Range Of Costs
Membership dues vary widely
throughout the country. They
range from $100 in small congre-
gations that offer few services to
more than $3,000 plus building
fund contributions in large syna-
gogues with religious schools and
other amenities. Most congrega-
tions have set rates for families,
singles and seniors, but a growing
number are shifting to rates based
on percentage of income.
While most synagogues say they
turn no one away and are willing
to privately discuss scholarships or
reduced rates, sticker shock often
scares off potential members.
Other Jews considering member-
ship frequently economize by join-
ing a synagogue only when their
children reach Hebrew school age.
Synagogue 2000, an organization
leading synagogue transformation
efforts around the country, recent-
ly began encouraging congrega-
tions to think about dues when it
Using Resources
Even if it is true that synagogues need
change, all the talk about process and
transformation doesn't grab everyone.
David Liebeskind of Temple Sinai in
Stamford, Conn., says that while he
respects those involved in the process,
he and several other congregants have
grown frustrated with the Reform con-
gregation's participation in the ECE
program.
"I don't think the payout is going to
be as good as spending the time and
money elsewhere," he says.
One Conservative synagogue mem-
ber in Detroit says federations would
be more helpful if they simply paid for
more staff positions at synagogues.
"What kind of money are the federa-
tions paying Synagogue 2000 people to
come to their towns and state the obvi-
ous?" she asks. "The problem is not
that shuls don't know what needs to be
done, but that they are chronically
understaffed" and, with more women
in the work force, can no longer rely
on a large pool of volunteers, she says.
Nonetheless, change proponents
insist that congregations can become
vibrant even without money.
According to Rabbis Schwarz and
makes efforts to attract newcom-
ers.
"We recognize that very fre-
quently the financial considera
tions keep people away from syna-
gogues," said Rabbi Larry
Hoffman, a New York-based
Hebrew Union College-Jewish
Institute of Religion professor who
is one of Synagogue 2000's co-
founders.
Voluntary dues can be a hard sell
to congregations, said Rabbi
Hoffman, noting that "many think
they're unrealistic."
As Rabbi Moshe Krupka, New
York-based national director of
synagogue services for the
Orthodox Union, said, "The bot-
tom line is that synagogues need
dues as a basis for their budgets.
Synagogues don't have readily
available cash flow other than dues
and donations so it's not a very
appealing practice to have volun-
tary dues or abolish dues."
❑
— Julie Wiener
Hoffman, if a synagogue does a good job
of building community, members will be
able to — and want to — take over
much of the work that had been relegated
to professionals. In fact, they argue, such
volunteering will strengthen members'
feelings of ownership in the synagogue.
"Members can do so much more," says
Rabbi Schwarz. "One of the things I've
learned is that people are hungry to be
involved in creating spiritual communi-
ties and will give untold amounts of time
if they feel they're the players and not
just supporting the staff"
While synagogue transformation has
caught the public interest, it is still
unclear whether the advocates for
change will usher in a new era of syna-
gogue life.
Isa Aron, the HUC professor who
coordinates ECE, says that "interest
keeps growing so clearly this isn't a blip
on the screen." Because transformation
efforts mirror many ideas about insti-
tutional change used in the business
world, it should resonate with congre-
gants and lay leaders, she says.
"Now it's a lot easier than years ago,"
Aron says. "Now if you go to a congre-
gation and talk about this, not every-
one looks at you like you're crazy."
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