35 Great Programs to Increase Your Membership

 

A Program Bank for Your Disposal

Created by Elena Mayer (Mem/Kad VP '05-'06)

 

ü      Murder Mystery Nights

It’s a little pricey, but try ordering a special murder mystery party game from http://www.merrimysteries.com. You can pick your own theme from the website and order the kit for about $40 American. Charge $5 each for admission and you’ll make it up in no time! The games are big enough for 50 people (or even 90 if you stretch it) and guarantee a night of fun and laughs as participants dress up as characters in the game. Think live-action Clue!

ü      Human Israeli Monopoly

Make a gigantic life sized monopoly board with a tarp or butcher paper and a sharpie. USYers can be the pieces, and you can re-label the streets as real Israeli ones. An excellent (and cheap) Israel and Membership program.

ü      Laser Show

Go to a local laser show! If possible, make the program free for new members! An excellent Membership program.

ü      Baseball/Football Games

Going to a professional sports game can be a lot of fun. Not only do you entertain everybody, but people can still talk and meet! Aim for cheap seats so that costs don’t make attendance difficult.

ü      Tallis and Tefillan Club

This monthly program entails shacharit services followed by breakfast and then a different sport each month. People will enjoy the competition and attend frequently! Sports can include football, hockey, bowling, soccer, baseball, or anything else practical for your neighborhood.

ü      Ice Skating or Rollerblading

ü      Pizza or Cookie Making

Everyone can be involved in group activities in the kitchen! Make any appropriate dish—pizza, cookies, chocolate, anything works. You can experiment with having a competition to see whose food is the best, and give the winner free admission to the next chapter program.

ü      Tie Dye or Candle Making

Tie dying is really fun. Make sure everyone brings his/her own shirt or bandana. Ensure that proper materials are brought for the project, in addition to tarps and floor coverings to prevent permanent floor stains.

ü      Mystery Bus Ride

Plan a location to go to in advance, make sure very few people know about it, and publicize the program well. Supposedly it tends to be really successful in the month of February…

ü      See a Play

Although expensive, people always enjoy going to see a play at a local theater. Back balcony seats to musicals are especially fun. Make sure there is a large price gap between the price for members and non-members so that non-members will see the advantage of joining.

ü      Apple or Fruit Picking

Obviously the plausibility of this varies by your location, but if you are within an hour’s drive of a pick-your-own something field, it’s a really fun and surprisingly cheap program. To add a SA/TO spin, consider donating the fruit you pick to a local soup kitchen or food bank! It’s a relaxing way to spend an afternoon and it leaves plenty of time for talking and joking with your friends.

ü      Barbeques and Picnics

Good events for kick-off events or mid-spring chill time. Make sure the program is extremely organized and make sure that there is always something to do, i.e. football, relay races, etc. Plan in advance for all of your food needs, logistics, and games.

ü      Mini Golf

An awesome Membership program. Some incentives could be attached to the program if you desire—think free admission to the next chapter program for the lowest male and female scores. Or organize a bet for what the lowest score will be (the number itself.) The person closest to the lowest-score-prediction can take home 2/3 of the pot, and the rest will go to SA/TO. Then you can strongly encourage them to give the other 2/3 back, as well.

ü      Bowling

A chill program that always attracts USYers.

ü      Going to a Theme Park

Varies by location—more plausible for some chapters than others. Fun for an end-of-year program to ease people into summer and get potential members interested for the next year.

ü      Scavenger Hunt

Have a scavenger hunt in a shopping mall, trying to find items from a prescribed list. Ensure that you have legal permission before attempting this program. Give each group a disposable camera (or encourage people to bring their own digitals) and get ice cream while you take your cameras to a drug store for 1-hour developed prints.

ü      Movie Nights

Either all night movie nights or a couple of hours of movies. This is a relatively inexpensive program which draws well. Maybe have a theme, i.e. Robin Williams’ night, James Bond night, etc.

ü      Paper Bag Dramatics

This program is extremely effective if it is filmed on a camcorder. Divide the USYers into groups, give them a bag with about 10-15 unrelated items and get them to make a skit about it which is filmed on videotape. Afterwards show the videotape to the whole group.

