Vision and Change in a Conservative Synagogue
When I first got to my synagogue six years ago, it was on its way to becoming an anachronism. In many ways, it was advanced in that it had sophisticated programs and multiple minyanim. Many members felt, however, that the clergy-led services were too formal and even passionless. The members of the non-clergy-led minyanim felt “tolerated” but frowned upon by the synagogue leadership. The lay-staff relationships were limited. The various elements of the synagogue–the different age cohorts, the religious school community, the gan community, the older generations – these and many more were in silos. The professional staff had very little sense that they were a team. Furthermore, at 150-years-old, it was the solid establishment synagogue of Washington. Its very prestige and history were weighing it down. For some, it […]
