The vital, generative synagogues on which the future of the New York Jewish community so much depends draw their strength today, as always, from leaders who are visionary, skilled, and knowledgeable.

SYNERGY: UJA-Federation of New York and Synagogues Together provides resources for synagogue clergy, lay, and professional leaders in their efforts to enhance their leadership and management skills for the benefit of their synagogue communities. The 2011-2012 Synagogue Leadership Development opportunities will focus on three main areas: the Membership Pipeline, Financial Sustainability, and the Leadership Pipeline.

We provide webinars, workshops, in-depth consultations, and resources for synagogue leadership, including:

• Synagogue Foundations: Sustainable synagogue business models begin with a facility for the basics. The webinars and workshops that follow are strongly recommended for leaders of any synagogue considering undertaking synagogue intensive programs. 
• Synagogue Intensives: Synagogue leadership teams ready to deepen their skills and knowledge can apply for a range of in-depth consultations with expert consultants in such areas as board development, collaboration, fund development, marketing, mergers, strategic planning, and volunteer engagement.
• Synagogue Resources: An archive of previous webinars, plus articles, tools, and stories that highlight synagogue innovation, current research, and best practices for synagogue leaders to use in building their own skills and strengthening their synagogue.

Opportunities are also available for professionals looking to volunteer their skills and time. We match experts in outreach (including marketing and volunteer engagement), financial sustainability, website development, and fund development with New York-area synagogues for short-term, discrete consulting projects. Volunteers will gain new skills and experience within the Jewish community, experience meaningful contributions to help synagogues fulfill their mission, work with other consultants and synagogue leadership, and participate in a community of practice with other pro bono synagogue consultants.

Learn how to become a synagogue consultant. See other pro bono consulting opportunities at UJA-Federation.

SYNERGY's Synagogue Leadership Development opportunities are offered in cooperation with the Orthodox Union; the METNY District of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism; the Union for Reform Judaism; the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation, NY/NJ Region; and the Metropolitan Association for Synagogue Executives.