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Rabbi Schwarz on...
For our Alumni

"Rabbi Sid Schwarz moved every demographic cohort of our congregation closer to prayer and closer to finding their spiritual home in the congregation where they already belong.  Over the course of one shabbat, Rabbi Schwarz connected with our eight year olds and our eighty year olds, our teenagers, our parents and grandparents as well as our singles, and in turn connected them to one another, to our community, and to God.  Remarkably, Sid found a way to, simultaneously, connect with our Classical Reformers, our New Agers, our Hasids, our Litvaks, and even our Apikorases.  I never dreamed that so much could be accomplished in one weekend by one teacher."
- Rabbi Mark Mahler
Temple Emanuel
Pittsburgh, PA

THE CENTER FOR JEWISH COMMUNAL RENEWAL: SYNAGOGUE TRANSFORMATION

The Synagogue Transformation Project is a program of consultation involving a cohort of synagogues from across the denominational spectrum. A team of consultants, headed by Rabbi Sid Schwarz, works with the leadership of each congregation and with the group as whole, towards implementing a change agenda of the congregation's own design. The change agenda is, however, informed by the "synagogue community" paradigm set forth in Rabbi Schwarz's book, Finding a  Spiritual Home: How a New Generation of Jews Can Transform the American Synagogue . Through retreats, board work, individual consultations and training of clergy over the course of a 1-2 year period of time, participating congregations are helped in the process of transforming their synagogues into institutions that dramatically increase the percentage of active members and have particular attraction to the involvement from younger Jews. 

The four elements of the new synagogue community paradigm are:

1. The ability to articulate a mission for the synagogue that provides a meaningful reason for Jews to be involved in Jewish life;
2. an organizational culture that puts a premium on inclusivity, empowered laypeople, and risk taking;
3. spiritual leadership that knows how to tap into the spiritual journeys of congregants and link those journeys with the wisdom, customs and  culture of the Jewish tradition;
4. a program that challenges members with a serious and engaged Judaism in terms of both learning and doing.

Synagogues interested in consultations or in contracting for the program should be in touch with Rabbi Sid Schwarz at (301) 770 - 5070 ext. 215.

The Synagogue Transformation Project is inspired by Rabbi Sid Schwarz's book:

Finding a Spiritual Home: How a New Generation of Jews Can Transform the American Synagogue, (Jewish Lights).

To buy Sid's book please order from Jewish Lights Publishing.

Re-energize Yourself & Your Congregation

Two ways to bring the vision and the ability to implement transformation in your congregation from Rabbi Sidney Schwarz, the author of Finding a Spirtual Home: How a New Generation of Jews Can Transform the American Synagogue:

 I.  Weekend Scholar-in-Residence Program

Friday night - The American Synagogue of the 21st Century -- New Thinking

• A presentation based on Finding a Spiritual Home exploring the spiritual possibilities of the American Synagogue.

Saturday morning - Davenning out of the Box

• A prayer experience unlike any other.  Through discussion, song, movement, and sharing, participants, from young to old, will walk away with a new appreciation for the Shabbat liturgy and the transformative power of prayer.

Saturday post-lunch - Text Study

• Text study with classical rabbinic sources on keva and kavannah (fixed liturgy vs. spiritually spontaneous prayer) leading into a discussion of and reaction to the morning davenning experience.

Sunday morning - Board Workshop

• A session designed to help uncover new energy and creativity in the leadership of the congregation which will lead to a more empowered membership and a higher level of commitment to Jewish living.

II.  Synagogue Consulting Services

Rabbi Schwarz has done extensive work with rabbis and lay leadership of congregations in helping them to better understand the organizational culture of their institutions and develop a more engaged and empowered model of congregational life.  Planned as a series of three interventions over the course of a six-month period of time, the consulting included:

1. A survey instrument to gauge the strengths and challenges of the congregation.
2. A day of consulting with the rabbi and top lay leaders on-site to share the analysis and interpret the results of the survey and to design a program to respond to the most pressing needs of the congregation as agreed to by the leadership.
3. A half-day workshop with either the board or an expanded group of members who are interested in advancing new paradigm thinking for the congregation.

Synagogues interested in consultations or in contracting for these or other programs should be in touch with Rabbi Sid Schwarz at (301) 770 - 5070 ext. 215.