Building Connections
Connecting and community building through small group activities:
How member-led small groups can provide the glue that sustains commitment.
Last Sunday, I had the privilege of attending an online Leadership Bootcamp run by the Union of Reform Judaism (URJ). This annual event provides synagogue leaders across North America with a unique opportunity to spend four hours learning from subject matter experts and fellow leaders — and then reflecting on opportunities. This year, the Bootcamp opened with a keynote address that was followed by a rich selection of relevant one-hour breakout topics. I attended a session on “How Small Groups Can Strengthen Your Synagogue”, led by Rabbi Nicole Auerbach.
Many faith groups, including Churches and the thriving Reform Congregation, Central Synagogue, based in New York City, have used this model to build connections between members. Essentially, the small groups are member-led rather than organized by paid employees. They meet regularly for a finite period, generally less than a year. They focus on shared interests, activities and learning opportunities, and in doing so, they grow connections that serve to enhance and strengthen relationships and a feeling of belonging within a sacred community.
What are the key features of small groups?
- They are member-led rather than organized by paid employees.
- The average size of small groups is 8 to 12 people.
- Depending on the common interest, some are task-focused, some are learning-focused, and some are recreational.
- The goal is to build community by sharing common interests, and the commitment to get together regularly for a finite period.
- Unlike Chavurahs, the commitment time is limited to a few months up to a year. This doesn’t preclude the small group from starting again or from longer-term bonding. The action of concluding and restarting allows an offramp to those who want to move on and perhaps try another activity, and on-ramps to welcome those who would like to be part of the new group.
We heard about a group of men who had young children at home. The group they formed was not about parenting but an opportunity to ask questions and do some studying together. We heard about other age demographic-focused groups, Havdalah groups, book clubs, LBGTQ groups and neighbourhood circles to name a few. Some of these groups exist or have existed at Solel in one form or another. These include Miriam Schoeman’s recent tallit-making classes, groups who helped welcome and set up refugee families, the Mahjong groups that meet weekly, Dave Gordon’s annual latke-making cook-ins, numerous Women of Solel initiatives, and the parent group that came together to tackle antisemitism in the schools. The terms of reference and time frames may vary, but each of these micro-communities contributes to our sense of belonging.
Small groups can be a great tool for mobilizing and forming meaningful connections, and they can do it in a way that embraces Jewish wisdom, values and traditions. Being member-led, they may take place outside of the synagogue. Some may meet in members’ homes, some may be in public spaces, some may meet online, and depending on the type of activity, some should be hybrid to ensure that there are potential selections that are accessible for all our members. Please drop me a line if you have any ideas, and let me know too if you would be willing to take a role in leading. If there is interest in this, we could plan for a kickoff “small group” fair and discussion. It’s an idea that has enriched other faith communities, and I feel confident it could work at Solel too.
John
Filed under: President's Message