SYNERGY Newsletter Online
From the Director…
Shalom friends:
For the past four years, SYNERGY newsletters have arrived in your synagogue’s mailbox twice a year — at Rosh HaShanah and at Pesach. As you can see, we’re making a change, embarking on a new way of staying in touch at these seasons with those of you — presidents, rabbis, and executive directors — who lead New York synagogues. (Do feel free to pass it along to others in your leadership as well.)
As always, this edition includes a variety of content: articles to stimulate your thinking on a particular topic, examples of creative approaches and inspirational learning from New York synagogue leaders, and information about highlighted resources and initiatives supported by UJA-Federation of New York. Not coincidentally, our focus this time is on the use of new media for community building in our kehillot, a task all the more urgent in these challenged times, and featured are ways New York synagogues are letting congregants who may be experiencing economic reverses know about UJA-Federation of New York’s Connect to Care initiative — often, not surprisingly, online. Learn, too, how to access information and appropriate help through UJA-Federation’s expanded J11 information and phone referral center. Read more from Dru Greenwood.
Web-Based Synagogue Community Building: The Revolution is Under Way
Lisa Colton, founder and president of Darim Online, writes “the new media revolution is creating a tectonic shift in how we produce, consume, share, and act on information and relationships.” Read more.
Judaism and Technology
Alyson Adler, director of youth and informal education at North Shore Synagogue in Syosset, New York, shares, “Recently, Jason Calabretta, one of our J.tel (Jewish Teen Experiential Learning) teens, participated in the March of the Living Trip to Poland and Israel. Nine years ago, I traveled on the same trip. Although the activities on my trip were the same, I had a very different experience than Jason did, because he had something that I did not have: a BlackBerry.” Read more.
Helping Congregants Affected by the Economic Downturn
Synagogues and UJA-Federation of New York’s Connect to Care
Many synagogues are reaching out to their congregants in an effort to embrace those in need and impart valuable information about available resources. Read more.
Accessing the Right Services for All in Need: J11 Information and Referral Center.
J11 is available Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at 1-877-UJA-NYJ11 (1-877-852-6951) or by e-mail at . Read more.
Addressing the Spiritual Journey of Jews Beyond Midlife
Thursday, November 19, 2009/2 Kislev 5770/8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Learn more.
Any views, opinions, or statements expressed or implied by Lisa Colton, Alyson Adler, any of the quoted authors, and/or any of the suggested resources (including Twitter discussions, social-networking sites, blogs, and articles) contained in this newsletter are solely those of such individual personally (or discussion group or networking site alone), and do not represent the views of UJA-Federation of New York, SYNERGY, or its employees.