Connected Congregations Initiative: Pilot Application

1.Connected Congregations Application

*1. About Us: Please tell us about your synagogue.

Synagogue Name: Address 1: Address 2: City/Town: State: Zip code: Phone:

ConnectedCongregations,aUJAFederationinitiativewithDarimOnline,isacceptingapplicationsforcongregations interestedinbeingconsideredtobepartofthefirstpilotcohort. AConnectedCongregationisasynagoguethatdeeplyunderstandsthemeaningofcommunity,andworksexplicitlyto buildastrong,meaningfulandengagedJewishcommunity.ConnectedCongregationsprioritizerelationshipsandshared valuesasthefoundationofasuccessfulsynagogue,andalignallaspectsofinstitutionalmanagementinserviceofthis community.Thosewhoarepartofconnectedcongregationsfeelasenseofsharedownershipandresponsibilityforeach otherandthecollective,andareempoweredtocontributetheirideas,energyandresources. Whilethisvisionmaysoundfamiliar,wehavefoundthatmanyaspectsofsynagoguelifefromduesmodelsand governance,toprogramdesignandmeasurement,tocommunicationsdesignandstaffingmodelsinfactretard communitybuilding,whichisfundamentalforastrongandsustainablesynagogue. Thispilotinitiativewillconvene6NewYorkareacongregationsforanintensiveyearoflearning,experimenting,sharing andrealchange.CongregationsareexpectedtoassembleateamthatincludestheRabbi,boardchair,anothersenior boardmember,theExecutiveDirectororadministrator,1additionalstaffpersonand1additionalboardmember.Team memberswillbeexpectedtoinvestatleast35hours/monthinthisinitiative,whichincludestraining,coaching,sharing withthegroup,andprojectbasedworkwithinthecongregation. Ifyouareinterestedinbeingpartofthecohort,pleasecompletethefollowingapplicationquestions.Theapplication contains3sections:SynagogueInformation,ShortEssayQuestions,andProgramAgreement.Youcanpreviewthe applicationinaPDFhere.Applicationsmustbecompletedby5pmeasternFriday,August2,2013

*2. Number of family units

3. Region
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Other(pleasespecify)

*4. Synagogue website (e.g. http://www.mysynagogue.org)

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5. Synagogue blog if applicable (e.g. http://www.mysynagogue.org)

6. Synagogue Facebook presence, if applicable (e.g. http://www.facebook.com/synagogue)

7. Synagogue Twitter, if applicable (e.g. @mysynagogue)

8. Any other relevant social media links:

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*9. Synagogue denomination

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chair, Executive Director/Administrator, 1 additional senior board member (incoming president if current chair is in the last year of his/her term), 1 additional staff person and 1 additional board member. Please tell us about your synagogues connected congregations team that youre forming: Rabbi:
FirstName LastName Email Phone Yearsatsynagogue: YearsasseniorRabbi: PersonalTwitterorblog,if applicable

*10. Congregations are expected to assemble a team that includes the Rabbi, board

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*11. Board chair/president (as of July 1, 2013):

FirstName LastName Role/Position Email Phone Datetermbegan Datetermends Profession/title/skills Twitterorblogifapplicable

board member should be the incoming president).

FirstName LastName Email Phone Currentboardtitle: Profession/title/skills Twitterorblog,ifapplicable

*12. Senior Board Member (If current board chair is in the last year of his/her term, this

*13. Executive Director or Administrator

FirstName LastName Email Phone Twitter,ifapplicable

*14. Additional Staff

FirstName LastName Role/Position Email Phone Twitterorblog,ifapplicable

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Connected Congregations Initiative: Pilot Application

*15. Additional board member

FirstName LastName Role/Position Email Phone Profession/title/skills Twitterorblog,ifapplicable But wait... there's more we need to know you must fill out the next two pages to complete the application!

2.Synagogue Intake

changing in response or reaction to these demographics? (approximately 250 words)

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*1. Describe the demographics of your congregation. How has the synagogue been

*2. What are 3 things your congregation does really well?

1 2 3

*3. What are 3 things your congregation needs to improve or evolve?

1 2 3

documented strategic plan? If so, what are the main points of the plan that you are working on today and will be working on over the next 23 years? (approx. 300 words)
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*4. Have you been through a recent strategic planning process, and/or have a

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a time in the past few years where your synagogue decided to do something that felt risky or new. Why did you make this choice? What was the decision making process like? How did it turn out? (approx. 500 words)
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*5. How does your leadership think about risk and trying new things? Give an example of

transitions in the next 1224 months? If so, what positions and why?

