A Note From NATA President
LIVIA D. THOMPSON, FTA

I recently returned from the meeting of the Union for Reform Judaism's Board (URJ). Besides the business of the URJ (budget reports and the like-things you are all familiar with), the constant theme of every meeting and every conversation was about change --- the need for change, the implications of change, and the results of change. This is no longer a conversation about the need to make adjustments for financial reasons. The lay and professional leadership of the URJ is endeavoring, in the words of Professor Ari Kelman who spoke during the board meeting, use "sacred strategies" to "transform" the URJ "from functional to visionary." As Bob Heller, past president of the URJ stated, the URJ is engaged in radical but thoughtful change which will continue to evolve and reflect new ideas and new concerns. This same discipline is important for synagogues who want to be healthy and be relevant next year, in five years, and longer. (See, Sacred Strategies: Transforming Synagogues From Functional to Visionary, by Isa Aron, Steven Cohen, Lawrence Hoffman and Ari Kelman (Alban Institute 2010).)

As was evident during the URJ meetings and in informal conversation,  significant and profound change is difficult and requires sacrifices, and both patience and impatience. It occurs unevenly, and may adversely affect some people more than others. As was repeatedly stated, positive and thoughtful change requires individuals to see beyond their personal agendas, and to do what is better for the collective good even if it means that they may lose power or authority or if their priorities will not be addressed. It is hard. But, if there is a will, change also brings with it possibilities, renewal, and optimism. It allows for new leaders to rise up, and for older leaders to find new purpose. It can create an entirely different set of priorities, and provide room for a reinvigorated staff and lay leadership to move forward.

Although much of the conversation focused on the URJ specifically, there was recognition that our congregations are also in flux, and in a period of considerable upset and change. The URJ's challenge is the same challenge synagogue professionals and lay leaders face in their own congregations. We all need to be thinking about how to make our congregations more strategic, more collaborative, and more deliberative about their futures. 

The National Association for Temple Administration, your NATA, has to make sure that we are providing all of you with the tools that you need to help your congregations during this confusing time, and to help you understand the impact of the profound social changes to which the URJ is responding to and that are affecting each of our communities as well. 

Knowing technical skills such as budgeting, human resources, and membership, are important to your day to day work and to the business health of your congregation, but it isn't enough. Just as the URJ is striving to move from good to great, so too do we need to make sure that each of us becomes more familiar with the external forces that are changing the Jewish world around us.  We must be willing to challenge our 19th/20th century synagogue model, and to learn how to work with almost constant change. 

 
Your NATA leadership is committed to supporting all of us in this journey. 

All the best at the beginning of 2011,

- Livia

The New NATA Website - How We Did It, and

Are Still Doing It!

By Debbie Coutant

By Alan Halpern

Google Sites is a simple, free web tool that allows you to create and maintain web pages.  While few of us would use Google Sites to create or replace our congregation's website, a Google site can be useful.

Capabilities
Google provides a simply WYSIWYG
(What you see is what you get) interface that allows you to create web pages without knowing HTML, to post documents, link to Google calendars, Picasa slideshows, other websites, Google Documents, or post announcements.  You can create simple lists of information which might include a Board or class directory.  Page subscribers can be automatically notified when content changes.

A Case Study
Temple Israel of Dayton communicates with Board members through a Google site.  The main page includes a board roster, calendar of meeting dates and key documents or announcements.  Right now, it has links to draft versions of our constitution and by-laws.  In past years, it held a countdown until the major fundraiser. 

Disadvantages

• Requires a Google account
• As with all technology, there is a learning curve.  For techno-phobes - folks who can't distinguish between an email and a website, for example - it can be steep
• It's a Google service.  The tools evolve.  The documentation can be occasionally frustrating

For all of you who have passed the coursework and exams toward earning your FTA - but fear the writing of a thesis or worry that your temple leadership will not be supportive... Here is some wonderful news for you!  Now you can substitute the thesis writing for an approved project for your own Temple - and even include others to help you complete the process!

