Below, you can find the Task Force Reports (in orange), along with each of the Ambassadors’ Reports (in blue) that have been sent out to the Congregation. The results of the MOU vote are listed at the top of the Ambassadors’ Reports section. The first letter, at the bottom of the page, details the background of this project and introduces the Ambassadors.
Join us for any and all of the following meetings to discuss our potential merger with Temple Emanu-El:
- Friday, February 25, 5:30 p.m.
- Friday, March 3, 5:30 p.m.
You can reach the Ambassadors at JewishTucson@gmail.com.
In early 2019, the Boards of Directors of Congregation Or Chadash and Temple Emanu-El initiated discussions between representatives of each congregation (“Ambassadors”) to consider a possible future together under two scenarios:
- Continued or increased collaborations in targeted areas, such as Religious School and Sisterhood.
- A future merger with analysis of potential positive outcomes, negative aspects and possible strategies to address barriers to successful merger.
In August 2019, with the guidance of Rabbi Fine of URJ, we populated eight (8) task forces to explore key aspects of the two scenarios. 1) Finance 2) Governance 3) Facilities 4) Religious School 5) Worship 6) Clergy 7) Communications 8) Joint Programming. The reports for the first six will be sent out to congregations ahead of townhalls as follows: There will be no reports from Communications or Joint Programming as these dealt with ongoing activities not with projections about our future.
Sunday, Nov 3: Finance and Governance reports at Or Chadash 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and at Temple Emanu-El 1:00-2:00 p.m.
Sunday, Nov 17: Facilities and Religious Schools at Or Chadash 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and at Temple Emanu-El 1:00-2:00 p.m.
Sunday Dec 8: Worship and Clergy at Or Chadash 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and at Temple Emanu-El 1:00-2:00 p.m.
Please click on the tabs below to read the Finance and Governance reports.
Sunday, November 3, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Reports from the Finance & Governance Task Forces
Congregation Or Chadash: Gary Kippur (First VP) and Mark Ross (Treasurer)
Temple Emanu-El: Scott Arden (President), Jeff Rein (Treasurer), Jerry Cohen (VP)
The finance task force members first signed a non-disclosure agreement in Spring, 2019, and then reviewed the budgets and financial situations of both synagogues together. The initial review revealed that both synagogues are facing financial challenges and that our financial situation would very likely be stronger with a merger than remaining independent/separate with ongoing collaborations.
Therefore, they proceeded to conduct a more detailed analyses to compare financial projections if we remain independent (with continued collaboration) versus financial projections if we merge. The following factors were incorporated into projections for the first year after our merger, a second year with merger, and a third year. These are based on a plan to market the Or Chadash property and centralize the new, combined congregation at the current Temple Emanu-El facility.
Assumptions applied in financial projections:
- Two Rabbis, a Cantor and a Cantorial Soloist- our anticipated clergy with larger congregation
- Legal fees: $25,000 for legal fees related to merger of the two synagogues
- Maintaining Or Chadash property until sale: $25,000 During the first year and $15,000 in the 2nd year.
- Facility repairs and upgrades at the current Temple Emanu-El facility: The facilities task force created a plan to prioritize repairs/upgrades over several years (Their report will be sent out before the Nov 17 town halls). We worked from an assumption that the costs of repairs/upgrades would be drawn from existing cash flow. Funds from the sale of the Or Chadash property were not included in these projections.
- Membership dues: Based on information from URJ about the experiences of other congregations who have merged, we considered a scenario as follows: an overall loss of no more than 10% of combined membership in the first year and increases of 5% in the second years and third years. Projections were based on current membership dues structures at both congregations.
- Elimination of duplicate services and facility expenses (one property to maintain instead of two and staffing for a larger, single congregation)
Here is the Summary of the analyses based on the above assumptions.
- Remaining separate: We are likely to break even, at best. We may face budget shortfalls with consequent implementation of new cost-saving measures along with increased reliance on fundraising strategies.
- Financial Forecasts for the first three years, beginning with the first year:
*Note: The term “net income” means the amount of money available after all expenses are subtracted from expected revenues i.e. in the black.- Year 1: Net income about $200,000.00
*Note: the first year would have some one-time expenses e.g. Maintaining Or Chadash property until it is sold. - Year 2: Net income up to about $250,000.00
- Year 3: Net income up to over $300,000.00
- Year 1: Net income about $200,000.00
The financial projections noted here are based on assumptions that may change with new information. We cannot provide you with more details on the projected budget with merger as this is sensitive information for both congregations, and this executive summary will be made available to congregants. We will provide congregants with hard copies (numbered) and more details at the in-person discussion at Or Chadash (and Temple Emanu-El) on Sunday, November 3. We look forward to talking with you soon.
Task Force members: Harriet Kronman and Howard Paley from Congregation Or Chadash (OC); Simon Rosenblatt, and Mona Gibson from Temple Emanu-El (TE) and member of Ambassadors Group.
Background: This Task Force was formed to review what governance would look like in a congregation created by the merging of current OC and TE congregations, to identify any issues or hurdles that might cause a problem in such a merger, and then to propose possible solutions to mitigate these concerns.
Process: The governance task force met on August 21st and September 4th at the lovely home of Harriet
Kronman. The Bylaws of each congregation were shared with each other. Temple’s articles of incorporation,
including information from the original document were also shared. We determined the areas of governance
that we would discuss included By Laws, Articles of Incorporation, Governing Board and its creation per the
Nominating Committee and the process of the Nominating Committee.
Highlights: Attached are the notes of each meeting of the task force. Following are the highlights of our
conversations related to governance, identifying the issues and proposing solutions:
- The by-laws of each congregation are relatively similar, with a few differences. The differences do not
appear to be insurmountable. We recommend a committee comprised of members of each congregation be formed to create a new set of by-laws for the merged congregation which selects the
best of both current by-laws. We believe by-laws must be approved prior to filing Articles of
Incorporation. - The Articles of Incorporation of the new entity will need to be submitted to the State of Arizona once a
new name for the merged congregation is decided. We recommend forming a task force tasked with
naming the new congregation which is extremely important and integral to the development of this new community. - The Board of Directors for the merged congregation will need to be proposed by a nominating
committee which precedes the merger. The issue is basically timing. We recommend both
congregations go through their normal process of “staffing” a Nominating committee to provide
members to a super Nominating Committee during the transition period which is after the decision to
merge is decided and before the congregations actually merge (possibly January 2020 – July 2021). - We recommend the new merged Board of Directors continue with the active members of both
congregations finishing out their terms without concern to the size of the first board. However, the
officers/executive committee of the newly created Board (such as President, Vice President, Treasurer
and Secretary) should be proposed to the new congregation as one slate. Our task force believes this
future super Nominating Committee will have to work out the representation from the former
congregations for the proposed new executive committee. - After the Memo of Understanding is agreed upon and the decision to move forward to a merger is
decided, it would then be relevant to have a By-Laws task force during the transition period to develop
the rules and procedures for the super Nominating Committee.
Conclusion: The most difficult aspect of merging our two congregations from a governance perspective is
figuring out how to move from two separate Boards to one Board of Directors. Decisions regarding Nominating Committee, Board of Directors make-up and synagogue naming will be deferred to future task forces. Our current and past presidents have not had any issues working together during these conversations and it is our belief that a workable solution will be easily developed.
Sunday, November 17, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Reports from the Facilities & Religious School Task Forces
Click here to view the PowerPoint.
Task Force Attendees:
Rina Liebeskind, Or Chadash Exec. Admin & Director of Youth Engagement
Jill Sobieszyk, 3rd-4th gr. Or Chadash RS Teacher
Suzie Stadheim, 4th & 7th gr. Or Chadash Parent
Abby Limmer, Temple Emanu-El Kurn Religious School Director
Allison Neja, 6th gr. Temple Emanu-El Teacher, 5th gr. Parent
Marla Harris and Jared Rubin, 2nd and 4th gr. Temple Emanu-El Parents
Brie Finegold, Temple Emanu-El Board of Directors, 8th grade teacher, 3rd grade parent
Existing Collaboration/Commonalities
The joint 8th grade trip to Jewish Los Angeles transformed last year into a joint 7th-8th grade trip that will repeat in 2021. One joint Camp Experience rather than separate camp fairs. Working to rename JCTEY and JJCTEY to include OC students in TE’s NFTY-affiliated youth groups.
Both synagogues participate in the Shinshinim program and both have a madrichim program.
Existing Schedules
| Day of the Week | Temple Emanu-El | Or Chadash |
| Sunday | 9:00-noon | 9:30-noon |
| Tuesday | 4:00-6:00 p.m. | |
| Thursday | 4:30-6:30 p.m. |
Steps to a Future Merger
- Have social functions for the students to become one community. Recruit middle schoolers from OC and TE with older kids’ help into NFTY-affiliated youth groups.
- Work with Finance Task Force to determine to what extent merging of schools will change budget and/or reduce tuition. Note that cost of supplies would remain the same.
- Decide how to align schedules for both Hebrew School. Possibilities include:
- Two days per week of Hebrew school to which any member can choose to attend one or the other consistently throughout the year – this could be transitional or permanent
- Have same curriculum, same teachers
- Have different curricula, different teachers
- One day per week of Hebrew school
- Two days per week of Hebrew school to which any member can choose to attend one or the other consistently throughout the year – this could be transitional or permanent
- Decide how to align Sunday School schedules and curricula:
- Later than 9am start and have 3 hours or have 2.5 or 2.75 hours
- 9am start and noon end (no one seemed interested in ending earlier than noon)
- Work to keep Chuggim (electives) as well as signature events like Mitzvah Fair, etc.
