Temple Shalom Strategic Vision

Temple Shalom of Newton

175 Temple Street

Newton, MA 02465

Tel 617.332.9550

Fax 617.332-9837 www.templeshalom.org

Dear Congregants of Temple Shalom,

We invite you to be part of this strategic action plan that will help us fulfill the new Vision and

Values for our temple that we adopted in September:

Our Vision: As a congregational family, Temple Shalom is committed to making each person

feel welcome and at home. We do this in a personal way by getting to know each member of

our community, one at a time, and in doing so help everyone find a place in Temple Shalom’s

dynamic and supportive Jewish community.

Our Values: We participate together in the religious, educational and communal life of our

congregation as we live the values of Lifelong Learning, Enriching Spirituality, Building

Community, Repairing the World, Deepening our Relationship with Israel, and Sustaining

Jewish Continuity.

These new Vision and Values, along with this strategic plan, have been developed by a group

that included members of clergy, staff, Board, and congregants. With assistance from two

Combined Jewish Philanthropies (CJP) consultants, each member of the group was asked to

write an imagined article for Reform Judaism magazine five years into the future and answer

the following questions: What will it feel like at Temple Shalom? What will people experience?

What will the reputation of the temple be? What will the community be saying about the

Temple? Who will the members be? What will be happening each week, each Shabbat,

each holiday?

When each article was read out loud, very strong common themes emerged. Every single

article spoke of a place where people know each other, have strong relationships and support

one another. Every story described a temple that feels comfortable, meets its members’

needs and grounds our lives in meaningful ways. With these stories in mind, we created our

new Vision.

The strategic plan was constructed to invite all members to live our Vision and Values. This

plan cannot be successful if the Board is the only group within the temple to support it. It will

not work if the clergy are the only people working towards it. We will achieve a community of

people who are seen, heard and valued only when all members understand that this Vision is

for everyone at Temple Shalom and will be lived out through the efforts of the entire community.

This strategic plan is intended to address the next five years, but highlights the initial actions for

the first few years. It is a living document that will change and grow as our community does.

It will guide all members, committees, Board, clergy, and staff toward the ideals of our vision. It

will hold us all accountable to the action steps and ask us to evaluate ourselves along the way.

Our strategic plan will serve as a master plan and a beacon for our current and future leaders.

We hope that you will join us as together we take the actions needed to achieve our vision for

Temple Shalom.

The Strategic Planning Committee

Michelle Alkon, Rabbi Allison Berry, Shelah Feiss, Gary Fertig, Edward Freedman, Ellie

Goldman, Rabbi Eric Gurvis, Rabbi Neil Hirsch, Andrew Molinsky, Aimee Sprung, Amy Stein,

Jo-Ann Suna, Robyn Winik

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175 Temple Street

Newton, MA 02465

Tel 617.332.9550


Strategic Plan of Temple Shalom of Newton, Massachusetts

Overarching goal: To implement the congregation’s new Vision.

As a congregational family, Temple Shalom is committed to making each person feel welcome and at home. We do this in a personal way by getting to know each member of our community, one at a time, and in doing so help everyone find a place in Temple Shalom’s dynamic and supportive Jewish community.

Objective: The vision will come alive through the efforts of all congregants, clergy and staff to connect with one another in meaningful ways.

Initial actions: Each person in our community is encouraged to take action on this vision in ways that are comfortable, relevant and meaningful.

Temple Shalom’s leaders will help the congregation to achieve our Vision in the following ways:

Create a forum for dialogue about the Vision and discuss questions such as “What does home feel like?”

Offer sermons and text study to explore themes addressed in our Vision. Place a high priority on relationships and caring for others in our temple community. Invite and collect ideas and suggestions from members about ways our Vision can be acted upon. Provide training programs for interested members to learn effective ways to welcome a

visitor, deepen a connection, comfort the mourner, or engage a new member. Create a leadership development plan that allows members to rise to leadership roles at

an appropriate pace, based on the member’s interests. Build committee leaders goals into their work so that members will get to know one another through volunteer work, meetings and programs. Determine ways to measure progress by asking what success and incremental change will

look like. Implement a system to measure progress over time. Evaluate each of these initiatives at regular intervals. Report back to all members periodically so that we can share information and celebrate accomplishments together.

Overarching goal: Our new governance structure will support the work of our Vision and

strategic plan.

Objectives: Executive Committee member positions will align to correspond and support our community’s core Values. A new, 18-member Board of Trustees will serve as our primary decision-making body. A Leadership Council will include all trustees, committee chairs, auxiliary chairs and past

presidents and will serve as a platform for community leaders to work in partnership towards achieving our Vision and strategic plan.