An action-based project (instead of a thesis) is now allowable for completion of the FTA Certification.  The project description must be approved by the NATA Certification Board, and the applicant must take the full initiative for planning, seeking approval, and implementing the project proposal.  The Project must address one of the key areas of Temple Administration as outlined in the thesis themes listed.

The project should:

1. Be relevant and of practical use to you in your employment context

2. Strengthen or add to your knowledge and skills as an administrator

3. Contribute to the field of temple administration

The project submission report should include:

1.     Purpose Statement and Rationale

2.     Project Document describing the project

3.     Process that the Administrator followed to complete project

4.     Description of the team collaboration and participation of others

5.     Project completion date

Temple employees, senior staff, and lay leaders are encouraged to participate in the Project.  Clearly define the roles of all participants.  After the Project is completed, write a summary of the Project accomplishments, as well as include evaluations by each participant in the Project.

Select a project that will not only interest you and your congregation, but also to colleagues and lay leaders who may benefit from reading and implementing the Project.

Note:  Thesis submission is still allowable!  And... if you haven't taken and passed all of the coursework, COME TO THE NATA INSTITUTE IN MALIBU ON FEBRUARY 5 - 10, 2011

 
Daniel Barkowitz - Temple Beth Shalom; Needham, MA

Heather Brok - Temple Beth El, Ormand Beach, FL
Sarah Cohen - Temple Beth-El; St Petersburg, FL
Patti Cohen-Hecht - Temple Beth Abraham; Tarrytown, NY
Miranda Escobar - Temple Beth Torah; Upper Nyack, NY
Debra Francis - Temple Sinai of North Dade; N. Miami Beach, FL
Harvey Gold - Congregation Beth Shalom; Northbrook, IL

Jackie Greene - Temple Saini, Sandy Springs, GA
Debra Lazer  - Temple Sinai; Las Vegas, NV
Janet Liebman - Temple Adat Shalom; Poway, CA

Allan Litwach - Congregation Solel, Highland Park, IL

Dina London - Temple Judea Mizpah, Skokie, IL

William Padnos - Temple Sinai, Pittsburgh, PA
Mark Shepard - The Temple-Congregation Ohabai Sholom;
       Nashville, TN
Henry Silberman - Adas Israel Congregation; Washington DC
Lawrance Solomon - Mount Zion Temple; St. Paul, MN
Rosalie Stein - Congregation Shaare Emeth; Saint Louis, MO
Jeffrey Stewart - Congregation Shir Tikvah; Troy, MI

OUR DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO: the family and friends of Jane Steinman who passed away in November.

MAZEL TOV TO:  Jeanne Kort-Adler on the birth of her first grandson, Judah Patrick Kort; to Beryl Chernov on the birth of his daughter Abigail Sadie Chernov; and to Loree Resnik, FTA on the birth of her granddaughter Sydney Harper Kuniansky.

WE RECEIVED MANY CONTRIBUTIONS IN HONOR OF:  Ed Alpert, FTA for hi s fine leadership during his presidency; to Livia Thompson, FTA in honor of her new role as president of NATA; to Marc Swatez, FTA and Ellen Franklin for their superb leadership with the Portland Conference.

WITH APPR ECIATION to the following members who made contributions to the NATA Tribute Fund: 

Gary Cohn, FTA; Joe Elbaum; Larry Glickman; Jeff Herzog, FTA;  Michael Liepman; Rick Rosenberg, Jr., Jane Sable-Friedman, FTA, Nancy Schneider; Carolyn Shane; Sharon Shemesh; Joyce Sturm; Livia Thompson, FTA,  Karen Walanka; and Diane Wiener.

Tributes may be sent to:

NATA

P.O. Box 936

Ridgefield, WA 98642

NATA Tribute Account: 
It is simple to set-up a NATA Tribute Account!  Simply send a check in the amount of $180 for 10 Tributes to the NATA Office.  Once your account is set-up, simply call or e-mail the NATA Office and request a tribute be sent from your account.