- Set aside appropriate furniture and custodial help to accommodate larger classes (this is plausible to do at Temple Emanu-El)
| Current Grade | Cong. Or Chadash | Temple Emanu-El | Total # of Students |
| Pre-K* | 10 | 4 | 14 |
| Kindergarten | 4 | 5 | 9 |
| 1st | 3 | 7 | 10 |
| 2nd | 3 | 6 | 9 |
| 3rd | 7 | 15 | 22 |
| 4th | 7 | 4 | 11 |
| 5th | 6 | 8 | 14 |
| 6th | 13 | 7 | 20 |
| 7th | 12 | 6 | 18 |
| 8th | 3 | 5 | 8 |
Table 1: These are the numbers per grade for the 2019-2020 years. Once combined, some of the grades will have to be divided into 2 classes.
*Pre-K includes 2 years of students, 3- and 4-year olds.
- Decide on B’nei Mitzvah Schedules and Training
- Resolve conflicts for 2 dates: 10/17/20 and 10/24/20
- Unify B’nei Mitzvah Training practices with Ritual Committee help
- Work to unify Hebrew school curricula and incorporate Hebrew@Home.
- Decide whether to pursue accreditation, since that will be lost.
Risks and Mitigations
- People may feel like they “don’t know everybody”
- More kids means stronger sense of Jewish belonging/identity, less chance of being the only one
- Changing the schedules may alienate people
- Offer both schedules on weekdays to find what people gravitate towards
- Offer some of the same activities but on a different timeline/compromise on timing
- People may lose programs that they enjoy or that curricula has changed too much
- Point out new opportunities due to larger classes and more resources
- Work to identify people’s favorite activities and preserve them
- Work to include teachers (and parents) in unification of curricula
- Or Chadash would lose its accreditation
- Work to regain it so as to preserve prestige as only AZ accredited religious school
- Change of location may alienate people
- Facilitate carpooling
- Strengthen Hebrew@Home
- Having to reduce staff or financially support two sets of staff
- Allow for natural attrition
- Conflicting B’nei Mitzvah schedules may force kids to choose whose to attend or alienate families with special ties to that date.
- Joint B’nei mitzvah
- Morning and afternoon service
Click here to view the full report. Below is the Executive Summary.
In early 2019, the Boards of Directors of both Or Chadash and Temple Emanu-El initiated discussion between representatives of each congregation (hereafter, “Ambassadors”) to discuss what a future state might look like under two Scenarios:
- Continue more of the same targeted collaboration (Religious School, etc.).
- Map out steps to a future merger with a description of risks to success and possible mitigations.
Eight “Task Forces” were formed to explore all aspects of the two Scenarios. This report represents the results of the “Real Estate/Fixed Assets/Facilities” Task Force. For convenience, we shortened to the Facilities Task Force.
Further, our Task Force believed that Scenario One, continued collaboration, would not require any changes to either the Or Chadash or Temple Emanu-El facilities. Our study and report were therefore confined to Scenario Two, merger of the two congregations.
For Scenario 2, our purpose was twofold: 1) present logical data regarding both facilities that would allow all congregation members to evaluate for themselves the three options (see below) available. And, 2) present details of recommended improvements and their costs for each of alternative.
The three alternatives studied were as follows:
- Expand the Or Chadash campus to accommodate an enlarged congregation and education base.
- Improve the Temple Emanu-El campus to correct for deferred maintenance and health & safety issues, and to provide aesthetic improvements that would result in an attractive ambiance which would encourage even more use of it.
- Sell both the Temple Emanu-El and Or Chadash properties, acquire a new vacant property, and build a brand-new place of worship.
Our method for accomplishing our task was to provide a detailed inventory of each campus’ facilities, provide a fact-based comparison, and finally, create a list comparing the results of our study. We highlighted the costs of each and the pros and cons.
Each sub-task was assigned to a member of the group.
The studies emphasized different elements of each of the three Scenarios.
- For Or Chadash, it was incorporate additions that would be required to make that campus equivalent to the capacity of Temple Emanu-El. It was realized that even with the proposed additions, Or Chadash would not be at the capacity of Temple Emanu-El.
- For Temple Emanu-El, it was to establish a priority for each improvement that we identified so that the costs of some items could be deferred. The Priority List was defined as follows:
Priority One: Items necessary to do immediately either because they were put deferred too long and represented a maintenance problem, health and safety items, or those that were felt to be highly desired enhancements.
Priority Two: Enhancements that were very desirable, but could be put off for a year or two and completed from operating funds
Priority Three: We called these “wish list” items that would be wonderful, but we just can’t do it in the next 3-5 years.
- Alternate C involved selling both facilities, and to truly understand this Alternate’s viability, we need to know what the value of each facility is, as is. We then needed to estimate the cost of a new campus. Though there is experience among the Facilities Task in real estate matters, our estimate of value for each campus was, at best, an educated guess. We used $1,400,000 for Or Chadash and $2,000,000 for Temple Emanu-El. We also believe that these values are optimistically high. This would not represent the net proceeds because there would be costs associated with the sale (commissions, surveys, reports, etc.). The total estimated net revenue would be $3,200,000. This amount is in the range of one-third the cost of a new facility that would duplicate Temple Emanu-El. We concluded that this Alternative was not feasible.
Sunday, December 8, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Reports from the Worship and Clergy Task Forces
Task Force members: From Congregation Or Chadash (OC) – Cantor Janece Cohen, Sarah Bollt, Kathylynn Saboda, Susan Winkler. From Temple Emanu-El (TE) – Cantorial Soloist Marjorie Hochberg, Harold Blatter, Andy Iventosch, Amy Ruskin. Representing Ambassadors – Elaine Jones, Dana Adler, and Mona L. Gibson.
Background: This Task Force was formed to review what the worship practices would look like in a congregation formed by the merging of current OC and TE congregations, to identify any issues or hurdles that might cause a problem in such merger, and then to propose possible solutions to mitigate these concerns.
Process: The worship task force met four times in October/November, alternating between synagogues as scheduling allowed. The culture of each synagogue was discussed and the multitude of worship services were delineated. Task Force members reviewed the history and development of their respective congregations, especially how their culture and ideology have formed each’s approach to worship services, prayers, and festivals.
Findings: Both congregations participate in the Reform Judaism movement but there are differences in the approach to services, the prayer books used, the music and the arrangement of the services. When all services and festivals observed were compared, it was clear that both congregations have a plethora of services to meet the needs of congregants of all ages, and to appeal to many different desires. Both congregations have a rich emphasis on music, food and community. While the facilities at Temple Emanu-El are large enough to hold services for a combined congregation, the Or Chadash representatives expressed concern about being part of a larger congregation and loss of their identity. Although Temple Emanu-El is a Reform congregation, congregants expressed a concern of moving away from the more conservative approach developed over the past two decades.
Proposal: Currently the services have many similarities, yet there are differences that Task Force representatives believe to be significant. Temple Emanu-El’s facility has the capacity to hold multiple services per day or even multiple services at the same time. Offering one service for the combined congregations was suggested for special occasions, such as bat/bar mitzvah services. However, during a period of transition (prior to and after the congregations are merged) parallel services can be conducted (click here for sample schedule). Congregants can enjoy a greater variety of observances under one roof and all services would be open to all congregants, giving our members choice.
Recommendations: It is incumbent upon future members of the congregations’ worship/ritual committees to decide what services to offer, combine, continue or retire. In the meantime, this Worship Task Force recommends the following:
- Each congregation’s ritual committee will work independently according to its traditions until such time the congregations are merged.
- Facility availability and usage will be organized and coordinated with the clergy and administration.
- Life cycle events will be scheduled and coordinated with the clergy and administration.
- Joint services whenever possible will be organized by the ritual committees, clergy and coordinated with administration.
- At every opportunity, we will eat, study and pray together to create a sacred community.
- A Kashrut policy will be established and observed by both congregations.
Rabbi Jose said: Dispose yourself to learn Torah, for it is not an inheritance, and let your actions be for the sake of Heaven. (Pirke Avot 2:12)
Just because your parents were scholars or that you once learned Torah does not exempt yourself from exerting yourself to learn more of the deep values of God. Also, we make a choice to act in accordance with a higher authority as opposed to our own standards, which give our deeds higher value.
Members of Taskforce: Rabbi Thomas Louchheim (Or Chadash), Rabbi Batsheva Appel (Temple Emanu-El), Emily Joseph (Secretary of the Board, Or Chadash), Scott Arden (President, Temple Emanu-El), and Joe Millstone (member of both congregations)
Process
- Consulted with:
- The CCAR Director of Rabbinic Placement the URJ Director of Consulting and Transition Management and three rabbis of merged or merging congregations in New York, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Illinois
- Three meetings: September 17, October 29, and December 3
- Reviewed clergy job descriptions from Temple Emanu-El and Or Chadash
- Reviewed Rabbi Louchheim’s 2019 Self-Evaluation
- Discussed different models of clergy leadership
Future integrated congregation looks like:
- 700 families
- Two rabbis – an interim rabbi[1] and Rabbi Louchheim
- Full time Cantor and Cantorial Soloist
Clergy Model considerations
- Bringing together clergy from somewhat different congregations:
- Ability to more effectively serve the integrated congregation.
- A larger clergy staff can work together to discover innovative ways to serve both the congregational community and the larger community.
- Three clergy models:
- Traditional: Hierarchical arrangement of senior and junior/assistant/associate rabbi. Division of responsibilities is worked out by the clergy.
- Partnership: A new model around the country – two rabbis within a merged congregation work in equal partnership (Baltimore and Illinois – see references below). Not hierarchical where there is a single “senior” rabbi in charge of clergy.
