Shul Makeover
Sue Fishkoff JTA has released quite a spread today on how “in order for shuls to “prosper [they] must become more than a glorified bar mitzvah factory,” that includes seven articles discussing the wide varieties of ways people are doing the work today, including bringing the shul to the people in Boston , the question of whether Orthodox shuls are just revitalizing to rethinking the mission of shuls today. Enjoy!
I do believe that I spot The Last Trumpet and the future Mrs. Trumpet in there
Droves of people leave after their child is Bar Mitzvah, or if you are reform, confirmed. If we could keep the kids interested, we might keep the parents too.
As soon as our kids are confrimed we too are out. We have decided to no longer attend shuls that require tickets to pray. We will make large donations at that time of the year. Shuls have nothing of interest to us, as they are all old cronie filled places saturated with old “founding” members who never allow new, exciting changes, yet staying with ritual tradition. We will continue to attend Chabad or Chavurahs.
If we could keep the kids interested, we might keep the parents too.
How about the reverse? If the kids had Jewish adult role models and an active Jewish adulthood to look forward to, it would be easier to keep them interested.