FOR SYNAGOGUE BOARDS
Your Board Does Not Need More Ideas.
It Needs Clearer Priorities.
Most synagogue boards struggle not from a lack of creativity, but from an abundance of noise. I help leadership teams move past brainstorming and toward the organizational alignment needed to drive meaningful engagement.
If You Have Served on a Synagogue Board, You Know the Conversation.
The meeting starts at 7:30 PM. The agenda is packed. But somehow, the most important hour is spent debating the phrasing of an email, the font on a flyer, or why the 'young families' aren’t showing up. We have all been there.
The Program Cycle
We spent three meetings planning a Hanukkah dinner that attracted the same forty people who always come.
The Communication Void
‘I didn’t even know that was happening’ — a quote from a board member about the event we promoted for six weeks.
The Website Trap
We spent six months redesigning a website that lists our address but doesn’t tell anyone why they should belong.
The Membership Math
We are chasing dues targets instead of chasing the reasons why people stopped feeling a sense of ownership.
The Strategy Shift
We have plenty of tactics and many ideas. What we lack is a shared sense of what matters most right now.
The Leadership Gap
We are governing a non-profit, but we are supposed to be leading a sacred community. Those are not the same thing.
The best board conversations begin by improving the questions.
Your Board Should Not Have to Guess.
Better questions lead to better decisions.
When communication and engagement strategy is left to guesswork, boards often default to chasing the latest tactic or loudest opinion. I help you build a foundation of clarity so every marketing decision is tied to a shared leadership goal.
Seven Questions Every Synagogue Board Should Be Able to Answer
01
Who is this synagogue for?
If the answer is 'everyone,' the marketing strategy will almost certainly reach no one specifically.
02
What is the primary problem we help our members solve?
People do not join for the sake of joining; they join to satisfy a need for community, meaning, or education.
03
If our synagogue closed tomorrow, what would the community miss most?
This clarifies our unique value proposition and the actual impact we have on members' lives.
04
What is the one thing we want to be known for in five years?
Priorities require choosing what to elevate and, by extension, what to let go of.
05
How do we define 'successful engagement' beyond attendance numbers?
Counting heads is easy; measuring belonging and spiritual growth requires different questions.
06
Are we communicating to keep people informed, or to invite them in?
Information is static. Invitation is relational. Most shul emails are too heavy on the former.
07
What is the biggest barrier preventing a new family from walking through the door?
It is rarely the cost of dues. It is usually the fear of not knowing anyone or not knowing 'how it works.'
If leadership cannot agree on these questions, it becomes very difficult to agree on tactics.
BOARD & LEADERSHIP WORKSHOP
Are We Communicating—or Just Sending Information?
Most synagogue boards spend their time reviewing what happened. The most effective boards spend their time deciding where they are going. This workshop is designed to help your leadership team move beyond the logistics of programming and focus on the strategic decisions that drive real engagement.
- Defining congregational engagement for the next generation
- Clarifying the board's role in communication strategy
- Identifying the messages that truly matter to your members
- Breaking down silos between committees and leadership
- Building a culture of follow-up and relationship-building
SHUL MARKETING
BOARD & LEADERSHIP WORKSHOP
Are We Communicating—or Just Sending Information?
A Strategic Facilitation for Synagogue Boards and Clergy Teams
Designed to Fit the Conversation Your Leadership Needs
Board Discussion
FORMAT: 90-MINUTE SESSION
BEST FOR: Introducing a new perspective or clarifying current priorities during a monthly board meeting.
- Defining engagement metrics that matter.
- Identifying communication bottlenecks.
- Aligning on the congregation's core message.
Leadership Workshop
FORMAT: HALF-DAY INTENSIVE
BEST FOR: Boards and senior staff ready to build a practical strategy or navigate a significant transition.
- Building an integrated engagement roadmap.
- Resolving clergy-board communication silos.
- Establishing new protocols for follow-up.
Board Retreat Session
FORMAT: FULL RETREAT MODERATION
BEST FOR: Deep dives into organizational culture and long-term visioning for future growth.
- Reimagining the member experience journey.
- Fostering shared values among leadership.