- Co-rabbis: A strict division of responsibilities, not sharing – ie, one rabbi is responsible for all pastoral care while the other is completely responsible for adult education. This doesn’t necessarily negate a senior/associate relationship. In the anecdotal conversations with the CCAR Director of Placement and one of the rabbis in the Illinois congregation, this might not meet the needs of our congregational members.
- Both Cantor Janece Cohen and Cantorial Soloist Marjorie Hochberg have been involved with pastoral and teaching roles in their congregations in addition to their specifically cantorial responsibilities.
- The clergy, in consultation with the Ritual committees, will work to accommodate a diversity of worship experiences.
- An advantage of multiple clergy is:
- Parallel services, which may meet the desires of some members.
- A member of the clergy might be able to engage members outside of the synagogue on Shabbat by having Shabbat in members’ homes or a Shabbat experience with college students.
Describe risks and possible mitigations
- Compensation for clergy is usually proportionate to the congregation size – this should be considered in the financial calculations.
- Lifecycle event being officiated by an unfamiliar member of the clergy, may cause negative reactions from members (this has not been the case so far in Illinois).
- Unsuccessful division of roles and responsibilities
- could be conflict among clergy, or
- not serving the congregants well
- Multiple parallel services on Shabbat may dilute the Shabbat experience for everyone and make integration more difficult.
- An alternative used in Illinois is to vary services within the month.
Recommendation
The Taskforce recommends the establishment of a clergy integration committee to continuously evaluate the success of division of responsibilities and how the clergy are working together and with the congregants. The current recommendation of clergy model is Partnership.
It has been recommended by the CCAR that Rabbi Louchheim take the Intentional Interim Rabbi workshop being held in Phoenix, January 13-16, 2020 (description of interim rabbi is found in footnote 1, above). This workshop will give him tools to serve as a rabbi of a large congregation.
Yehoshua ben Perachyah said: Make for yourself a rabbi; acquire for yourself a friend; and judge every person on the positive side. (Avot 1:6)
The key to human thriving is discovered in seeking opportunities where one can develop personally, professionally and spiritually. A rabbi can be the Jewish role model for others to strengthen social ties and navigate through times of significant transitions. This quest to find new meaning in an unsettled world and to grow as individuals are nurtured through relationships that develop between teacher, student, peers, and new friends. As the individual grows the whole Jewish community flourishes.
Rabbi Thomas Louchheim
[1] An interim rabbi who helps a congregation successfully navigate a transition period. Their focus is on Heritage (reviewing how the congregation was shaped and formed), Leadership (reviewing members’ needs and its ways of developing and organizing new and effective leadership), Mission (defining and redefining the congregation’s sense of mission and direction), Connections (discovering relationships a congregation has outside of its community), and Future (develops congregational and pastoral profiles).
-
In early 2019, the Boards of Directors of Congregation Or Chadash and Temple Emanu-El initiated discussions between representatives of each congregation (“Ambassadors”) to consider a possible future together under two scenarios:
- Continued or increased collaborations in targeted areas, such as Religious School and Sisterhood.
- A future merger with analysis of potential positive outcomes, negative aspects and possible strategies to address barriers to successful merger.
In August 2019, with the guidance of Rabbi Fine of URJ, we populated eight (8) task forces to explore key aspects of the two scenarios. 1) Finance 2) Governance 3) Facilities 4) Religious School 5) Worship 6) Clergy 7) Communications 8) Joint Programming. The reports for the first six will be sent out to congregations ahead of townhalls as follows: There will be no reports from Communications or Joint Programming as these dealt with ongoing activities not with projections about our future.
Sunday, Nov 3: Finance and Governance reports at Or Chadash 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and at Temple Emanu-El 1:00-2:00 p.m.
Sunday, Nov 17: Facilities and Religious Schools at Or Chadash 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and at Temple Emanu-El 1:00-2:00 p.m.
Sunday Dec 8: Worship and Clergy at Or Chadash 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and at Temple Emanu-El 1:00-2:00 p.m.Please click on the buttons below to read the Task Force reports.
Sunday, November 3, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Reports from the Finance & Governance Task Forces
-
Congregation Or Chadash: Gary Kippur (First VP) and Mark Ross (Treasurer)
Temple Emanu-El: Scott Arden (President), Jeff Rein (Treasurer), Jerry Cohen (VP)The finance task force members first signed a non-disclosure agreement in Spring, 2019, and then reviewed the budgets and financial situations of both synagogues together. The initial review revealed that both synagogues are facing financial challenges and that our financial situation would very likely be stronger with a merger than remaining independent/separate with ongoing collaborations.
Therefore, they proceeded to conduct a more detailed analyses to compare financial projections if we remain independent (with continued collaboration) versus financial projections if we merge. The following factors were incorporated into projections for the first year after our merger, a second year with merger, and a third year. These are based on a plan to market the Or Chadash property and centralize the new, combined congregation at the current Temple Emanu-El facility.
Assumptions applied in financial projections:
- Two Rabbis, a Cantor and a Cantorial Soloist- our anticipated clergy with larger congregation
- Legal fees: $25,000 for legal fees related to merger of the two synagogues
- Maintaining Or Chadash property until sale: $25,000 During the first year and $15,000 in the 2nd year.
- Facility repairs and upgrades at the current Temple Emanu-El facility: The facilities task force created a plan to prioritize repairs/upgrades over several years (Their report will be sent out before the Nov 17 town halls). We worked from an assumption that the costs of repairs/upgrades would be drawn from existing cash flow. Funds from the sale of the Or Chadash property were not included in these projections.
- Membership dues: Based on information from URJ about the experiences of other congregations who have merged, we considered a scenario as follows: an overall loss of no more than 10% of combined membership in the first year and increases of 5% in the second years and third years. Projections were based on current membership dues structures at both congregations.
- Elimination of duplicate services and facility expenses (one property to maintain instead of two and staffing for a larger, single congregation)
Here is the Summary of the analyses based on the above assumptions.
- Remaining separate: We are likely to break even, at best. We may face budget shortfalls with consequent implementation of new cost-saving measures along with increased reliance on fundraising strategies.
- Financial Forecasts for the first three years, beginning with the first year:
*Note: The term “net income” means the amount of money available after all expenses are subtracted from expected revenues i.e. in the black.- Year 1: Net income about $200,000.00
*Note: the first year would have some one-time expenses e.g. Maintaining Or Chadash property until it is sold. - Year 2: Net income up to about $250,000.00
- Year 3: Net income up to over $300,000.00
- Year 1: Net income about $200,000.00
The financial projections noted here are based on assumptions that may change with new information. We cannot provide you with more details on the projected budget with merger as this is sensitive information for both congregations, and this executive summary will be made available to congregants. We will provide congregants with hard copies (numbered) and more details at the in-person discussion at Or Chadash (and Temple Emanu-El) on Sunday, November 3. We look forward to talking with you soon.
-
Task Force members: Harriet Kronman and Howard Paley from Congregation Or Chadash (OC); Simon Rosenblatt, and Mona Gibson from Temple Emanu-El (TE) and member of Ambassadors Group.
Background: This Task Force was formed to review what governance would look like in a congregation created by the merging of current OC and TE congregations, to identify any issues or hurdles that might cause a problem in such a merger, and then to propose possible solutions to mitigate these concerns.
Process: The governance task force met on August 21st and September 4th at the lovely home of Harriet
Kronman. The Bylaws of each congregation were shared with each other. Temple’s articles of incorporation,
including information from the original document were also shared. We determined the areas of governance
that we would discuss included By Laws, Articles of Incorporation, Governing Board and its creation per the
Nominating Committee and the process of the Nominating Committee.Highlights: Attached are the notes of each meeting of the task force. Following are the highlights of our
conversations related to governance, identifying the issues and proposing solutions:- The by-laws of each congregation are relatively similar, with a few differences. The differences do not
appear to be insurmountable. We recommend a committee comprised of members of each congregation be formed to create a new set of by-laws for the merged congregation which selects the
best of both current by-laws. We believe by-laws must be approved prior to filing Articles of
Incorporation. - The Articles of Incorporation of the new entity will need to be submitted to the State of Arizona once a
new name for the merged congregation is decided. We recommend forming a task force tasked with
naming the new congregation which is extremely important and integral to the development of this new community. - The Board of Directors for the merged congregation will need to be proposed by a nominating
committee which precedes the merger. The issue is basically timing. We recommend both
congregations go through their normal process of “staffing” a Nominating committee to provide
members to a super Nominating Committee during the transition period which is after the decision to
merge is decided and before the congregations actually merge (possibly January 2020 – July 2021). - We recommend the new merged Board of Directors continue with the active members of both
congregations finishing out their terms without concern to the size of the first board. However, the
officers/executive committee of the newly created Board (such as President, Vice President, Treasurer
and Secretary) should be proposed to the new congregation as one slate. Our task force believes this
future super Nominating Committee will have to work out the representation from the former
congregations for the proposed new executive committee. - After the Memo of Understanding is agreed upon and the decision to move forward to a merger is
decided, it would then be relevant to have a By-Laws task force during the transition period to develop
the rules and procedures for the super Nominating Committee.
Conclusion: The most difficult aspect of merging our two congregations from a governance perspective is
figuring out how to move from two separate Boards to one Board of Directors. Decisions regarding Nominating Committee, Board of Directors make-up and synagogue naming will be deferred to future task forces. Our current and past presidents have not had any issues working together during these conversations and it is our belief that a workable solution will be easily developed. - The by-laws of each congregation are relatively similar, with a few differences. The differences do not
Sunday, November 17, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Reports from the Facilities & Religious School Task Forces
-
Click here to view the PowerPoint.
