85% of our resources on the 15% and the 15% of money and staffing left is not sufficient to meet the needs of the 85% of the people who want the spirit of the Jewish community, but not in the traditional ways we’ve delivered our services.
Asset based community development was the theme of the webinar and a possible means to address our challenge. When we think about our resources the skills of our members and staff, the geography of our community, our financial resources and our social connections – we realize that we need to rethink the deployment of these resources. I really liked the facilitators use of the “Tipping Point,” by Malcolm Gladwell. We have people in our shuls who are connectors – who have a gift of touching others. Since our goal is not survival but transforming community – we have to use our skills to meet people where they are. What we do is not about programming – but about relationships. This is the center of synagogue life – providing opportunities for personal growth and community connection.
I think we’ve become so focused on institutional growth, that we’ve lost sight of the truth. Synagogue is where people come to meet friends and to experience the sacred. This does not have to be done within the walls of the synagogue. Community is wherever people meet and share and learn and experience the holiness of living Jewishly.
Today synagogues need to lower the boundaries which make accessing Judaism a challenge for so many. The challenges are geographic, social, economic and spiritual. Yet with the right people resources – connecting, being part of a group becomes spiritually desirable. People want to invest their time and energy of the contact is significant, the experience is meaningful and the group is fun and exciting.
Finally, I like this model of engagement because it says that it’s not all about the rabbi. I tend to be the idea person, the teacher and sometimes the inspirer. But I can’t do it all. In this model, the rabbi teaches 10 people who in turn teach 10 more people. Instead of 10 people learning, 100 people study together in their own groups – learning with and from each other, not just from the rabbi. I like this also because I don’t have a monopoly on truth and holiness. Engaging people to find their own meaning and celebration of Jewish life – has to be a plus for Judaism in the 21st Century.