The Dynamics of Growth: Outreach/Inreach, Marketing, Branding and the Covenant of

Membership II

Michael Clancy and Rabbi Shawn Zevit

May 11, 2011-12:00 p.m.-1:15 p.m.

 PEARL: Providing Education and Resources for Leadership 

Jewish Reconstructionist Federation Transformative Judaism for the 21st Century 101 Greenwood Avenue Beit Devora, Suite 430 Jenkintown, PA 19046 215.885.5601 / fax: 215.885.5603www.jrf.org

Growing Sacred Communityhttp://63.115.67.94/cong/res-kehillah-builders-main.htm

"Being a Reconstructionist Congregation or Havurah means taking the building of sacred community to heart. Our purpose is to reach in and reach out - that is, to extend ourselves inwardly to our existing community, and also to reach out to the unaffiliated and the searching and offer them ways into our community. It means conscious efforts to grow, strengthen, and deepen the love for our community, the Jewish people and the world at large."

- Adapted by Rabbi Shawn Zevit from the Inreach/Outreach committee of Reconstructionist Congregation Beth Emeth, New York

Commentary for Parshat Zachor –Iturie Torah (a collection of Chassidic exegeses)

Remember what Amalek did to you on your journey after you left Mitzrayim. How he surprised you on the march, and cut down all the weak ones who were behind. When you were famished and weary and were not God fearing. Therefore, when Adonai your God grants you safety from all your enemies around you; in the land that your God is giving you as a hereditary portion. You shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under the Heaven. Do not forget! –Deuteronomy 25:17-19

Had the children of Israel not forgotten about the slower ones in back but instead, brought them closer under the protecting wings of God’s Presence, binding the slower to all of Israel, the Amalekites would not have succeeded in their attack. But because you allowed the slower ones to be aharekha (meaning both “behind you” and “other”), that you separated them off from you and made them “other”, and you forgot about your brothers and sisters, Amalek could viciously attack them. Therefore, the Torah tells us to remember Amalek, so that we never forget to bring our brothers and sisters who need special attention into our midst.

Growing Sacred CommunityCommunity building and membership growth is not exactly akin to marketing a product and increasing sales. Genuine, dynamic changes can lead to positive growth and increased participation and commitment. AND (not “but”), there is a third “pillar” on which congregational growth stands.

In addition to internal (sometimes administrative) practices and external marketing efforts, there is the all-important aspect of relationship. Ultimately, it is not about the specific programming or the executive functioning of the office or the pizzazz of the public relations, as vital as they are. These are secondary and instrumental to the primary purpose of fostering caring relationships that address people in their wholeness and support them in their growth as Jews and human beings. Rather than a “cafeteria” to which we invite folks to “buy” a particular product or service, it is a community to which we invite them.

The Jewish Reconstructionist Movement Today

• As of 2011,the Jewish Reconstructionist Movement (JRM) has 105 affiliates in the United States and Canada, comprising a total of nearly 16,000 households, as well as international affiliates in the Netherlands Antilles, the Czech Republic and Holland. (Here is a link to the directory of JRF congregations and havurot on the JRF web site: http://jrf.org/node/13.) In 1983, we had about 40 affiliates in the United States and Canada; in 1996, we had 75 such affiliates; and in 2000, we had 99 such affiliates.

• Using a rough estimate of the number of members of Reconstructionist communities (est. 55,000) and a

fairly conservative estimate of the total number of Jews currently living in the United States and Canada (5.5 million), that means that affiliated Reconstructionists account for 0.8% of that total. Again using fairly conservative figures, this also means that there are about 52 unaffiliated North American Jews for every one affiliated Reconstructionist. Even if one rejects the proposition that “all North American Jews are really Reconstructionists, they just don’t know it,” we have, to put the matter positively, an enormous untapped market here.

• The mean size of a JRF congregation is just about 150 households, and the median size of a JRF congregation is just about 100 households. We have more than 20 congregations with 200 households or more. We have a lot of quite small congregations. Some of them wish to remain small, but many of them do not.