Task Force Attendees:
Rina Liebeskind, Or Chadash Exec. Admin & Director of Youth Engagement
Jill Sobieszyk, 3rd-4th gr. Or Chadash RS Teacher
Suzie Stadheim, 4th & 7th gr. Or Chadash Parent
Abby Limmer, Temple Emanu-El Kurn Religious School Director
Allison Neja, 6th gr. Temple Emanu-El Teacher, 5th gr. Parent
Marla Harris and Jared Rubin, 2nd and 4th gr. Temple Emanu-El Parents
Brie Finegold, Temple Emanu-El Board of Directors, 8th grade teacher, 3rd grade parentExisting Collaboration/Commonalities
The joint 8th grade trip to Jewish Los Angeles transformed last year into a joint 7th-8th grade trip that will repeat in 2021. One joint Camp Experience rather than separate camp fairs. Working to rename JCTEY and JJCTEY to include OC students in TE’s NFTY-affiliated youth groups.Both synagogues participate in the Shinshinim program and both have a madrichim program.
Existing Schedules
Day of the Week Temple Emanu-El Or Chadash Sunday 9:00-noon 9:30-noon Tuesday 4:00-6:00 p.m. Thursday 4:30-6:30 p.m. Steps to a Future Merger
- Have social functions for the students to become one community. Recruit middle schoolers from OC and TE with older kids’ help into NFTY-affiliated youth groups.
- Work with Finance Task Force to determine to what extent merging of schools will change budget and/or reduce tuition. Note that cost of supplies would remain the same.
- Decide how to align schedules for both Hebrew School. Possibilities include:
- Two days per week of Hebrew school to which any member can choose to attend one or the other consistently throughout the year – this could be transitional or permanent
- Have same curriculum, same teachers
- Have different curricula, different teachers
- One day per week of Hebrew school
- Two days per week of Hebrew school to which any member can choose to attend one or the other consistently throughout the year – this could be transitional or permanent
- Decide how to align Sunday School schedules and curricula:
- Later than 9am start and have 3 hours or have 2.5 or 2.75 hours
- 9am start and noon end (no one seemed interested in ending earlier than noon)
- Work to keep Chuggim (electives) as well as signature events like Mitzvah Fair, etc.
- Set aside appropriate furniture and custodial help to accommodate larger classes (this is plausible to do at Temple Emanu-El)
Current Grade Cong. Or Chadash Temple Emanu-El Total # of Students Pre-K* 10 4 14 Kindergarten 4 5 9 1st 3 7 10 2nd 3 6 9 3rd 7 15 22 4th 7 4 11 5th 6 8 14 6th 13 7 20 7th 12 6 18 8th 3 5 8 Table 1: These are the numbers per grade for the 2019-2020 years. Once combined, some of the grades will have to be divided into 2 classes.
*Pre-K includes 2 years of students, 3- and 4-year olds.
- Decide on B’nei Mitzvah Schedules and Training
- Resolve conflicts for 2 dates: 10/17/20 and 10/24/20
- Unify B’nei Mitzvah Training practices with Ritual Committee help
- Work to unify Hebrew school curricula and incorporate Hebrew@Home.
- Decide whether to pursue accreditation, since that will be lost.
Risks and Mitigations
- People may feel like they “don’t know everybody”
- More kids means stronger sense of Jewish belonging/identity, less chance of being the only one
- Changing the schedules may alienate people
- Offer both schedules on weekdays to find what people gravitate towards
- Offer some of the same activities but on a different timeline/compromise on timing
- People may lose programs that they enjoy or that curricula has changed too much
- Point out new opportunities due to larger classes and more resources
- Work to identify people’s favorite activities and preserve them
- Work to include teachers (and parents) in unification of curricula
- Or Chadash would lose its accreditation
- Work to regain it so as to preserve prestige as only AZ accredited religious school
- Change of location may alienate people
- Facilitate carpooling
- Strengthen Hebrew@Home
- Having to reduce staff or financially support two sets of staff
- Allow for natural attrition
- Conflicting B’nei Mitzvah schedules may force kids to choose whose to attend or alienate families with special ties to that date.
- Joint B’nei mitzvah
- Morning and afternoon service
-
Click here to view the full report. Below is the Executive Summary.
In early 2019, the Boards of Directors of both Or Chadash and Temple Emanu-El initiated discussion between representatives of each congregation (hereafter, “Ambassadors”) to discuss what a future state might look like under two Scenarios:
- Continue more of the same targeted collaboration (Religious School, etc.).
- Map out steps to a future merger with a description of risks to success and possible mitigations.
Eight “Task Forces” were formed to explore all aspects of the two Scenarios. This report represents the results of the “Real Estate/Fixed Assets/Facilities” Task Force. For convenience, we shortened to the Facilities Task Force.
Further, our Task Force believed that Scenario One, continued collaboration, would not require any changes to either the Or Chadash or Temple Emanu-El facilities. Our study and report were therefore confined to Scenario Two, merger of the two congregations.
For Scenario 2, our purpose was twofold: 1) present logical data regarding both facilities that would allow all congregation members to evaluate for themselves the three options (see below) available. And, 2) present details of recommended improvements and their costs for each of alternative.
The three alternatives studied were as follows:
- Expand the Or Chadash campus to accommodate an enlarged congregation and education base.
- Improve the Temple Emanu-El campus to correct for deferred maintenance and health & safety issues, and to provide aesthetic improvements that would result in an attractive ambiance which would encourage even more use of it.
- Sell both the Temple Emanu-El and Or Chadash properties, acquire a new vacant property, and build a brand-new place of worship.
Our method for accomplishing our task was to provide a detailed inventory of each campus’ facilities, provide a fact-based comparison, and finally, create a list comparing the results of our study. We highlighted the costs of each and the pros and cons.
Each sub-task was assigned to a member of the group.
The studies emphasized different elements of each of the three Scenarios.
- For Or Chadash, it was incorporate additions that would be required to make that campus equivalent to the capacity of Temple Emanu-El. It was realized that even with the proposed additions, Or Chadash would not be at the capacity of Temple Emanu-El.
- For Temple Emanu-El, it was to establish a priority for each improvement that we identified so that the costs of some items could be deferred. The Priority List was defined as follows:
Priority One: Items necessary to do immediately either because they were put deferred too long and represented a maintenance problem, health and safety items, or those that were felt to be highly desired enhancements.
Priority Two: Enhancements that were very desirable, but could be put off for a year or two and completed from operating funds
Priority Three: We called these “wish list” items that would be wonderful, but we just can’t do it in the next 3-5 years.
- Alternate C involved selling both facilities, and to truly understand this Alternate’s viability, we need to know what the value of each facility is, as is. We then needed to estimate the cost of a new campus. Though there is experience among the Facilities Task in real estate matters, our estimate of value for each campus was, at best, an educated guess. We used $1,400,000 for Or Chadash and $2,000,000 for Temple Emanu-El. We also believe that these values are optimistically high. This would not represent the net proceeds because there would be costs associated with the sale (commissions, surveys, reports, etc.). The total estimated net revenue would be $3,200,000. This amount is in the range of one-third the cost of a new facility that would duplicate Temple Emanu-El. We concluded that this Alternative was not feasible.
Sunday, December 8, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Reports from the Worship and Clergy Task Forces
-
Task Force members: From Congregation Or Chadash (OC) – Cantor Janece Cohen, Sarah Bollt, Kathylynn Saboda, Susan Winkler. From Temple Emanu-El (TE) – Cantorial Soloist Marjorie Hochberg, Harold Blatter, Andy Iventosch, Amy Ruskin. Representing Ambassadors – Elaine Jones, Dana Adler, and Mona L. Gibson.
Background: This Task Force was formed to review what the worship practices would look like in a congregation formed by the merging of current OC and TE congregations, to identify any issues or hurdles that might cause a problem in such merger, and then to propose possible solutions to mitigate these concerns.
Process: The worship task force met four times in October/November, alternating between synagogues as scheduling allowed. The culture of each synagogue was discussed and the multitude of worship services were delineated. Task Force members reviewed the history and development of their respective congregations, especially how their culture and ideology have formed each’s approach to worship services, prayers, and festivals.
Findings: Both congregations participate in the Reform Judaism movement but there are differences in the approach to services, the prayer books used, the music and the arrangement of the services. When all services and festivals observed were compared, it was clear that both congregations have a plethora of services to meet the needs of congregants of all ages, and to appeal to many different desires. Both congregations have a rich emphasis on music, food and community. While the facilities at Temple Emanu-El are large enough to hold services for a combined congregation, the Or Chadash representatives expressed concern about being part of a larger congregation and loss of their identity. Although Temple Emanu-El is a Reform congregation, congregants expressed a concern of moving away from the more conservative approach developed over the past two decades.
Proposal: Currently the services have many similarities, yet there are differences that Task Force representatives believe to be significant. Temple Emanu-El’s facility has the capacity to hold multiple services per day or even multiple services at the same time. Offering one service for the combined congregations was suggested for special occasions, such as bat/bar mitzvah services. However, during a period of transition (prior to and after the congregations are merged) parallel services can be conducted (click here for sample schedule). Congregants can enjoy a greater variety of observances under one roof and all services would be open to all congregants, giving our members choice.
Recommendations: It is incumbent upon future members of the congregations’ worship/ritual committees to decide what services to offer, combine, continue or retire. In the meantime, this Worship Task Force recommends the following:
- Each congregation’s ritual committee will work independently according to its traditions until such time the congregations are merged.