*6. To the extent to which you are able to disclose, are you anticipating any senior staff
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7. Are you currently (or will be in the next 12 months) involved in any other major projects (e.g. capital campaign, another change initiative, work with a consultant, etc.)? If so, please describe.
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(e.g. ECE, Synagogue 2000, etc.) in the past 1015 years? If so, what was the impact of the experience on your leadership, culture, and congregation? Were there outcomes of that experience that motivate your synagogue to apply to be part of the Connected Congregations initiative? (Approx. 300 words)
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*8. Has your synagogue participated in other change processes or innovation efforts

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9. What do you think inhibits or catalyzes change or new ideas in your congregation? If there are obstacles, what have you done to try to decrease or work around them? (approx. 300 words)
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10. This program is designed to support your synagogue as you encounter challenges or resistance to the change process. What do you foresee as the most significant potential obstacle to change during the next year of the Connected Congregations initiative? (approx. 300 words)
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11. What other attributes of your synagogue structure or culture are important for us to know? What other information would help us best understand who you are, where youre heading, and what kind of support you may need in getting there? (approx. 300 words)
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You're almost there you must fill out the next (final) page to complete the application!

3.Program Participation

1. What do you hope to achieve as a result of participating in this initiative? (Approx. 300 words)
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congregation during the course of the program. We anticipate most projects falling roughly into one of the following categories. Of the following possible areas of focus, please rank your first, second and third choice areas of interest where you expect your congregation to begin its work:
First Governance/leadership Programdesign Datause Financialmodels/dues structure Languageand communications Staffingstructure/roles Other Second Third

*2. Each congregational team is expected to take on a project to evolve an aspect of the

j k l m n j k l m n j k l m n j k l m n j k l m n j k l m n j k l m n

j k l m n j k l m n j k l m n j k l m n j k l m n j k l m n j k l m n

j k l m n j k l m n j k l m n j k l m n j k l m n j k l m n j k l m n

Pleasebrieflydescribewhatyouremostinterestedinaddressingandwhy.

and requirements of the program?

j Yes k l m n

*3. Do all members of your Connected Congregations team understand the expectations
j No k l m n

j NotSureYet k l m n

congregations?

*4. What does your synagogue uniquely bring to a diverse cohort of six NY
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5. Are you willing and able to share your work and reflections publicly with the rest of the synagogue community and UJAFederation of New York?
j Yes k l m n j No k l m n

j Depends k l m n

Ifdepends,pleaseexplain:

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6. The pilot congregations are expected to contribute $1800 to the program. All other materials, books and support are being subsidized by UJAFederation of New York and will be provided free of charge to selected program participants. Are you able to contribute $1800?
j Yes k l m n j No k l m n

Iftheanswerisnoatthistime,pleaseelaborate.Financialabilityshouldnotbeabarrierforparticipationexceptintheeventwhenitmightbe anindicatorofinstitutionalstability.

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7. How did you learn about this program? Check all that apply.
c UJAFederationofNYconference d e f g c UJAFederationofNYemail d e f g

c USCJ d e f g

c Fromacolleagueoutsideofmysynagogue d e f g

c UJAFederationofNYregionalprofessional d e f g c DarimOnline d e f g c URJ d e f g

c Fromapeerorcolleaguewithinmysynagogue d e f g c Twitter d e f g

Other(pleasespecify)

Tocompleteyourapplication,yourRabbi,ExecutiveDirectorandBoardChair(asofJuly1,2013)willneedtoeachsubmitaletterofsupport. Followingthesubmissionofthisapplication,eachofthemwillreceiveinstructionsfortheletterattheemailaddressyourprovidedinsection1of thisapplication.Eachlettershouldstatetheirsupportoftheprogram,commitmenttoparticipateintheactivitiesofthecohortandthe congregationalteam,andawillingnesstomakechangesintheirownroleinsupportofthecongregationsdirection. Questions?PleasecontactLisaColtonatlisa@darimonline.org. Pleasemakesuretoclick'DONE'belowtosubmityourapplication. ThankyouforapplyingtotheConnectedCongregationsInitiative.Wewillcarefullyconsidereachapplication,andwewillannouncethecohortin lateAugust.

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