Dear Friends,
Chadash - the exploration of possible increased collaboration between Temple Aliyah and Shomrei Torah - is well underway. The first phase of the process included the creation of seven subcommittees to explore different topics.
The seven subcommittees – each comprised of representatives from both congregations – have now all met for the first time. Meetings will continue from now through the end of the year. Below is a brief update on each committee; please direct any questions to
chadash@healthmanagement.com.
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The Education Subcommittee is focused on education for children, youth, and teens (from early child through high school) and how best to create meaningful and engaging educational programs that build a community and personal Jewish commitment.
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The Outreach Subcommittee’s initial work has focused on understanding the existing memberships of both synagogues, what outreach efforts have been most effective in the past, and what the Jewish community looks like in the West Valley.
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The Programming Subcommittee is focused on the needs and wants of current members when it comes to programming (outside of ritual and child/youth/teen education). They are exploring what motivates members to participate and how a unified organization can leverage existing and untapped creativity and talents to better meet members’ needs.
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The Ritual Subcommittee is focused on identifying the rituals and the tefillot that currently exist for each community, that should remain available if a new organization is formed, and also on the ways in which our synagogues could sanctify personal and family lifecycle moments that we have not yet ritualized.
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The Spirit/Ruach Subcommittee is working to identify the key strengths of each organization’s culture, and then unpack how those elements of culture are created so they can be adapted and replicated within a new unified organization.
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The Finance Subcommittee is making sure there are no significant financial barriers to collaboration and taking stock of the joint resources that could made available to support the creation of Chadash.
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The Vision Subcommittee is charged with thinking about all those we have yet to consistently engage through our communities, with an emphasis on how to foster belonging and meaning through new and/or promising pathways and approaches.
We thank all of our congregants who have volunteered to serve on the subcommittees, and look forward to sharing their thoughts with you as the Chadash process continues.