- Facility availability and usage will be organized and coordinated with the clergy and administration.
- Life cycle events will be scheduled and coordinated with the clergy and administration.
- Joint services whenever possible will be organized by the ritual committees, clergy and coordinated with administration.
- At every opportunity, we will eat, study and pray together to create a sacred community.
- A Kashrut policy will be established and observed by both congregations.
-
Rabbi Jose said: Dispose yourself to learn Torah, for it is not an inheritance, and let your actions be for the sake of Heaven. (Pirke Avot 2:12)
Just because your parents were scholars or that you once learned Torah does not exempt yourself from exerting yourself to learn more of the deep values of God. Also, we make a choice to act in accordance with a higher authority as opposed to our own standards, which give our deeds higher value.
Members of Taskforce: Rabbi Thomas Louchheim (Or Chadash), Rabbi Batsheva Appel (Temple Emanu-El), Emily Joseph (Secretary of the Board, Or Chadash), Scott Arden (President, Temple Emanu-El), and Joe Millstone (member of both congregations)
Process
- Consulted with:
- The CCAR Director of Rabbinic Placement the URJ Director of Consulting and Transition Management and three rabbis of merged or merging congregations in New York, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Illinois
- Three meetings: September 17, October 29, and December 3
- Reviewed clergy job descriptions from Temple Emanu-El and Or Chadash
- Reviewed Rabbi Louchheim’s 2019 Self-Evaluation
- Discussed different models of clergy leadership
Future integrated congregation looks like:
- 700 families
- Two rabbis – an interim rabbi[1] and Rabbi Louchheim
- Full time Cantor and Cantorial Soloist
Clergy Model considerations
- Bringing together clergy from somewhat different congregations:
- Ability to more effectively serve the integrated congregation.
- A larger clergy staff can work together to discover innovative ways to serve both the congregational community and the larger community.
- Three clergy models:
- Traditional: Hierarchical arrangement of senior and junior/assistant/associate rabbi. Division of responsibilities is worked out by the clergy.
- Partnership: A new model around the country – two rabbis within a merged congregation work in equal partnership (Baltimore and Illinois – see references below). Not hierarchical where there is a single “senior” rabbi in charge of clergy.
- Co-rabbis: A strict division of responsibilities, not sharing – ie, one rabbi is responsible for all pastoral care while the other is completely responsible for adult education. This doesn’t necessarily negate a senior/associate relationship. In the anecdotal conversations with the CCAR Director of Placement and one of the rabbis in the Illinois congregation, this might not meet the needs of our congregational members.
- Both Cantor Janece Cohen and Cantorial Soloist Marjorie Hochberg have been involved with pastoral and teaching roles in their congregations in addition to their specifically cantorial responsibilities.
- The clergy, in consultation with the Ritual committees, will work to accommodate a diversity of worship experiences.
- An advantage of multiple clergy is:
- Parallel services, which may meet the desires of some members.
- A member of the clergy might be able to engage members outside of the synagogue on Shabbat by having Shabbat in members’ homes or a Shabbat experience with college students.
Describe risks and possible mitigations
- Compensation for clergy is usually proportionate to the congregation size – this should be considered in the financial calculations.
- Lifecycle event being officiated by an unfamiliar member of the clergy, may cause negative reactions from members (this has not been the case so far in Illinois).
- Unsuccessful division of roles and responsibilities
- could be conflict among clergy, or
- not serving the congregants well
- Multiple parallel services on Shabbat may dilute the Shabbat experience for everyone and make integration more difficult.
- An alternative used in Illinois is to vary services within the month.
Recommendation
The Taskforce recommends the establishment of a clergy integration committee to continuously evaluate the success of division of responsibilities and how the clergy are working together and with the congregants. The current recommendation of clergy model is Partnership.
It has been recommended by the CCAR that Rabbi Louchheim take the Intentional Interim Rabbi workshop being held in Phoenix, January 13-16, 2020 (description of interim rabbi is found in footnote 1, above). This workshop will give him tools to serve as a rabbi of a large congregation.
Yehoshua ben Perachyah said: Make for yourself a rabbi; acquire for yourself a friend; and judge every person on the positive side. (Avot 1:6)
The key to human thriving is discovered in seeking opportunities where one can develop personally, professionally and spiritually. A rabbi can be the Jewish role model for others to strengthen social ties and navigate through times of significant transitions. This quest to find new meaning in an unsettled world and to grow as individuals are nurtured through relationships that develop between teacher, student, peers, and new friends. As the individual grows the whole Jewish community flourishes.
Rabbi Thomas Louchheim
[1] An interim rabbi who helps a congregation successfully navigate a transition period. Their focus is on Heritage (reviewing how the congregation was shaped and formed), Leadership (reviewing members’ needs and its ways of developing and organizing new and effective leadership), Mission (defining and redefining the congregation’s sense of mission and direction), Connections (discovering relationships a congregation has outside of its community), and Future (develops congregational and pastoral profiles).
- Consulted with:
-
The Ambassadors met to review proposals from consultants to assist our congregations in implementation of our move to a united congregation. We will communicate to you the chosen consultant once the respective Boards have an opportunity to review the Ambassadors’ recommendation and take action.
-
Temple Emanu-El and Congregation Or Chadash counted ballots on Sunday, February 9th regarding the proposed Memorandum of Understanding to move forward with merging our congregations.Both congregations gave strong approval for the MOU. A total of 140 Temple Emanu-El congregants voted, with a 95% (n=133) “yes” votes.A total of 264 Or Chadash congregants voted with a 77% (n=204) “yes” to approve the MOU. The Ambassadors and the Boards of Directors will move forward toward merger, in keeping with the approved MOU. We’ll continue to keep you updated.Thank you to all our congregants for participating in this important decision. And please feel free to share your thoughts and comments by writing to our shared email account at JewishTucson@gmail.com.Elaine Jones, PhD, PresidentCongregation Or Chadash
-
The proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between our congregations about our potential merger was distributed to both congregations. A memorandum of understanding (MOU) is an agreement between two or more parties outlined in a formal document. It is not legally binding but signals the willingness of the parties to move forward with a common line of action. The MOU content was solidified after numerous conversations with legal counsel, Board members, and congregants.
Congregation Or Chadash has established a mail-in ballot voting process which will culminate with counting votes publicly on Sunday, February 9th beginning at 12:30 p.m. Temple Emanu-El will have a special Congregational Meeting on the same day, February 9th, at which attendees will vote in person, or by phone or email during that same time period. We will notify both congregations about the results as soon as possible after the counting on Sunday, February 9th.
This is what your vote this coming Sunday means:
A YES vote means: you approve the proposed MOU as a framework for the Board of Directors to continue working toward a merger of the two congregations. If the MOU is approved, we will schedule another vote on a specific Plan of Merger per current Arizona Law. The Plan of Merger will include greater details than the proposed MOU.
A NO vote means: you do not approve the proposed MOU and work toward a merger will be suspended and we will revisit plans for the future of Temple Emanu-El. We will consider alternative strategies for long-term survival.
Continuing from last week’s report, we want to answer a couple more frequently asked questions.
- Where would our new congregation be located?
The financially feasible choice is to use the Temple Emanu-El location at 225 N. Country Club. Other possibilities were thoroughly investigated, including the construction of a new synagogue. However, the financial and facilities task forces concluded that using the structure already in existence that can accommodate the most families is best. In the event of a merger, Or Chadash’s building could be put up for sale, but it is not currently on the market. - Who was involved in the process of merging our congregations?
Each synagogue’s Board assembled a team of congregants called Ambassadors, as well as a set of Task Forces involving additional members of each congregation. These Task Forces assessed the feasibility as well as potential challenges to merging in areas such as joint ritual and worship, finance, governance, facilities, religious school, etc. Each Board approved actions to follow-up on the recommendations of these task forces and to take measures to allow for the possibility of merging. Each member/family in good standing at both institutions is eligible to cast a vote as to whether the two congregations should merge (this Sunday, February 9th!!).
We are still in the process of determining if the congregations should merge. To stay up-to-date, please view these weekly Ambassadors reports and each of the Task Forces reports at both congregation’s websites.
The results of your vote will be announced in this column next week. Please stay connected to find out more about the next steps in our ongoing conversation. And please feel free to share your thoughts and comments by writing to our shared email account at JewishTucson@gmail.com.
- Where would our new congregation be located?
-
The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between our congregations about our potential merger and the process required for a merger was distributed to both congregations last week. A memorandum of understanding (MOU) is an agreement between two or more parties outlined in a formal document. It is not legally binding but signals the willingness of the parties to move forward with a common line of action. The MOU content was solidified after numerous conversations with legal counsel, Board members, and congregants.
Congregation Or Chadash has established a mail-in ballot voting process which will culminate with counting votes publicly on Sunday, February 9th. Temple Emanu-El will have a special Congregational Meeting on the same day, February 9th, when attendees will vote. Temple will announce a call-in option and more alternative absentee balloting options shortly. The meetings at both congregations will begin at 12:30 p.m.
We want to take the opportunity in this and next week’s weekly email communications to answer several frequently asked questions.
- What would be the end result of a merger of Congregation Or Chadash and Temple Emanu-El?
The end result would be a new congregation that respects the history of the two institutions and evolves with future generations to enrich and sustain Tucson’s Reform Jewish community, creating a more vibrant atmosphere than either institution could have offered alone. This would be a congregation at whose instantiation we could all chant the Shehecheyanu, feeling the weight and truth of the words, “sustained us and brought us to this season.” - What would be our new congregation’s name?
