SYNAGOGUE RESOURCE CENTER CATALOGUE
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INCREASING YOUR CONGREGATION’S
EFFECTIVENESS FOR 5764
1. REACHING OUT/HOLDING ON - Recruiting and Retaining Synagogue Members. The
Affiliation Attitude
Department of Congregational Programming, Revised 2001; Appears in two booklets.
$7.50
2. THE LEARNERS MINYAN: Opening new Ports of Entry to those who are not familiar
with prayer services
(First copy free) $3.00
3. MAGNET SYNAGOGUES: A NEW LOOK AT SYNAGOGUE SINGLES PROGRAMMING by Rabbi
David A. Kunin. $5.00
4. THE IDEAL CONSERVATIVE JEW: Eight Behavioral Expectations, Dvar Torah by
Rabbi Jerome M. Epstein(Free)
5. JEWISH LIVING NOW: The Ideal Conservative Jew (Brochure) (Free)
6. “THE IDEAL CONSERVATIVE JEW: EIGHT BEHAVIORAL EXPECTATIONS.”(Free)
Selected Materials for Sermons and Study Sessions
7. BUILDING A CONSERVATIVE JEWISH LIFESTYLE: Programmatic Approaches (Free)
8. MAKING A DECISION TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE: Tzedakah, by Rabbi Jerome M. Epstein
(brochure) (Free)
9. TRAVELING TEFILLOT: A Bracha Card that fits your wallet, by Lois Goldrich
(brochure) (Free)
10. THERE’S STILL TIME: DOING TESHUVAH, BEGINNING NEW MITZVOT, Rabbi
Jerome M. Epstein (brochure) (Free)
11. CHOOSING THE LIFE, by Rabbi Jerome M. Epstein (brochure) (Free)
12. IF YOU WILL IT, IT IS NO DREAM, by Rabbi Jerome M. Epstein (Free)
(Support of Masorti Judaism and Fuchsberg Center in Israel)
PROGRAM SUGGESTIONS ($2.50 Each)
PS-1. 5750 - TWENTY-FIVE PROGRAMS: The Synagogue as a Beit Tefillah, Beit
Midrash, Beit Knesset - Rabbi Moshe Edelman($2.50)
PS-2. 5751 - THE CENTRALITY OF MITZVOT: Mitzvot Bayn Adam La-Makom & Bayn
Adam L’Chavero - Rabbi Barry Starr($2.50)
PS-3. 5752 - COMMUNITY & SPIRITUALITY: Eight Significant Programs - Rabbi
Barry Starr($2.50)
PS-4. 5753 - TRADITION, COMMITMENT & CHANGE: Enhancing a Synagogue’s
Religious Program. Eight Areas and Themes($2.50)
PS-5. 5754 - DEEDS OF LOVING KINDNESS: Practical Social Action Programs -
Eight Themes and Projects - Ms. Janet Dundee($2.50)
PS-6. 5755 - A SHARED HISTORY BASED ON JEWISH KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE:
Nine Wonderful Projects that Build Personal Observance from Memories and History
- Ms. Harlene Winnick Appleman($2.50)
PS-7. 5756 - JEWISH LIVING NOW: Kashrut & Shabbat Program Ideas - Rabbi
David A. Kunin($2.50)
PS-8. 5757 - JEWISH LIVING NOW (YEAR II): Program Ideas for Tefillah, Synagogue,
Tzedakah. Ideas include Mezuzah Challenge, Bracha Day, “Try Shabbat,”
“Freshman Orientation,” Jewish Family Day, Pushke Program - Rabbi
David A. Kunin($2.50)
PS-9. 5758 - FAMILY JEWISH EDUCATION - Integrating the Generations. Wimpel
Project, Arts, Zimria -Ms. Lonna Picker($2.50)
PS-10. 5759 - MITZVAH GORERET MITZVAH: Mitzvah of the Month, A Three-Year
Cycle of Learning and Doing - Amy Jackson($2.50)
PS-11. 5760 – FUNDRAISING PROGRAMS: Successful samples from our congregations
($2.50)
PS-12. 5761 ADULT EDUCATION: A RESOURCE OF SCHOLARS-IN-RESIDENCE -- RABBIS,
CANTORS, ENTERTAINERS($2.50)
PS-13. 5762 MITZVAH DAY AND BEYOND: Social Action, Social Justice, Mitzvah
Day Programs (48 pages)($2.50)
PS-14. 5763 HOME EDUCATION LIBRARY PROGRAM:Booklets/Synagogue Management Forms
-- Rabbi Paul Drazen($2.50)
TIMELY PROGRAM IDEAS(No Charge)
The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, Department of Congregational Programming
publishes Timely Program Ideas. These pamphlets are meant to provide congregations
with specific programming suggestions and to spark new and original program
ideas. What follows is a list of available Timely Program Ideas (TPI’s),
any of which can be ordered from USCJ, at no charge. Order by writing to USCJ
or faxing (212) 353-9439. Use this sheet as an order form. Circle those desired.
