Strategic Plan 1999-2004

<BODY BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" LINK="#000000" VLINK="#000000" ALINK="#000000"> <CENTER><TABLE><TR><TD WIDTH=20% VALIGN="TOP"> <A NAME="top"> <P> <B><a href="http://betmish.org/text/plan.html">Text-Only Version</a></B> <P> <BIG><B><a href="http://betmish.org/index.html">Home</A></B></BIG> <P> <BIG><B><a href="http://betmish.org/whatsnew.html">What's New</A></B></BIG> <P> <BIG><B><a href="http://betmish.org/calendar.html#July8">Coming Events</A></B></BIG> <P> <BIG><B><a href="http://betmish.org/drashot.html">D'rashot</A></B></BIG> <P> <BIG><B><a href="http://betmish.org/do.html">What We Do</A></B></BIG> <P> <BIG><B><a href="http://betmish.org/who.html">Who We Are</A></B></BIG> <P> <BIG><B><a href="http://betmish.org/contact.html">Contact Us</A></B></BIG> <P> <BIG><B><a href="http://betmish.org/faq.html">Frequently Asked Questions</A></B></BIG> <P> <BIG><B><a href="http://betmish.org/archives.html">Archives</A></B></BIG> <P> <BIG><B><a href="http://betmish.org/links.html">Links</A></B></BIG> <P> <BIG><B><a href="http://betmish.org/member.html">Membership</A></B></BIG> <P> <BIG><B><a href="http://betmish.org/credits.html">Credits</A></B></BIG> <P> <BIG><B><a href="http://betmish.org/addbook.html">Guest book</A></B></BIG> </FONT></TD> <TD ALIGN=CENTER VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="80%> <CENTER>    <table border="0" align="center"> <tr> <td align="center"> <a href="http://betmish.org/index.html" target="_top"><IMG border=0 src="http://betmish.org/images/banner2.gif" align=center height="104" width="512" hspace=5 alt="Bet Mishpachah banner"></a> </td> <td align="left"> <font size="-5"><a href="http://betmish.org/child/descriptions/banner.html">Banner<br>Description</a></font> </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center"> <p><font size="-1"><i>Washington, DC's Egalitarian Synagogue</i><br> <i>Embracing a Diversity of Sexual and Gender Identities</i></font> </p> <p> <b><font face="Arial"><font size="+1">Rabbi Bob Saks<br> </font></font></b><br> <font face="Arial"><font size="-1"><i>Founded in 1975 by Members of the GLBT Community<font color="white" size="-4"> </font></i></font></font></p> </td> <td align="left"> <font size="-4" color="white"> </font> </td> </tr> </table> </center> <CENTER><H1>Congregation Bet Mishpachah</h1> <h1>"Tikvatenu", Our Hope : Strategic Plan 1999-2004 </H1></CENTER> <p align="center"><b>"Archim", Our Values<br> The Things That Bring Us Together</b></p> <p>Tikkun Olam<br> Community<br> Inclusiveness<br> Integration of Jewish and Gay/Lesbian Life<br> Influence<br> Responsibility/Mutual Support<br> Tzedakah<br> Open and Honest<br> Egalitarianism<br> Justice<br> Welcoming<br> Spiritual<br> Teaching/Learning<br> Compassion</p> <p align="center"><b>"Chazon", Our Vision, Our Dream</b></p> <p>A synagogue of diverse cultures, traditions, and backgrounds, open to all who wish to participate. A community where it is possible to be open and honest about who we are. A world that embraces a rainbow of affections and sexualities.</p> <p align="center"><b>"Sheyifah", Our Mission<br> Who We are and What We Do</b></p> <p>Bet Mishpachah is an egalitarian Jewish congregation of gay men, Lesbians, bisexuals, transgendered persons and their families, friends and allies that welcomes all who wish to participate. We strive to provide a supportive environment in which our members and their friends and families can realize their full potential spiritually, intellectually, and ethically through Torah (study), Avodah (worship), Gemilut Chasadim (social action), and Kehilah (mutual support). </p> <p align="center"><b>Goals and Objectives</b></p> <p align="center"><b>Torah (Study)</b></p> <p><b>Goal</b></p> <p>To foster exploration, knowledge and appreciation of both traditional and innovative interpretations of a wide array of Jewish texts, languages, cultures customs and values, of the diverse GLBT cultures, and of the inplay between what is "gay" and what is Jewish.</p> <p><b>Objectives</b></p> <p>1)  To select each year through broad congregational input one Jewish value as a theme, focus or area of emphasis to be infused in all the activities of the congregation.</p> <p>Proposed Strategies:</p> <p>  have classes on the yearly theme </p> <p>2)  To develop specific educational programs to increase mutual understanding and openness to the diverse cultures and populations of the global Jewish and GLBT communities.</p> <p>Proposed Strategies:</p> <p>  have classes on the yearly theme </p> <p>  sponsor Educational trips (Ellis Island)</p> <p>  Sunday brunches </p> <p>  Newsletter educational articles</p> <p>  Retreat</p> <p>3)  To create educational and cultural programming on Friday nights (in lieu of or in addition to the Friday night drash), at least quarterly to engage and involve the congregation in study. </p> <p>Proposed Strategies:</p> <p>  educational Friday night programs will consist of participatory workshops, discussions, or other learning opportunities.</p> <p>  to sponsor trainings to expand the repertoire, skills, and flexibility of the service leaders so they can better guide and inspire the congregation</p> <p>  send leaders to camp; hire a teacher for the "teachers" on participatory davenning, learning</p> <p>4)  To create programs that will increase the congregation's knowledge and understanding of traditional Jewish texts, ideas, Shabbat service and liturgy, Hebrew and other languages central to our diverse cultures.