While this is an important topic to address, we have not yet broached it. We are very cognizant of the fact that the name should reflect the new energy and evolving nature of a merged institution. We will form a new committee to address this topic if the MOU is approved. - Who would be the clergy for our new congregation?
We will honor current contracts and work together to retain clergy or to find new clergy as necessary. In 2019, Rabbi Appel informed the Temple Emanu-El Board that she will not seek renewal of her contract, which ends on June 30, 2020. Thus, Temple Emanu-El is actively searching for an interim rabbi to serve a one-year term. Rabbi Louchheim would continue on as part of the clergy for the merged synagogue. The merged board will be responsible for finding any other clergy that the congregation will need. We anticipate that this would include a second rabbi after the services of the interim rabbi are concluded.
Please stay connected to find out more about the next steps in our ongoing conversation. Please feel free to share your thoughts and comments by writing to our shared email account at jewishtucson@gmail.com.
- What would be the end result of a merger of Congregation Or Chadash and Temple Emanu-El?
-
The Ambassadors completed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between our congregations about our potential merger and the process to take to make that happen. A memorandum of understanding (MOU) is an agreement between two or more parties outlined in a formal document. It is not legally binding but signals the willingness of the parties to move forward with a common line of action. After numerous conversations with legal counsel, Board members and congregants, the MOU was distributed to each congregation.
The detailed MOU with its introduction will be distributed to all congregants of each congregation. The two synagogues will conduct a vote of its members. Or Chadash has established a mail-in ballot voting process which will culminate with counting votes publicly on Sunday, February 9th. Temple Emanu-El will have a Special Congregational Meeting on the same day, February 9th, where attendees will vote during the meeting, with alternative absentee balloting options to be announced. Both meetings will begin at 12:30 p.m. and end at 2:00 p.m. Details of these processes will be forthcoming to each congregation by your leadership.
As stated last week; if the MOU is approved by both congregations:
- Boards of Directors vote to authorize expenditures related to preparations for merger
- Apply for funding for expenses related to merger (IMPACT)
- Hire a consultant to help with the steps in a merger
- Create new committees to assist in development of the details in the Plan of Merger
- Retain legal counsel to draft final documents in accordance with current Arizona Law, including Articles of Incorporation and Plan for Merger
- Congregational vote on Plan of Merger
If the MOU is not approved by both congregations:
- Work toward a merger will be suspended
- Usual annual financial planning process will continue for each synagogue
- Each Board will review their financial situation and work to mitigate losses for the current and upcoming fiscal year
- Fundraising efforts through dues and donations will be redoubled. Expenses associated with programming, services and administration may be cut
- Boards of Directors will consider merging Religious Schools while remaining as independent congregations
Please stay connected to find out more about the next steps in our ongoing conversation.
And please feel free to share your thoughts and comments by writing to our shared email account at JewishTucson@gmail.com.
-
We’ve been busy since the 2nd meeting with the Finance Task Force on January 6! The Ambassadors met to review our status, the current draft of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between our congregations, and the process necessary to continue toward a potential merger. A memorandum of understanding (MOU) is an agreement between two or more parties outlined in a formal document. It is not legally binding but signals the willingness of the parties to move forward with a common line of action.
Click here to view the PowerPoint from our January 12th Town Hall Meeting.
The MOU has eight essential elements, including the following:
- Combined congregations at 225 N. Country Club
- Religious schools will be combined
- Worship service styles decided by clergy and Ritual Committee
- Clergy continue. Their roles/responsibilities negotiated with the new board
- Administrative functions/financial operations merged
- Governance merged, with equal representation of former congregations
- New committees e.g. mission/vision, naming, governance, yahrzeit board, and Imagination Committee
- Target date: On or before December 31, 2020. The timeline is subject to change based on the progress of the various committees and the approval of the two boards.
The detailed MOU with its introduction will be distributed to all congregants of each congregation. The two synagogues will conduct a vote of their members. Or Chadash has established a mail-in ballot voting process which will culminate with counting votes publicly on Sunday, February 9th. Temple will have a Special Congregational Meeting on the same day, February 9th, where attendees will vote during the meeting. Details of these processes will be forthcoming to each congregation by your leadership.
If the MOU is approved by both congregations:
- Boards of Directors vote to authorize expenditures related to preparations for merger.
- Apply for funding for expenses related to merger (IMPACT)
- Hire a consultant to help with the steps in a merger
- Create new committees to assist in development of the details in the Plan of Merger
- Retain legal counsel to draft final documents in accordance with current Arizona Law, including Articles of Incorporation and Plan for Merger
- Congregational vote on Plan of Merger
If the MOU is not approved by both congregations:
- Work toward a merger will be suspended
- Usual annual financial planning process will continue for each synagogue
- Each Board will review their financial situation and work to mitigate losses for the current and upcoming fiscal year
- Fundraising efforts through dues and donations will be redoubled, and expenses associated with programming, services, and administration will likely be cut
- Boards of Directors will consider merging Religious Schools while remaining as independent congregations
Please stay connected to find out more about the next steps in our ongoing conversation.
And please feel free to share your thoughts and comments by writing to our shared email account at JewishTucson@gmail.com.
-
Members of both congregations attended the Finance Task Force open meeting on Monday, January 6, 2020 at 6:30 pm in the Temple Emanu-El Schlanger Chapel. Approximately 90 people were present to ask financial questions relating to the talks between Temple Emanu-El and Congregation Or Chadash. Elaine Jones and Scott Arden, Presidents of Or Chadash and Temple Emanu-El, respectively, moderated the meeting. Mark Ross and Jeffrey Rein, Treasurers of each congregation, responded to questions and comments for about two hours.
There were many questions regarding the Financial Task Force report, as well as specific line items in the sample combined budget for the current and future fiscal years. Concerns were raised about cash flow issues, proposed savings, and future expenses. Several members, representative of both congregations, expressed their appreciation of the efforts to bring these talks to fruition and of their interest in seeking a combined congregation.
Please stay connected to find out more about the next steps in our ongoing conversation. And please feel free to share your thoughts and comments by writing to our shared email account at JewishTucson@gmail.com.
-
The calendar year of 2019 was significant for our synagogues and a pivotal time for our collective future. During this season of reflection and celebration, we hope you had a Happy Chanukah and a safe secular New Year celebration.
During January, the Ambassadors will prepare a memorandum of understanding between our two congregations that will outline the elements of a merged congregation and the steps to be taken to move us to this new entity after approval by both congregations. After seeking advice from our respective legal counsel, we will present the document to our Boards and our congregations.
To ensure our congregants are fully informed, all of the Ambassadors’ weekly and monthly reports, and every task force’s findings and presentation, are posted on our websites for your review and re-reading. Prior to casting your ballot to decide if we proceed with merging our congregations, you will be alerted to the voting process by several methods. Please make sure to contact your synagogue’s administration to confirm that you are a member in good standing in order to be able to vote. And look for further information and voting process announcements in your email and online.
Thank you for the commitment and passion that you bring to this conversation. And please feel free to share your thoughts and comments by writing to our shared email account at JewishTucson@gmail.com.
-
The Ambassadors created eight task forces to actively envision what a merger of our congregations would look like, identify any hurdles that would conflict with this future, and provide possible solutions to these issues. Six of these task forces will be reporting to our congregations during November and early December in order for the members of both congregations to hear first-hand their findings from these groups. The Communications and Collaborative Efforts task forces will not be reporting as they are already actively working to ensure that our congregants are aware of our processes and have opportunities to meet/work with each other during this time period.
Our third Town Hall meeting to roll out two of our Task Force reports was held on Sunday, December 8, 2019. As promised, these reports from the Worship and Clergy Task Forces are being emailed to congregants and posted to our synagogue websites. The meetings at each synagogue were well attended, and we thank you all for your continued interest and fabulous questions.
The representatives presenting from the Worship Task Force were Kathylynn Saboda of Or Chadash and Amy Ruskin of Temple Emanu-El. They both presented portions of the presentation with outstanding content and a deep understanding of each of our congregation’s worship activities. The task force reviewed recent and upcoming collaborative efforts between our congregations and the great many types of services in common that are currently offered. Though the services are in large part similar, there are many substantive differences in the approaches taken by the clergy. The task force believed that each congregation’s ritual committee would continue to abide by the traditions of each shul and continue during a transition period that would overlay the actual legal merger into a new entity. During this transition period, there would be parallel services with a multitude of opportunities for all congregants to enjoy a great variety of observances under one roof and to become familiar with different ritual styles. The length of the transition period is not defined by any given date, but rather by the clergy and congregation at large. And, at every opportunity, we will eat, study, and pray together to create a joint sacred community.
The representatives presenting the Clergy Task Force included Rabbi Thomas Louchheim and Emily Joseph of Or Chadash in the morning presentation, and Emily again with Scott Arden of Temple Emanu-El for the afternoon presentation. They reviewed the process the task force took, including extensive research of successful congregational mergers as well as review of different models of clergy leadership. A combined congregation would include two rabbis with both cantor and cantorial soloist and will accommodate a diversity of worship experiences. A clergy integration committee will continuously evaluate the success of the division of responsibilities among the clergy, and how they are working together and with the congregants. The spiritual future of our congregation will be through collaborative problem-solving – working together to understand and change conditions that involves congregants to raise their own consciousness to the fundamental issues that face our Jewish community.
In the morning Town Hall at Or Chadash, Dave Flyer reported on a very detailed and professional process for congregants to vote via a mail-in ballot. At the afternoon session at Temple Emanu-El, Mona Gibson explained that Temple will use the same process as developed by Dave and have requested his guidance on this most important administrative matter.