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175 Temple Street

Newton, MA 02465

Tel 617.332.9550


Initial Actions: Executive committee portfolios will be established as follows:

Lifelong Learning Religious and Cultural Life Building Community Repairing the World Sustaining Jewish Continuity

Each committee will be supported by an Executive committee member to coordinate activities and support committee goals. Trustees will serve on committees to enhance communication of goals and actions between the committees and the board. Leadership Council will meet 4 times throughout the year to guide our community in

achieving our Vision. Develop and implement a “leadership skills” development program to bring about new

leadership at all levels within the congregation. Evaluate our new governance structure by a newly established governance committee.

Overarching Goal: Goals for every Executive Committee portfolio will align with our

Vision and Values and drive our strategic plan. Objective:

Portfolio leaders will establish goals for the portfolio that align with our Vision and Values as part of our strategic plan.

Actions will be coordinated among portfolios to assure synergy and lack of duplication. Initial Actions:

At the start of each synagogue year (fall) each committee will be asked to review the Vision and Values and state their goals for the year.

Executive committee members and trustees will review and coordinate the goals among portfolio committees.

Executive committee members and trustees will coordinate efforts for long range goals within the portfolio committees.

Portfolio Goal of Lifelong Learning: To re-envision our K-12 and adult education

learning communities. Objective:

Ensure that religious education is high quality, dynamic and inclusive so that it is engaging and responsive to all learners in our congregation.

Ensure that all religious education programs are reflective of the interests and needs of our community.

Initial Actions: Committee chairs will establish goals and action plans for the respective groups. (Click here)

Our new Education team will work with our lay leaders and CJP consultant over the next 18 months to implement a new model for religious education, inspired by best practices.

Institute working groups of lay leaders and staff to develop innovative models for Judaic and Hebrew education that engage our parents and students.

Evaluate the role of our school committee in supporting our goals. Renew a committee for adult learning to work with our clergy to develop new ideas and

approaches for adult education. Executive Committee Vice President and trustees will coordinate efforts of each of the

groups in this portfolio.

Wisdom “is a tree of life to those who grasp her, And whoever holds on to her is happy.” (Proverbs 3:18)

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175 Temple Street

Newton, MA 02465

Tel 617.332.9550


Portfolio Goal of Religious and Cultural Life: To deepen our communal and

personal spiritual experiences, and embrace and use the full range of the arts in our synagogue life. Objective:

Ensure that religious practices and programming are meaningful, inclusive, engaging and responsive to the interests of all members of our community.


New Worship Task Force has been established and will create goals and action plan. Executive Committee Vice President and trustees will coordinate efforts of each of the


“Let all that breathes, praise the Eternal. Haleiluya.” (Psalm 150:6)

Portfolio Goal of Building Community: To foster an environment where members

build and strengthen their connections and relationships so that all feel comfortable with TS as a second home. Objective:

Coordinate the efforts of each of the committees and auxiliary groups involved in the welcoming and engagement activities of our temple.

Encourage our members to actively participate in at least one activity or affinity group to build relationships with other congregants.

Broaden the efforts of our marketing and social networking to attract new members and increase engagement among current members.

Initial Action: Committee/auxiliary chairs will establish goals and action plans for the respective groups. (Click here) Establish a task force of chairs to promote engagement and coordinate activities where

appropriate. Chairs meet as a task force 3-4 times/year to coordinate engagement activities. Communication group to be expanded to include marketing and a coordinated social networking effort. Executive Committee Vice President and Trustees will coordinate efforts of each of the


“All real living is relating.” (Martin Buber, I and Thou.)

Portfolio Goal of Repairing the World: To deepen our commitment to address

the needs of the TS community and the wider community through education, action and engagement. Objective:

Committee chairs will establish goals and action plans for the respective groups. Educate our community on important social issues. Support and comfort people inside and outside our congregation who are experiencing

hardships. Engage and mobilize our community in the work of social justice. Build strong relationships through this work in order to establish a healthy, thriving corps

of volunteers and in so doing, widen our reach and deepen our impact on those in need.

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175 Temple Street

Newton, MA 02465

Tel 617.332.9550


Initial Actions: Each of the committees and working groups within the Repairing the World portfolio will

establish goals and action plans. (Click here) Social action committee will coordinate the social action activities of other groups. Lifecycle, joyous occasions and milestone events will be recognized and celebrated by the TS community.

Executive Committee Vice President and trustees to coordinate efforts of each of the groups in this portfolio.