</p> <p>Proposed Strategies:</p> <p>  create programs that will foster the study of the intersections of GLBT and Jewish history (Harvey Milk, Emma Goldman, Gertrude Stein, Magnus Hirschfeld, etc.), and a new appreciation for innovate interpretations of Jewish culture </p> <p>How will we know if we achieve our objectives?</p> <p>  People will talk about Jewish values and include them in their own lives</p> <p>  People will be speaking up in discussion groups</p> <p>  We will hear about people reading more Jewish and G/L books; folks may want to talk about what they are reading or more folks may join the book group</p> <p>  People will be discussing the topics/themes that are brought up in services at Onegs</p> <p>  People will want to prepare a drash or lead a discussion group</p> <p>  More folks will join Chug Ivrit or ask for other groups where they can practice what they are learning about Hebrew or Jewish values.</p> <p align="center"><b>Avodah (Worship)</b></p> <p><b>Goal</b></p> <p>To continue to develop a distinct liturgy and ritual that respond to the spiritual needs of a diverse congregation. To conduct services, and celebrate festivals and life cycle events, that reflect and renew the wide spectrum of Jewish traditions.</p> <p><b>Objectives</b></p> <p>1)  To continue to expand and deepen congregational liturgy for Shabbat, festivals and life cycle events that celebrate the diversity of the congregation and of the Jewish experience.</p> <p>2)  To foster experimentation, creativity, and the exploration of new ideas in services, while preserving the traditions and practices of the congregation. </p> <p>3)  To develop new rituals that celebrate the unique life experiences of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Jews.</p> <p>4)  To initiate and support congregants' individual and group observance of nonsynagoguebased traditions.</p> <p>5)  To increase congregational observances associated with life's passages.</p> <p>Suggested Strategies:</p> <p>t'filat ha-derech, bench gomel, and prayers for visiting the sick or a house of mourning.</p> <p align="center"><b>Gemilut Chasadim (Community Service)</b></p> <p><b>Goal</b></p> <p>To address the needs of the congregation, the GLBT communities, the Jewish community and the communities around us, by practicing "Tikkun Olam" (repairing the world) through service, education and advocacy.</p> <p><b>Objectives</b></p> <p>1)  To create and promote opportunities for individuals and the congregation to participate in social action projects in the Jewish, GLBT or general communities.</p> <p>Proposed strategies:</p> <p>  Social action committee should strive to select a new project each year for synagogue involvement, in conjunction with the Jewish value that is the theme for that year. In addition, the synagogue should encourage individual participation in projects such as D.C. Cares. </p> <p>  Congregational action could include sponsoring a gay community event (gay bingo, etc.) or "adopting" a number of general community Projects, e.g., Mautner Project, MealsonWheels in addition to Continuing successful monthly Luther Place, and annual Sukkoth in April and Food and Friends activities</p> <p>  Try to increase monthly and quarterly activitiese.g., volunteering at WhitmanWalkernot just "one shot deals" </p> <p>  Promote activities, .e.g., regular newsletter column: "My experience being a volunteer at..."</p> <p>2)  To identify opportunities to increase CBM participation, visibility and leadership in wider Jewish and GLBT organizations.</p> <p>Proposed strategies:</p> <p>  Assume stronger leadership roles in social service organizations such as WhitmanWalker, PRIDE, Mautner Project, SMYAL, D.C. Jewish Community Council, WAGLIA, Free State Maryland (Maryland Gay civil rights group), Jewish AIDS Network, NGLTF National Religious Leadership Roundtable.</p> <p>  Help WAGLIA to move toward working on homophobia among mainstream clergy.</p> <p>  Put question on membership form asking who already volunteers in organizations (to find the core already participating) and promote experiences of those who have sought the CBM voice to other organizations (through drashes, newsletter features, etc.)</p> <p>3)  To create a forum at CBM to develop and advocate non-partisan positions on issues of political and social import to the Jewish and or GLBT communities, to encourage individual action as well as congregational action. </p> <p> (The word "political" is defined as issues related to policy, legislation, and world events and does not include partisan politics) </p> <p>Proposed strategies:</p> <p>  Create a committee to develop a set of guiding principles for congregational action, which will allow congregational support of a particular piece of legislation, policy, etc. Such principles should be adopted at a congregational "town meeting"</p> <p>The Board shall use these principles for endorsement of policies, legislation, etc.</p> <p>How will we know if we achieve our objectives?</p> <p align="center"><b>Kehilah (Mutual Support)</b></p> <p> <p align="center"></p> <p>To foster bonds of mutual support, sharing and friendship between members of the congregation.</p> <p> <p align="center"></p> <p>1)  To develop ways of welcoming those who are new and those returning after a long absence at Friday night services.