Our next step is to prepare an outline of the elements of a merged congregation and the steps to be taken to move us to this new entity. Our congregants will be fully informed before any vote is taken. All of our weekly and monthly reports, task force findings and presentations, and general information will be posted to our websites for your review.
Thank you for the commitment and passion that you bring to this conversation. And please feel free to share your thoughts and comments by writing to our shared email account at JewishTucson@gmail.com.
-
The Ambassadors will be meeting this week to review our last Town Hall meetings where the Religious School and Facilities Task Forces reported their findings. Last week’s communication reviewed the information for you and remember, the final reports and presentations are posted to our synagogue websites.
As we all begin our travels and preparations for Thanksgiving, we want to take a moment to acknowledge all of you for your commitment and passion to our congregations. Both Or Chadash and Temple Emanu-El have an incredible sacred community where warmth, care and concern are in abundance. We are thankful for all of your contributions to these conversations between our synagogues.Our next Town Hall meetings will be on 12/08/2019 – Worship and Clergy, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. at Or Chadash and 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. at Temple Emanu-El. Members of each task force will present their findings, and our goal continues to be to review and discuss each new report openly and honestly. Our congregants will have opportunities to learn more about each topic and to be fully informed before any vote is taken. We will publish meeting reminders via our weekly email communications, and we’ve posted the schedule on our websites.
Thank you for the commitment and passion that you bring to this conversation. And please feel free to share your thoughts and comments by writing to our shared email account at JewishTucson@gmail.com.
May you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving week, where you experience the joy of family, companionship of good friends, and gratitude of the rich land in which we live.
-
The Ambassadors created eight task forces to actively envision what a merger of our congregations would look like, identify any hurdles that would conflict with this future, and provide possible solutions to these issues. Six of these task forces are reporting to our congregations during November and early December in order for the members of both congregations to hear first-hand their findings from these groups. The Communications and Collaborative Efforts task forces will not be reporting as they are working to ensure that our congregants are aware of our processes and have opportunities to meet/work with each other during this time period.
Our second Town Hall meeting to roll out two of our Task Force reports was held on Sunday, November 17, 2019. As promised, these reports from the Religious School and Facilities Task Forces were emailed to congregants and posted to our synagogue websites (see above). The meetings at each synagogue were well attended and we thank you all for your continued interest and fabulous questions.
The representatives presenting from the Religious School Task Force were Rina Liebeskind of Or Chadash and Dr. Abby Limmer of Temple Emanu-El. They both presented portions of the presentation with incredible content, graphics, and wonderful transitions between the slides. They began by reviewing the current collaborative efforts that have been ongoing for quite some time. Though our Sunday school programs have significant overlap, the Hebrew school offered during the week has more differences in date/time but similarities in curriculum. Combining students of the schools would mean full classes in each grade. The task force members advised that the biggest hurdles to overcome are location, loss of accreditation of the OC school, and our students/families no longer feeling connected. Many suggestions were proposed for further review to mitigate these issues such as providing transportation, applying immediately for accreditation, having opportunities for students to enjoy social events together, and strengthening Temple’s Hebrew@Home program. Overall, the task force believed that a merger of our religious schools could be successful.
The representatives presenting the Facilities Task Force included Steve Tofel of Temple, Ron Schneider of Temple, and Mo Riback of Or Chadash. Steve started them off and each one took turns presenting their findings. With the possibility of a merger, the task force looked at three alternatives: A) Build a new facility at a new site; estimating this would cost a total of $8.5M to $9.5M. B) Expand the Or Chadash campus to accommodate an enlarged congregation and education base; estimating this would cost $1.9M to $2.8M. C) Improve the Temple Emanu-El campus to correct for deferred maintenance and general facilities issues; estimating this would cost $500,000 to $1.2M depending on what items were improved. The task force prioritized the construction items to make Temple more accommodating and aesthetically pleasing to all congregants of both synagogues. An initial loan may be used to make the repairs and remodeling quickly; and payment of the loan would be from cash reserves as a result of the lowered costs and greater efficiencies of having both congregations working out of one facility. Overall, the task force concluded that moving to Temple Emanu-El is the option that appears most financially feasible.
Our next Town Hall meetings will be on 12/08/2019 – Worship and Clergy, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. at Or Chadash and 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. at Temple Emanu-El. Members of each task force will present their findings, and our goal continues to be to review and discuss each new report openly and honestly. Our congregants will have opportunities to learn more about each topic and to be fully informed before any vote is taken. We will publish meeting reminders via our weekly email communications, and we’ve posted the schedule on our websites.
Thank you for the commitment and passion that you bring to this conversation. And please feel free to share your thoughts and comments by writing to our shared email account at JewishTucson@gmail.com.
-
The Ambassadors met a couple of weeks ago to discuss the recent Town Hall meetings at both congregations on the same day (Sunday, November 3rd). Each synagogue met at a separate time to review the reports submitted by the Finance and Governance Task Forces. The Ambassadors were pleased with the presentations and lively conversation that took place at the meetings. A couple of weeks ago this report reviewed the recommendations of each task force. You can find last week’s reports from the Ambassadors and the task forces posted on our websites.
This week we want to report to you highlights of our conversation about these town hall meetings and task force recommendations.
At both congregational meetings there were nearly identical questions, specifically how much is the other congregation contributing to the budget and/or deficit. The financial reason for merger is compelling because both synagogues are facing stagnant membership growth, limited or decreasing donations/dues, and steadily increasing costs. It is clear that the significant assets for each congregation are the people and the sacred community that has developed. Stating the existence of Reform Judaism in Tucson does not appear to be a compelling reason to merge; however, the future of our Jewish community does resonate. The future is personal; it’s for our kids and to preserve what we love. Change is definitely happening, and the merger allows us to take control of the situation.
The schedule of remaining Town Hall meetings is provided below. At these meetings our goal is to continue to review and discuss each new report. Our congregants will have opportunities to learn more about each topic and to be fully informed before any vote is taken. The task force reports will be posted on our websites.
11/17/2019 – Religious School and Facilities
12/08/2019 – Worship and ClergyThese Town Hall meetings will be from 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. at Or Chadash and 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. at Temple Emanu-El. Members of each task force will attend the meetings to review and discuss their findings. You can view reports from the Religious School and Facilities Task Forces above.
Thank you for the commitment and passion that you bring to this conversation. And please feel free to share your thoughts and comments by writing to our shared email account at jewishtucson@gmail.com.
-
The Ambassadors created eight task forces to actively envision what a merger of our congregations would look like, identify any hurdles that would conflict with this future, and provide possible solutions to these issues. Six of these task forces will be reporting to our congregations during November and early December in order for the members of both congregations to hear first-hand their findings from these groups. The Communications and Collaborative Efforts task forces will not be reporting as they are already actively working to ensure that our congregants are aware of our processes and have opportunities to meet/work with each other during this time period.
Our first Town Hall meeting to roll out two of our Task Force reports was held on Sunday, November 3, 2019. As promised, these first reports from the Finance and Governance Task Forces were emailed to our members and are available above. The meetings at each synagogue were well attended, and we thank you all for your continued interest and fabulous questions.
The representatives of our Finance Task Force, Gary Kippur at Or Chadash, and Jeff Rein at Temple Emanu-El reviewed a spreadsheet of our congregations’ combined budgets and projections for the future. Our current budgets demonstrate the financial difficulties that we both have in having enough revenue from dues, fees, and donations to support our personnel, facilities, administration, and operations. Continuation on our current paths will ensure decreased programming, pay cuts, and loss of membership. A future together enhances our combined efforts to offer Reform Judaism in southern Arizona in a fiscally responsible manner. The projected budget supports the belief that together we can ensure that our mission continues beyond our generation.
Harriet Kronman of Or Chadash represented the Governance Task Force and used a PowerPoint presentation to review the issues addressed by this group. A careful review of the bylaws of each congregation showed some differences, but enough similarities to make a combined document easily attainable. The greatest issue to be handled is the creation of a new Board of Directors to be effective at the time of the new merged congregation. A proposed timeline was created in order for the task force participants to figure out a process by which to create the new Board. To resolve this issue, the task force proposed each congregation’s Nominating Committee as developed by their usual process to combine forces in the transition period and work out the slate of Officers and Directors to present for a vote to our congregants. New task forces would need to be created to address the new congregation’s name, Articles of Incorporation, and Bylaws.
The schedule of upcoming Town Hall meetings is provided below. At these meetings, our goal is to continue to review and discuss each new report. Our congregants will have opportunities to learn more about each topic and to be fully informed before any vote is taken. We will publish meeting reminders via our weekly email communications, and we’ll post the schedule on our websites.
11/17/2019 – Religious School and Facilities
12/08/2019 – Worship and ClergyThese Town Hall meetings will be from 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. at Or Chadash and 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. at Temple Emanu-El. Members of each task force will attend the meetings to review and discuss their findings.
Thank you for the commitment and passion that you bring to this conversation. And please feel free to share your thoughts and comments by writing to our shared email account at JewishTucson@gmail.com.
-
The Ambassadors’ Reports earlier this month explored the national and local trends that spurred Congregation Or Chadash and Temple Emanu-El to begin a conversation about strengthening Reform Judaism in the Tucson community by considering a path toward a merger.
Before anything is decided or any vote is cast by our congregants, we will be distributing information so everyone involved can make an informed decision whether to continue along this path or not.
In this coming month of November, the Reports from the Task Forces will be distributed to the congregations. The schedule of town hall meetings throughout this month are listed below. At these meetings our goal is to review and discuss each report. Our congregants will have opportunities to learn more about each area of concern and to be fully informed before any vote is made to decide if we continue toward a merger. We will provide the reports and have meeting reminders via our weekly email communications, and the schedule will be posted on our websites.