TPI #1 - Shabbat at Home: Programming for Friday night at home.
TPI #2 - Putting Mitzvah Back Into the Bar/Bat Mitzvah: Programs for the Bar/Bat
Mitzvah students focusing on continued learning and fulfillment of the Mitzvot.
TPI #3 - The Family Bar/Bat Mitzvah: Programs that stress the Bar/Bat Mitzvah
for both the students and their families.
TPI #4 - Autumn: The High Holidays and Beyond: Programming from Selichot through
Sukkot.
TPI #5 - Making Each Day Count: Programs focusing on the counting of the Omer
and Tikun Leyl Shavuot, the traditional study session, on the first evening
of Shavuot.
TPI #6 - Keeping Shabbat: Programs focusing on the Shabbat day, both in the
synagogue and at home.
TPI #7 - Sukkot in July: Includes how to prepare both physically and spiritually
for the holiday of Sukkot as well as some Sukkot programming ideas.
TPI #8 - Building a Morning Minyan: How to encourage congregants to attend
a weekday Minyan and how to make new/potential members feel comfortable in the
synagogue.
TPI #9 - Let All Who Are Hungry Come and Eat: How to incorporate tzedakah and
hospitality with the Passover holiday.
TPI #10 - Shalach Manot: How to set up a congregational Shalach Manot program
on Purim.
TPI #11 - Fundraising in the Congregation: A step by step guide to successful
fundraising, including some creative fundraising ideas.
TPI #12 - Setting Up a Jewish Home: Guide for Jewish Soon-to-be-Weds: A description
of important items that are vital for a Jewish home.
TPI #13 - Mitzvot: How Much Do You Know: Two matching exercises that test knowledge
in Kashrut and a Jewish wedding. The ritual/religious committee should discuss
the answers and then develop programs for the congregation.
TPI #14 - Instant Siyum: SIMHATORATHON: A Program for Sukkot or Shavuot: Includes
details of a Torah learning program that involves the entire congregation as
both students and teachers.
TPI #15 - Fixing the World: Tikkun Olam: Holding a Social Service Fair: A program
that is meant to make the congregation aware of opportunities to help in their
community and to participate in tikkun olam.
TPI #16 - Tzedakah: Caring About Our Community: Holding a Charity Fair: A program
that allows the congregation to creatively allocate tzedakah that has been collected
from congregants’ individual tzedakah boxes.
TPI #17 - Involving the Post Bar/Bat Mitzvah Students in Synagogue Life: Programs
that encourage and reward post Bar/Bat Mitzvah students for their continued
involvement.
TPI#18 – Dress Up Jewish: A project for clergy and Ritual Committees
to teach the Mitzvot of Talit and Tefillin. Many suggestions. Rabbi Jay M. Stein
TPI#19 - Virtual Visit To Synagogue/No Strings Attached: A membership outreach
concept with a website tour of your synagogue and a good feeling series of outreach
ideas to newly affiliated congregations
CONFRONTING THE CHALLENGE SERIES ASSURING
A VIBRANT JEWISH COMMUNITY
Available through USCJ Book Service (800) 594-5617
CTC-INTERMARRIAGE: Our Grounds for Concern, 14 Questions - 14 Answers by Alan
Silverstein poses the questions that someone contemplating the issues of interdating
and intermarriage would ask, and then proceeds to provide thoughtful answers
to these questions based on the values of Conservative Judaism. This is an invaluable
guide for discussion leaders. $3.75
CTC-INTERDATING - INTERMARRIAGE - INTERVENTION by Edward Edelstein is a complete
program guide to help confront this critical issue. It describes in detail how
to administer programs on interdating and intermarriage prevention geared to
teens and/or parents. This publication is meant to be used in conjunction with
Intermarriage: Our Grounds for Concern. $5.00
CTC-INTERMARRIAGE: What Can We Do? What Should We Do? Is filled with concrete
advice and practical guidance for congregational leaders -- both lay and professional
-- as how synagogues can respond to the multi-faceted dimensions of the problem.
$2.00
CTC-A RETURN TO THE MITZVAH OF ENDOGAMY by Jerome M. Epstein presents the
position that given the limited resources within the Jewish community, prevention
of intermarriage must be a higher priority than keruv. Statistical data supporting
this approach is included. $2.50
CTC-PRINCIPALS AND COMPASSION: Guidelines and Casebook for Teaching with Children
of Intermarried Parents in Our Synagogue Schools by Shelley Kniaz is designed
for rabbis, principals, teachers, and lay leaders. It includes recommended policies
and procedures as well as 20 case studies for staff discussion and training,
with analyses and suggested responses. $9.50
CTC-???FUTURE THINKING: The effects of Intermarriage by Greta Bernard Brown,
a 10-lesson module for pre- and post-Bar/Bat Mitzvah classes and older students,
includes a teacher's guide with lesson plans as well as a student notebook.