ü      Car Wash

This is a Membership and T.O. program which can be done during the spring. Have USYers set up a carwash and publicize it well throughout the community. This is an interactive program where everybody has a task to do. Generally USYers enjoy themselves and a lot of money is raised.

ü      Kindergarten Night

Remember those days when you were in kindergarten? Well they can be relived. This is a great Saturday night program where you do all kinds of childish things. Activities can include games of duck, duck, goose, finger painting, block building, dress up, and any other childish thing you did in kindergarten. Make sure that the room is covered in plastic for the finger painting, and that USYers are wearing old clothes (or provide smocks) so that their clothes wont get ruined while finger painting. A good program for January or around mid-terms.

ü      Model Knesset Discussion

USYers are broken up into groups. Each group is assigned to represent a political party in Israel (not just Likkud and Labor.) The groups learn about the origins of the party, as well as its political views on current Israeli issues (i.e. the peace process, the withdrawal from Gaza, etc.) The groups reconvene afterwards in the form of the Knesset, where each of the groups represent their parties. This program helps to enlighten those who are not informed of current events, as well as extend Israel awareness within the chapter. Work with your chapter IA VP for this event. Make sure to provide research materials for people to learn about their party, or access to the internet. A great, informative Israel event.

ü      Dance

Vary the theme based on the interests of the organizers. Think toga party, “matza ball” (get it?), sock hop, anything. Try to find a local, student DJ who can offer you cheap services. Charge more for non-members as an incentive to join.

ü      Chocolate Seder

ü      Double Dare Night

Prepare trivia question for a double dare game, and various slimy challenges in the event of double dares. Bring tarps and towels to clean up afterwards and keep whatever you use from dirtying up your facilities.

ü      Camping Trip

Take a weekend with your chapter in the wilderness! Borrow big tents from community members and buy camping food. Spend Shabbat chillin’ with your friends, relaxing in the great outdoors, and escaping from the pressures of school and parents.

ü      Shabbat Dinner Hopping

Get each of your board members to prepare one course of a Shabbat meal. At the first house, have everyone join around the table and eat soup. Then walk to someone else’s house and eat kugel. Then another house where you’ll find chicken. Requires lots of families close together who are willing to open up their home to multiple USYers. Not designed to be a major recruitment program, but a good way to introduce a few new members. Lots of time for bonding, and not too expensive because everyone pitches in for the cost of the groceries.

ü      Hire a Hypnotist!

Tends to be expensive, but always promises a good time and is a fun program no matter how big the turn out! Excellent for events trying to draw new members.

ü      Family Feud

ü      Beach Party (inside or outside)

Do it in December! Make paper palm trees, encourage people to wear summer attire and let people tan while drinking smoothies!

ü      T-Shirt Decorating

Provide glitter, paints, and snack food. Promises to be a good time. Keep the t-shirts for yourself or donate them to a shelter!

ü      Holocaust Program

Use local speakers, watch a Holocaust film, or talk through the historical material accessible on www.yadvashem.org, the Israeli Holocaust Museum website. It’s an important subject that needs to be talked about. Just make sure that the material you use is age appropriate, and that you warn people about the MPAA rating of any film you choose to show.

ü      Lounge Night

If you have a youth lounge space at your synagogue, that makes an ideal venue. If not, have an active member volunteer their house for a chill evening with snacks, games, movies, or anything you want.

ü      Improv Show

Always a huge success because everybody loves to laugh! Find a local theater troop and try to secure student price tickets. Makes a great post-Shabbat program because shows tend to be late at night. If you can’t find a show to see, think about doing your own! Play theater sports in a Whose Line is it Anyway? format and involve everybody who comes!

ü      Mystery Desert

Buy or cook kosher desserts and prepare a beautiful spread. Then blindfold participants and feed them pieces of the various treats. Try to supply the most difficult-to-identify desserts you can imagine. Supply a prize for the winner who guesses the most desserts correctly, or offer them free attendance to a future chapter event! Promises to be fun and full of laughs.

ü      Go Kart Racing

Tends to be expensive, but always really fun.