Sunday, November 3rd, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Reports from the Finance & Governance Task Force
Sunday, November 17th, 11:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m. Reports from the Facilities and Religious School Task Forces
Sunday, December 8th, 11:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m. Reports from the Worship and Clergy Task ForcesThe above Town Hall meetings will also be held at Temple Emanu-El from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Members of each task force from both synagogues, will attend the above town hall meetings to review and discuss their findings.
As always, we appreciate your concern, commitment, and passion that you bring to this conversation. Please send your thoughts and comments to our shared email account at JewishTucson@gmail.com. We look forward to our continued conversations and everything you bring to our congregation.
**Three documents are available above:
- Introduction/Background for the Task Force reports,
- Report from the Finance Task Force, and
- Report from the Governance Task Force
-
In last week’s report, the Ambassadors explained the national and local trends weakening synagogue affiliation. This resulting decrease in membership places a financial burden on our congregations and limits the services and programming we are able to provide.
However, Or Chadash and Temple have a history of sharing core values, sharing in the vision of Reform Judaism and sharing a love of worship, music, youth engagement and social action. The Ambassadors’ conversations have brought to light many similarities and successful collaborations. Our initial Task Forces have been asked to explore specific areas to identify the shared vision, cultural similarities, as well as any significant hurdles to the possibility of a joint partnership.
The initial Task Forces created were designed to explore the following: 1) Facilities, 2) Governance, 3) Worship, 4) Finance, 5) Clergy, 6) Communications, 7) Joint Programming, and 8) Religious Schools. Each task force is comprised of individuals from each congregation (see participants below); and their charge is to envision the benefits and issues that could occur by joining together. We will communicate their findings by the end of 2019, and provide you with this information by email and in Town Hall meetings. Our small focus group meetings are to listen to you and hear your observations.
Task Force Congregation Or Chadash Temple Emanu-El Finance Mark Ross
Gary KippurJerry Cohen
Jeff Rein
Scott ArdenReal Estate/Fixed Assets/Facilities Mo Riback
Lanny Colton
Andy Seleznov
Jim LiebeskindSteve Tofel
Ron Schneider
Bill VinerWorship/Services Kathylynn Saboda
Cantor Janece Cohen
Sarah Bollt
Susan WinklerHarold Blatter
Andy Iventosch
Amy Ruskin
Marjorie HochbergClergy Rabbi Thomas Louchheim
Emily JosephRabbi Batsheva Appel
Scott Arden
Joe MillstoneGovernance Harriet Kronman
Howard PaleySimon Rosenblatt
Mona GibsonJoint Efforts/Collaborations Rina Liebeskind
Elaine JonesDonna Beyer Communication/Outreach Gary Kippur
Elaine JonesScott Arden
Mona GibsonReligious Schools Rina Liebeskind
Suzie Stadheim
Jill SobieszykAbby Limmer
Brie Finegold
Alison Neja
Marla Harris
Jared RubinJoin us for any and all of the following meetings to discuss the findings of the various Task Forces that were charged with envisioning the benefits and issues that could occur by joining together:
- Sunday, Nov 3: 11-12N- Reports from the Finance & Governance Task Forces
- Sunday, Nov 17: 11-12N- Reports from the Facilities and Religious School Task Forces
- Sunday, Dec 8: 11-12N- Reports from the Worship and Clergy Task Forces
NOTE: Voting will be in January 2020
As always, we appreciate your concern, commitment and passion that you bring to this conversation. Please send your thoughts and comments to our shared email account at JewishTucson@gmail.com (Please note: our shared email address ends with .com and it was identified incorrectly as ending in .org in the last weekly update.). We look forward to our continued conversations and everything you bring to our congregation.
-
At our last Ambassadors meeting, held on the evening after Yom Kippur, we discussed some of the common questions raised by our congregants both in group meetings and on an individual basis. One such theme was the concern regarding whether it was necessary for our congregations to begin this conversation in the first place. When we began down this road, we researched both national and local trends. We also spoke to lay leaders of congregations around the country for their reasons to join with another synagogue. And, we contacted the URJ for their take on national trends.
After a brief period of time, we learned about national trends of decreasing membership and increasing financial hardships. As our society at large becomes more secular, there is a diminishing desire for Jewish people to be affiliated with any synagogue. A recent study indicated more Americans are identifying as being Jewish, but belonging to a local shul is not a top priority. And finally, charitable donations to non-religious institutions compete vigorously for the limited funds available in a family’s budget.
There is a clear advantage to staying ahead of these national trends. Though Tucson has experienced a slow return from the recession and overall limited rates of affiliation with religious institutions, neither of us are at the point of shutting our doors. Both congregations have been experiencing financial difficulties, but not so much as to warrant a complete shutdown. If we do nothing, both of our groups will see changes in programming, services, and operations.
As always, we appreciate your concern, commitment, and the passion that you bring to this conversation. Please send your thoughts and comments to our shared email account at JewishTucson@gmail.com
We look forward to our continued conversations and everything you bring to our congregation.
-
One of our efforts to offer joint programming for Congregation Or Chadash and Temple Emanu-El was the Second Day Rosh Hashanah services. Rabbi Louchheim and Rabbi Appel led services together. Many congregants from Or Chadash joined Temple in services on Tuesday, and all together we were nearly 100 individuals sharing in a wonderful experience. Several of the Ambassadors were able to attend services, and we enjoyed being a part of the collaboration, joyfulness, and overall hamish feel that our Rabbis exuded. Thank you to everyone who attended and we look forward to several other events where we can join together in expressing our joy of Reform Judaism in Tucson.
The Ambassadors are on a brief hiatus and will be meeting again after Yom Kippur. At that time we’ll review the reasons that have brought us to this point and juncture in our congregations. Until then, we wish each and every one of you a joyous and meaningful High Holy Days.
As always, please send your comments and suggestions to JewishTucson@gmail.org.
L’Shanah Tovah!
The Ambassadors -
The Ambassadors are leaders from Temple Emanu-El Tucson and Congregation Or Chadash charged with exploring the possibilities of greater collaboration. This team is looking at how we may benefit and what would be involved if we were to join our two synagogues. Representatives from Temple Emanu-El are Scott Arden, Mona Gibson, Steve Tofel, Joe Millstone, and Brie Finegold. Or Chadash representatives are Elaine Jones, Ben Vogel, Dana Adler, and Gary Kippur. We’ve been meeting each month, most recently on September 5th. Our next meeting will be shortly after Yom Kippur.
The Ambassadors are committed to ongoing communication with our boards and congregants about our activities.
To date, we’ve created 8 task forces with representative members from both congregations. Each one addresses a topic of mutual interest: 1) Facilities, 2) Governance, 3) Worship, 4) Finance, 5) Rabbinic, 6) Communications, 7) Joint Programming, and 8) Religious School. Their first objective is to envision a future
in which our congregations may be joined. They are not detailing exactly how our future might unfold. Each task force is charged with issuing a report in the fall. These reports are intended to provide our congregations with sufficient information to vote on next steps. Each synagogue plans to present task-force findings by the end of 2019 in preparation for decision making in January 2020. We aim for congregants to make the important decision using all available information.In the meantime, we are continuing with joint programming to get better acquainted. Temple Emanu-El is extending an invitation to Congregation Or Chadash for Second Day Rosh Hashanah on Tuesday, October 1 at 10 a.m. at Temple Emanu-El. Rabbi Appel and Rabbi Louchheim will conduct those services together. Other joint programming is planned between our Sisterhoods, Social Justice Committees, and Religious Schools.
We created an email specifically for congregants questions or comments; JewishTucson@gmail.com.
-
Dear Congregants,
Congregation Or Chadash and Temple Emanu-El have realized over the past few years that we have an opportunity to explore combined strengths. Recently, we have begun to consider how each congregation may benefit from collaborative efforts in providing education and spiritual programs.
In recent years, synagogues in the Tucson area (and nationwide) have experienced decreasing membership and slowing donations and dues. This has placed a financial burden on our shuls, making it difficult to serve our congregants and the greater Jewish community, let alone reach out to the unaffiliated in our area.
A growing nationwide trend is for congregations to share facilities or to collaborate on programs and services. Generally, two or three synagogues will have cooperative ventures while discussion takes place regarding further collaboration.
Our two congregations have worked together to pool resources and collaborate on serving our congregants, especially our Religious School students. One such example is the 7th and 8th Grade trip to Jewish Los Angeles, where the students from both of our schools, as well as other schools in Tucson, explore the museums and have a uniquely Jewish experience.
The presidents from each congregation have assembled a small group of lay leaders, and we have already had two meetings. Our respective clergy and administrative staff are aware of these discussions.
Many leaders of synagogues who have undergone such a process liken this stage to a courtship. And though we have met for dinner a couple of times, we’re still just getting to know one another. We are currently exploring additional opportunities for collaboration and are only beginning to look at the myriad of issues as we continue in building this relationship.
As we continue this process, we want to hear from you. Our lay leadership group includes: Dana Adler, Scott Arden, Brie Finegold, Elaine Jones, Gary Kippur, Joe Millstone, Steve Tofel, Mona Gibson, and Ben Vogel. We have created a single email address that will be monitored by each congregation’s delegation: JewishTucson@gmail.com. This email is the preferred method of communication so that your comments and suggestions can be logged in a single location and viewed by all delegates.
We look forward to communicating with you regularly as we continue to explore this unique time in the history of our synagogues and in the greater Tucson Jewish community.
Sincerely,
Mona L. Gibson Benjamin Vogel
Temple Emanu-El Congregation Or Chadash