Why Do Outreach and Marketing? http://63.115.67.94/cong/res-kb-outreach-inreach.html 

Secularization (attitudes, values, behavior motivated by non-relig values & institutions)

Dissolution of community Assimilation (social / cultural pressure,messages)

Changing demographics (today’s Jewish family / community are different)

Competition from other cultural /spiritual activities Rising expenses of congregations Scandals in religion (are we losing confidence in religion, leaders?)

A la carte membership (picking and choosing experiences)

Privatization of belief (trends toward anti-institutional, private practices)

Hidden treasures (e.g., what is the Reconstructionist approach?)

Making contribution to evolution of Jewish spiritual,religious peoplehood and the global community

http://jrf.org/showres&rid=184

Inreach Values Inventory http://jrf.org/showres&rid=185

A. Message and Mission, Resources and Goals, Means and EndsB. Roles to Play – Multiple Entry PointsC. Prospective and New-Member ProgramsD. Mentoring / PairingE. Newsletters – More than “Upcoming Events”F. E-mail – Short and SweetG. Personal TestimonialsH. Social MediaI. Coffee,  a Phone Call,  a Note

Outreach

A. “Members Beget Members”

B. Advertising and Public Relations

C. Community-Wide Offerings

D. Targeting Niche Demographics

E. “Friends of – ”

F. Website

G. Organizational Alliances, Coalitions, and Partnerships

Hitkashrut-Erekh: Jewish Values Based Communication Branding and Marketing Your Reconstructionist Community

• This presentation reflects the creative ideas of Michael Clancy and his advertising firm, Brandworks International, from Toronto, Canada, on some new and exciting approaches to marketing Reconstructionism and Reconstructionist congregations and havurot.

• Michael’s work is the product of a strategic process overseen by the 2010 JRF Growth Committee. The Committee assembled a group of Reconstructionist marketing experts, Michael included, to advise on marketing Reconstructionism and marketing individual Reconstructionist communities. That in turn led to the creation and approval of a “creative brief” for the advertising firm to work from. Offered at the 2010 JRF Convention, this presentation is still a work in process and is available in our Keruv Resource Library http://jrf.org/keruv-library and through this PEARL call.

Further Resources• Keruv Library: Outreach, Newspaper and Magazine Ads and Press Releases http://jrf.org/keruv-library • Brochures and Program Fliers  http://jrf.org/keruv-library/search/165• Frequently Asked Questions: http://jrf.org/resource-guide-faqs • Audio Programs: http://jrf.org/heart-mind-spirit • Webinar on using Facebook and Twitter http://jrf.org/keruv-library/search/225• http://stores.jrfbookstore.org/-strse-Congregational-Resources/Categories.bok • http://www.rrc.edu/ethics-center/publications/spiritual-community-power-restore-hope-commitment-an

d-joy 

• http://jrf.org/pearl/2009/dynamics-of-growth • http://jrf.org/pearl/2008/growing-your-congregational-community • http://jrf.org/pearl/2009/growing-the-soul-of-your-community • http://jrf.org/pearl/2009/innovations-in-outreach-reaching-out-to-unaffiliated-and-intermarried-jews • http://jrf.org/pearl/2008/using-the-web-and-newsletters-for-successful-community-building-and-

engagement • Becoming a "Kehillah Mekabelet,” The Struggles of Transformation

http://63.115.67.94/rt/transformation.html• JRF “Guide to Publicity.” http://63.115.67.94/cong/res-kb-guide-to-publicity.html• http://63.115.67.94/cong/res-kb-create-visibility.html.• Ways to Welcome New Members

http://www.jrf.org/showres&rid=188http://www.jrf.org/showres&rid=186http://jrf.org/resources-library&tid=2:13&show=#Membership http://jrf.org/resources-library&tid=2:12&show=#Marketing