- Creating a culture of proactive outreach.
Every session is customized to the specific history, culture, and challenges of your congregation.
There Are Moments When an Outside Perspective Can Be Especially Valuable.
When leadership is cycling through the same recurring debates.
When a new Rabbi or Executive Director arrives.
When preparing for a significant capital campaign.
When building a new strategic plan or master plan.
When congregational morale feels stagnant or disconnected.
When current communication feels like 'noise' to members.
This Is Not Someone Coming In to Tell Your Board What to Do.
Healthy boards don't need consultants to make their choices. They need advisors to improve the clarity of their information.
NOT a Generic Audit
This isn't a checklist of missing social media icons. It's a strategic look at how your message aligns with your mission.
NOT a Replacement for Staff
I don't write your newsletters. I help your leadership and staff align on what those newsletters should actually accomplish.
NOT a Pre-determined Solution
I don't arrive with a set of 'best practices' to force on you. We uncover the specific priorities your congregation needs now.
NOT an Evaluation of Clergy
This is about the organizational ecosystem, not a critique of professional performance or personal style.
“The goal is to help your board see more clearly—not to arrive with all the answers already decided.”
The Board Should Set Direction Without Trying to Become the Marketing Department.
Healthy synagogue governance requires a clear boundary between strategic oversight and tactical execution. When boards focus on the 'why' and the 'what,' staff and lay volunteers are empowered to handle the 'how.'
THE BOARD SHOULD HELP CLARIFY
- The core priorities of the congregation
- The target audience for major initiatives
- The desired outcome of our engagement efforts
- The parameters of the annual budget
Clarity at the top creates professional confidence throughout the entire organization.
A Successful Program Is Not the Same Thing as Successful Engagement.
Is this for them or for us?
IDEA
Did we invite them or tell them?
PROMOTION
PARTICIPATION
Did they attend or contribute?
Did we notice they were there?
FOLLOW-UP
Do we know their story?
RELATIONSHIP
Is this their spiritual home?
BELONGING
We must move beyond thinking about attendance and start thinking about connection.
Try These Questions at Your Next Board Meeting
- What is the one decision we are most avoiding?
- If we could only achieve one thing this year, what would it be?
- Who are we currently communicating to, and who are we missing?
- What does 'engagement' actually mean in our congregation?
- Are our programs serving our mission, or is our mission serving our programs?
- If a new family walked in today, what is their clear path to belonging?
- What information is essential for us to know, and what is just noise?
- Are we empowering staff to lead, or are we trying to do their jobs?
- How do we measure success beyond attendance numbers?
- What is the most important conversation we are NOT having?
Sometimes You Are Simply Too Close to See It.
- We see the internal politics; an outsider sees the organizational potential.
- We see the budget constraints; an outsider sees the value proposition.
- We see the 'way we've always done it'; an outsider sees the missed opportunities.
“The goal is to help your board see more clearly—not to arrive with all the answers already decided.”
I Have Sat on Your Side of the Table.
I understand the unique pressures of synagogue leadership because I’ve lived them. As a long-standing board member and professional communicator, I know that your time is a donation and your commitment is sacred. My role is to make that commitment more effective by providing the strategic clarity that leadership requires but rarely has the time to build alone.
Questions Boards Often Ask
How long does a typical board facilitation take?
Most boardroom discussions range from a standard 90-minute session to a half-day retreat. I customize the timing based on your specific agenda and the depth of the conversation required.
Is this a criticism of our current marketing staff?
Absolutely not. In fact, most staff members find this process incredibly helpful because it provides the clarity they need to do their best work. We are focusing on strategic direction, which is the board's responsibility.
What is the outcome of these sessions?
Alignment. You'll leave with a shared set of priorities, a clearer understanding of your audience, and a practical roadmap for engagement that the entire leadership can support.
FOR YOUR NEXT BOARD CONVERSATION
Your Board Has Plenty to Discuss.
Let’s Make the Conversation More Useful.
Don’t settle for another meeting checking boxes. Bring intentional, strategic focus to your synagogue leadership.
No generic presentations. No predetermined solutions. Just the conversation your leadership needs to have.