As a matter of policy, the Manhattan congregation Beit Simchat Torah does not sell tickets for the services of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Hi charging for her holiday is “not in our DNA,” Synagogue president Sabrina Farber said.
But this year, two years of challenges from the pandemic and the recent recession have made it more difficult for CBST, the LGBTQ+ multifaith synagogue in Midtown Manhattan, to stick to its policy.
“People quit their jobs, moved, and suddenly scaled back in ways that clearly affected donations,” said Farber, whose synagogue calls for sliding dues. e Jewish Charity“I’m not going to lie. We’re in a tough spot.”
Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur can overwhelm the synagogue in every way. Staff and volunteers are busy. Some synagogues rent extra space, while others rent chairs and additional equipment. Organizing services can cost the congregation exorbitant amounts of money. For many congregations, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are part of the only days when members attend services. As such, congregations often rely on high holiday appeals, ticket sales to non-members, and annual dues (usually paid during the high holiday season) to sustain the synagogue year-round. Many synagogues tell his eJP that they need ticket systems simply because they don’t have enough space to accommodate everyone.
But this year, congregations and synagogues across the country are stretching thin, whether they have voluntary dues, set dues, negotiated dues, or a tiered payment system. Are synagogue memberships still on their radar when there are fewer?
Linda Sussman, interim director of synagogue consulting at the Conservative Jewish Federation Synagogue, told eJP. [be] that can affect anything in terms of [determining what this year’s] There will be a membership fee. It will be next year. ”
While synagogues may have saved money on serving meals and hiring security guards while they were closed due to COVID-19, Sussman said the pandemic has not cut most synagogue costs. Said. In general, staff salaries remain the largest expenditure.
When the pandemic began, many Conservative synagogues expected to be hit hard on the dues front, expecting dues payments to drop by as much as 20%. But instead, Sussman said, “It was much, much, much lower, maybe he was like 3-5% of the drop.” Knowing that the synagogue is in financial trouble and needs additional help, she said, donors have stepped up their support, too, according to internal research conducted by the USCJ. “I don’t know if the same thing will happen this year,” she said.
But as synagogues begin to consider their budgets for next year, Barry Mael, USCJ’s senior director of synagogue affiliation and operations, told eJP that more and more synagogues are considering moving from fixed to voluntary membership fees. said there is.
“In recent months, we have been getting more calls about synagogues … assessing whether their dues model is the best dues model for them,” he said. “Sometimes it comes out [of] It’s like a pandemic, and so many things have been upended. Now is a good time to evaluate and determine if we are generating revenue and supporting our community in the best possible way. ”
“Overall they feel good about it,” said Mael, for those who jumped at the voluntary membership fee. They make promises, which eliminates the whole cumbersome process of having to talk to others about what they can give.” is to ensure that congregations “do not confuse the dues model as an answer to their financial challenges rather than looking at overall financial sustainability.” Instead, strengthen relationships with members. By doing so, he said, we need to focus on fostering a culture of philanthropy.
said Rabbi Aaron Melman of Congregation Beth Shalom, a conservative synagogue in Northbrook, Ill., serving more than 1,000 member families. eJP He completely avoids the term “due” and uses the word “commitment” instead.
“Maybe the word ‘membership fee’ isn’t as accepted by people as it used to be,” he told eJP. So he emphasizes “the notion of recognizing that there is a commitment to being part of congregational life.” Like most congregations beyond the movement, Beth Shalom does not turn away members if they are unable to pay.
“We’re really trying to work with people,” Melman said. “There are congregations who pay more than they promise to offset those who cannot pay. We call it pay forward.”
COVID and the economy have accelerated the way synagogues think about the economy of the high holidays, Amy Asin, vice president of congregational engagement and leadership experience at the Reform Jewish Federation, told eJP. Many of these trends have happened before. That synagogues should view the high holidays as an opportunity to engage with the community rather than fill the budget gap, even though their own costs are increasing. She said she was aware of
“On the one hand, they need revenue,” says Asin. “From their perspective, if they can charge, I’m sure they will. Even before the pandemic they had started to cut prices or make them free. We want to lower the barriers to participation in the lives of people who participate.”
Rabbi Jill Madeler of the Congregation Rodev Shalom, a reformed synagogue in Philadelphia with 1,000 members, told eJP. While many members are less generous than they used to be, more members are making smaller donations.
“It’s really nice to see people working so hard, but it’s not easy,” she said. The synagogue has a three-tier system of dues based on how much members can afford. The synagogue also organized a weekly food pantry and hosted diaper drives.
Synagogues are also looking for new ways to support themselves. Some reformed synagogues have installed mobile phone towers in their buildings, while others have sold the buildings and rented space for less money, Ashin said. The Houston Congregation of Reform Judaism holds annual golf tournaments and “barking mitzvahs,” with pets his vendors, food his trucks, music, chew toy giveaways, and dog blessings by Rabbi Steve his Gross. increase. ’ His CBST in Manhattan is seeking grants. All the while, the synagogue tries to support the congregation even when they are struggling on their own.
“All clerics have discretionary funds,” Asin said. “And those rabbis, those cantors, ensure they are using discretionary funds to help congregations and communities in need.”
Synergie, spoken to by eJP, said in many cases it didn’t have to cut staff thanks to the immediate forgiveness of the federal pandemic loan, but it’s still able to grow its programs and initiatives as it sees fit. Farber said staff retention was “very, very, very difficult to maintain. , because it required a whole new set of skills.”
The Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun, an Orthodox synagogue on Manhattan’s Tony Upper East Side with approximately 1,200 members, It has established itself as a community center, serving the religious and social needs of its congregation and providing a space for its members to host birthday parties.
“Especially in Manhattan, or in a big city where things can feel impersonal…community doesn’t just happen naturally,” said associate Rabbi Roy Feldman. “We have to build a community.”
Mael believes that “COVID has forced us all to be more involved in connecting with our members as the doors have closed.” If synagogues remain dedicated to meeting the needs of their members, members will “feel connected and dedicated to supporting their communities, even during severe economic downturns. But people don’t feel connected.” If, unfortunately, the synagogue is one of the places. [where] People choose to spend money or not. ”
