Visioning 20/20

Change Is the Only Constant 

TEMPLE BETH EMET VISIONING 20/20

YOUR INPUT IS IMPORTANT TO US CLICK HERE TO GIVE US YOUR FEEDBACK TBE Visioning Survey

What began as a small group of families worshipping in a trailer on Pembroke Road about 40 years ago, has grown into a congregation with over 650 Members. The TBE Early Childhood Center boasts another 265 families, and 132 students are enrolled in the Temple Beth Emet Day School. We have expanded our physical structure and programming and continue to grow. Temple Beth Emet is a thriving congregation that has significant South Florida recognition. We provide a spiritual sanctuary for many Jews in South Florida and mitzvot for our community.

 As is true of most congregations, we must evaluate where we are now and where we would like to be.  To assist us in this process, we are fortunate to have the consulting services of Rabbi David Wolfman.

He is the founder and principal of David S. Wolfman Consulting, LLC: “The Human Side of Change^®” a consulting practice focusing on Managing Organizational Change and Transition and Navigating Conflict in congregations and organizations.  He is also an Executive Coach, working with rabbis, cantors, educators and lay leaders throughout North America on best serving their unique communities.

These discussions are only the first part of our visioning process. You will be receiving an e mail with a link to our anonymous survey that will allow you to share your experiences with TBE as well as provide direction for improvements. If you prefer a paper copy of the survey to complete, please come to the temple office to complete one or request one from Laura Goodman (Laura@templebethemt.org).  Five respondents to the survey will be chosen at random for a $50 Publix gift card. (While you must provide your e mail to be entered in the raffle, it will be separate from your replies).

Along with the Visioning Committee members, I look forward to engaging in this process that will allow us to examine where TBE is now and where we would like to be in the future. 

Shalom,

Maureen Winick  

Vice President of Visioning

visioning@templebethemet.org

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO BE A PART OF THE PROCESS:

1. An anonymous email site has been set up for you to send your thoughts and input visioning@templebethemet.org 

In three sentences or less please complete one the following phrases

When thinking about Beth Emet I wish...

When thinking about Beth Emet’s future I wish...

2.  We will be asking many of you to host parlor meetings for your friends, neighbors, TBE members and not, so we can solicit their input. We will be asking some of you to be trained to serve as facilitators and recorders for these meetings. In addition, we will be hosting a Community Summit where we will gather as a large group to brainstorm and to share our ideas. If you are interested in one of these roles please contact Laura Goodman, laura@templebethemet.org

• Some of the issues we will be dealing with may be considered by some as mundane and yet by others as core issues such as “What time and day should Hebrew school be held on?” Other issues with which we may talk about, which some will consider deep and others as irrelevant, might be “What is the role of Social Action in the synagogue?” or “How should we refer to God in the service or schools?”.
• The following, in no particular order, are some of the questions that we will be discussing in the Visioning process. If you have others you feel we should address, let us know.

How do we handle technology and the changes it has wrought? Alternative dues and membership structures, are there any? If you were to design the ultimate Temple Beth Emet, what would it be? If you were to design the ultimate religious school, what would it be? If you were to design the ultimate Shabbat service, what would it be? What are the roles of the Temple and the schools, who supports whom? What alternative models can we dream of? What are our demographics? Are we going to be a “generalist” or “specialist” Temple? Whom do we want to serve? What is our TBE culture? How do we promote engagement? What is engagement? Where are we now, where do we want to be and how do we get there? How can we “grow” our employees and members? How can we make them better than they are and better than they ever thought they can be (what is better)? What are our strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats as a temple, Jewish community, Jews and individuals? How should we communicate with you?