Teacher's Guide: $5.50, Student Notebook: $1.25, 15 or more: $1.10
CTC-"IT ALL BEGINS WITH A DATE: PARENT/YOUNG ADULT DIALOGUES ABOUT INTERDATING"
by Alan Silverstein, poses nine common, challenging questions young adults ask
when seeking to know why parents object to interdating. The piece is intended
to assist dialogue about interdating in intergenerational settings of parents
and their children or with groups of parents or teens. $5.00
CTC-IT ALL BEGINS WITH A DATE-JEWISH CONCERNS ABOUT INTERMARRIAGE by Alan
Silverstein offers answers to the myriad of questions that arise from interfaith
marriage. The material appeals to Jewish people of all stages of life and at
all levels of religious practice. It is intended to empower American Jews to
seriously identify and confront the problems intermarriage poses to Jewish continuity.
$22.50
CTC-PRESERVING JEWISHNESS IN YOUR FAMILY AFTER INTERMARRIAGE HAS OCCURRED by
Alan Silverstein. If intermarriage has occurred does this necessarily mean no
future efforts should be made to preserve Judaism in One's family? The answer
of this volume -- most emphatically -- is NO! $24.95
CTC-WHY BE JEWISH? WHAT'S THE GAIN, THE PRIDE, THE JOY? by Alan Silverstein
helps parents think about why being Jewish is important to them and to speak
about it to their young teenagers. $5.95
JEWISH LIVING NOW BOOKLETS($2.50 each
or one full set for $12.00)
A thought provoking and useful series of booklets on Jewish Living Now from
the Department of Congregational Programming. Based on the Biennial Convention
Jewish Living Now seminars. Providing thought provoking discussions and program
suggestions for congregations.
JLNB-1. The Synagogue, a House of Study, Rabbi Ronald Isaacs. A strong Jewish
Community requires a laity which is both Jewishly committed and educated. This
booklet examines ways that we can develop and/or strengthen our adult education
programs -- what we can do to meet the educational needs of our members and
to encourage them to participate in our programs.($2.50)
JLNB-2. A Strategic Plan for the Synagogue, Rabbi Alan Silverstein. The synagogue
is the central institution of the community. It provides the leadership and
sense of community essential for Jewish survival. This booklet suggests a program
plan which can help synagogues to better fill the needs of the community of
the present and the future.($2.50)
JLNB-3. Living a Life of Prayer, Rabbi Brad Artson. Judaism requires us to
engage in prayer throughout our lives. Synagogues must therefore provide opportunities
to help enhance congregants’ prayer experiences. This booklet presents
ideas to enable synagogues to encourage congregants to make prayer part of their
everyday lives.($2.50)
JLNB-4. The Synagogue as Bet Nissim, A Place of Miracles, Danny Siegel. Jewish
Living requires serious engagement in tzedakah. This booklet examines the many
opportunities that synagogues have to interest and engage their members in projects
for the betterment of the community.($2.50)
JLNB-5. Making “Shabbes,” Dr. Ronald Wolfson. Shabbat plays a
central role in shaping our identity and our approach to the world. This booklet
presents ideas for congregations to excite their members about observance of
Shabbat.($2.50)
JLNB-6. Kashrut. Adding Holiness to our Lives, Rabbi Jack Moline. Kashrut
has been a defining Jewish ritual since biblical times. It is impossible to
separate Kashrut from living a Jewish life. This booklet presents programs designed
to excite congregants about Kashrut and to encourage them to observe it in their
own homes.($2.50)
JLNB-7. Reaching Out to the Jewish Community, Rabbi Avis Miller. A strong
and vibrant Jewish community depends on the full participation of its members.
This booklet examines programs to enable synagogues to reach out to unaffiliated
Jews to encourage them to participate as full and committed members of the community.($2.50)
JEWISH LIVING NOW PAMPHLETS & MATERIALS
The Jewish Living Now booklets (essays) have spun off this exciting series of
pamphlets. Perfect for a congregational mailing or class. Fits into a #10 envelope
or as an insert to your bulletin. Pamphlets Available only in units of 25
($5.00 per 25)
JLNP-A Life of Prayer $5.00
JLNP-Tzedakah: A Dedication to Righteousness $5.00
JLNP-A Personal Commitment $5.00
JLNP-Kashrut: Moving Up the Ladder $5.00
JLNP-Making the Most of Shabbat $5.00
JLNP-Shabbat Family Activities $5.00
JLNP-A Life of Study $5.00
JLNP-Havdalah Service (on a card) $5.00
JLNP-In (K)ase You Were Wondering (Kashrut symbols on a card) $5.00
OTHER MATERIALS
JLNTLS-1. Jewish Living Now: Tikun Leyl Shavuot. A program guide and Biblical/
Talmudic/Halakhic texts for all night study. Focus areas of Kashrut,
Shabbat, Tzedakah, Community ($5.00 per copy). Not available as PDF.
JLN54POT-2. The 54 Parshiyot of the Torah: Tikun Leyl Shavuot A verse from each
Torah portion; Midrashic sources, Zohar commentary; discussion question. Prepared
by Rabbi David Kunin. $5.00 hard copy; PDF file free.