“To keep the way of the Eternal by doing what is just and right.” (Genesis 18:19)

Portfolio Goal of Sustaining Jewish Continuity through Temple Shalom: To ensure the fiscal health of our community as well as a physical and spiritual home that meets our needs for the present and our future. Objective:

Set both short and long term financial and fundraising goals for our community. Our budgeting model should be a flexible and dynamic process that will meet our

immediate needs and longer range plans. Our fees and dues structure should promote a welcoming community.


Establish a Revenue Development committee to set short and long term fundraising goals for our community and develop an action plan.

Expand our current Sustaining Membership group to include a sub-group focusing on short-term development issues and a sub-group to explore our need for a Capital

Campaign. Establish a new development group to coordinate the fundraising efforts of other committees. Review our current dues structure to promote a welcoming community. Budget committee to begin meetings in the fall and continue meeting throughout the year

to establish guidelines for mid-year expenditures, review the use of both our unrestricted and restricted endowment, and develop a 3 year financial model to provide guidance to our Board for decision making.

Executive Committee Vice President and Trustees will coordinate efforts of each of the groups in this portfolio

“The Eternal said to Moses, “Speak to the people of Israel, that they take for Me a

contribution, from every person whose heart so moves him.” (Exodus 25:1-2)

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Committee Goals and Action Plans Temple Shalom

of Newton


Lifelong Learning Temple Shalom

of Newton



Religious and Cultural Life Temple Shalom

of Newton




Committee Specific Goal Activities Success Metrics

Long Term: Establish TS as a lively congregation that embraces and uses the full range of the arts in synagogue life

Plan a multi-generational participatory arts “festival” to be held in Dec 2014 that will include a focus on the art of stained glass, our own sanctuary windows, and the power of light and illumination

Timeline for committee work to plan festival adopted: Nov 1, 2013

Create opportunities across generations to engage directly with the arts as a strategy for community-building and to strengthen Jewish identity Increase attentiveness of our members to the beauty in our Jewish tradition, our own building, and the treasures in our community Promote understanding of Jewish value of Hidur Mitvah, and the meaningful effort to create beauty in ritual ob-jects and throughout Jewish life. Encourage continuing donations and seek addition-al financial support to pro-mote the mission of the Open Your Eyes Fund.

Plan and conduct lead-up events to the “festival” in the spring and fall of 2014 Continue to inform donors of progress and activities and acknowledge all dona-tions Identify possible foundation and grant opportunities to support program activities

Membership of Open Your Eyes Fund (OYEF)Committee expanded to include 2-3 new members including parents of school age children : 12/1/13

6-8 Artists and/or artistic resources contacted and assessed as viable program components for arts festival: 1/15/13

2-3 grant opportunities or funding resources identi-fied and applied for: 4/1/14

Tour of MFT stained glass collection: Spring 2014

Participatory Mural project planned to decorate Youth Room

Develop 3-4 short “Did you know? Or “Have you seen?” pieces for Temple bulletin on art objects, ritual objects or architec-tural components of Temple Shalom

Fundraising metrics:: 50% of original donors continue to support the OYEF; 25 new donor names each year

2013-2014 Open Your Eyes Goals, Activities & Success Metrics


Open Your Eyes Fund

Locally (within your committee) Globally (for the congregation)

Create a welcoming atmosphere

Outreach to recruit new mem-bers

Addition of Rabbi Berry as staff liaison

Flexible times for meetings

Refreshments whenever possible

Frequent email communication between meetings allowing and ensuring input of members

Establish periodic presence in the Temple Bulletin

Long term plans to expand information on art objects, ritual objects in self-guided tour and on the website.

Use of mix of events for small groups and large groups

Intergenerational arts festival will also be open to larger community

Get to know each other well

Time for informal conversation at each meeting.

Collaborative projects – 2 or more people

Arts festival will provide some longer term projects and workshops leading up to the festival (e.g. design and install of mural for Youth Room)

Encourage & help people to find their place in our commu-nity

Individual communication with chair to determine interests, availability.

Participation and levels of involvement can vary

Develop an array of programs over 5 year period that invite participation in the arts, and offer participants ideas for next steps of engagement

Sustain a dynamic & supportive Jewish Community

Ongoing dialogue regarding Jewish values and the arts

Exploration of principle of Hidur Mitzvah

-Introduce TS community to an increasing array of arts-related resources to explore Jewish traditions and identity

Develop self-guided tour and images and stories about ritual objects, art and architectural elements on TS website.



Building Community Temple Shalom

of Newton











Repairing the World Temple Shalom

of Newton








Sustaining Jewish Continuity




