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Save Reform Outreach - Page 1
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| Re: |
Author: Edmund Case
Date: 01-13-03 20:18
We've created this discussion board for people to post their thoughts and reactions to the announcement that the Reform Movement is eliminating the regional outreach coordinator positions effective March 31. If you'd like to report on actions at your synagogue to try to reverse the layoff decision, or offer suggestions for how that could be done -- let everyone know here! |
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| Re: $ for outreach |
Author: Dawn Kepler
Date: 01-14-03 11:48
What we have been told is that this is a budgetary decision. Many other areas were cut. The message is WE NEED MORE MONEY TO FUND OUTREACH. I would like to see a fundraising effort made to pay for these positions. We could do it by region or we could try to raise enough money nationally to fund as many regions as possible. I would like to hear from folks who are more savvy about this regarding the best way to approach it. But even if we have half as many regional coordinators and they serve double the territory they did before, we would still have access to the network of expertise and support they provide. |
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| Re: outreach resolution |
Author: Patti
Date: 01-17-03 11:17
Congregation B'nai Jehoshua Beth Elohim of Glenview, IL (817 families) board of trustees unanimously supports the adoption of the resolution asking the UAHC to postpone and reconsider its decision to eliminate the regional outreach coordinator positions. As a recent recipient of the Belin award, BJBE remains committed to the importance of developing innovative outreach programming, and feels strongly that the regional coordinators are vital in this effort.
The resolution is as follows:
We respectfully request that the leadership of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations postpone and reconsider is December 17, 2002 decision to eliminate the regional outreach coordinator positions effective March 31, 2003.
We believe that welcoming interfaith families, encouraging their Jewish choices and normalizing the conversion process are central to the vision and continuing growth of Reform Judaism.
We believe that over the past twenty years great progress toward these goals has been made in Reform synagogues. This is in no small measure due to the work of the extraordinarily professional and devoted regional outreach coordinators. Without these talented and committed professionals, many of our congregations would be at a loss in dealing with our growing interfaith population.
Furthermore, we believe that the efforts of this staff cannot be equaled by a small New York staff and volunteers if outreach is to continue to be a priority of the Reform Movement as we believe it should. We recognize that the Movement faces serious financial constraints and we respect the difficult decisions that were made regarding cutbacks in a number of areas. However, we believe that the elimination of the regional outreach positions has broad policy implications and we therefore urge the Movement's leadership to reconsider and find other development alternatives.
We respectfully request that the UAHC leadership reconsider and ultimately reverse its decision to eliminate the regional outreach coordinator positions.
Sincerely,
David Gates
President, BJBE |
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| Re: outreach budget cuts |
Author: paula c. yablonsky
Date: 02-28-03 13:26
i urge everyone to stand behind the outreach staff and work to save the positions. please contact your synagogues and boards to pledge monies for the positions. have your synagogue send a resolution to nyc protesting the cuts.
our outreach professionals are the ones who have trained the lay people in the field, they have been our touchstones when there are problems, sounding boards when we needed to talk out situations, and liaisons to our national outreach commission.
without the professionals, our volunteers and the wonderful women in new york city will find themselves burnt out and unable to assist in the act of keruv (reaching out).
its important to remember that in june of last year, the uahc and ccar voted to merge the commissions on outreach and synagogue affiliation creating ONE commission to serve the needs of both.
how will we do this at the synagogue level without professional staffing and support on a regional level?
this isn't just intermarried issues - its reaching out to all of the strangers in our community - jew and non-jew alike. |
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People who attend and worship at a given synagogue.
The language of Judaism. Used in prayer in most synagogues and the official language of the state of Israel. Also refers to Jews, especially before they entered Israel and were given the Torah, as in "the ancient Hebrews."
Place of Jewish worship, referring to both the room where it occurs and the building where it occurs. Colloquially referred to as "temple."
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