</p> <p>Proposed strategies:</p> <p>  Consider the structure of onegs, assigning new members a "buddy", continuing New Member Shabbats, singling new people out for honors and recognition at services, and developing a prayer for "welcoming guests." </p> <p>2)  Bet Mishpachah will strengthen congregants' sense of connection and belonging through shared Shabbat and Holy Day meals, chavurot and chugim (affinity groups.)</p> <p>Proposed strategies:</p> <p>  Strengthening geographic and special interest chavurot, women's programs, neighborhood contacts </p> <p>3)  To develop a statement of personal responsibility to the congregational family, to include such principles as welcoming the stranger, bereavement support, and bikur cholim.</p> <p>Proposed strategies: </p> <p>  Newsletter, telephone trees, being there for people who are hurting emotionally</p> <p>4)  To sponsor events to address the life passage needs of congregants, such as aging parents, coming out, gay senior/retirement centers.</p> <p>5)  To increase existing, and create new, social events that foster interpersonal growth and the concept of Bet Mishpachah as a family of choice through retreats, theater outings, and parties.</p> <p align="center"><b>Binyan (Infrastructure)</b></p> <p><b>Goal</b></p> <p>To safeguard the foundations of the congregation through sound organizational and financial management, sustainable membership, growth and appropriate staffing and facilities.</p> <p><b>Objectives</b></p> <p>1)  To maintain the level of membership from one year to the next; and to work to increase the number of members each year.</p> <p>Proposed strategies:</p> <p>  Make sure prospective, new, and continuing members know what they can expect from CBM and what CBM expects from them (statement of responsibilities).</p> <p>  Create a "buddy" program for new members.</p> <p>  Create a directory of members.</p> <p>  Follow up with people who express interest whether by voice/message indication or who check off a box on the membership form (examine at the form that gets sent out to identify better the activities of a particular committee  not just the committee name).</p> <p>2  To encourage and cultivate the leadership potential and development of congregants.</p> <p>Leadership Development: Identify a board member/board position who will assume the portfolio of leadership development.</p> <p>Proposed strategies:</p> <p>  Create and maintain an ongoing committee or other appropriate structure to deal with identifying potential new leaders, building current leaders' skills and training, and identifying appropriate workshops matching training needs.</p> <p>  Invest in existing and future leaders by sending them to appropriate workshops and classes ("send our leaders to camp").</p> <p>3) To develop and expand congregational means of communication to inform congregants of events and activities and to foster the exchange of ideas.</p> <p>Communication: At a minimum maintain the level of communication that exists in terms of @CBM and newsletter. Increase the use of electronic media to inform members of activities at CBM and in the community. Newsletter and other communication tools to include differing points of view on subjects, book reviews, etc.</p> <p>Proposed strategies:</p> <p>  Increase the number of authors/congregants who contribute articles to the newsletter.</p> <p>  Increase the amount of Public Relations communications (Press Releases, White Papers, Individual conversations) used by CBM to help the internal and external community know about CBM activities and learn about CBM policies and statements about issues.</p> <p>4) To create a committee structure and an annual program of work based on the strategic plan.</p> <p>Organization and Financial Management : An annual program or work plan should be created by the committees and board using the strategic plan as their guide (based on the principles of the strategic plan). The cycle to begin the work plan needs to be 6 months before the annual meeting for the following fiscal year. Work plan prep will take 3 months  each committee prepares program and budget and submits to budget committee. Budget committee takes 2 months to prepare the annual budget using all the info received from the committees.</p> <p>5)  To create an annual balanced budget in concert with the development committee, that supports the program of work based on the strategic plan and that includes a contribution to charity in accordance with congregational policy.</p> <p>An objective of the budget committee should be to create a budget that is balanced. Included in the budget should be a contribution to charity in accordance with previous policy on this subject. The budget committee should work in consort with the fundraising committee to make sure the budget is balanced and the program of the congregation is being met. The budget committee submits the budget/fundraising proposal to the meeting immediately preceding the annual meeting.</p> <p>Budget needs to include adequate staffing to meet the program needs of the congregation.</p> <p>6)  To establish a personnel committee to deal with staffing needs of the congregation.</p> <p>7)  To assess and address both short-term and long-term needs for space for the various activities of CBM.</p> <p>Facilities: We may have a particular problem in the future of outgrowing current space at the DCJCC. We may also want to address the concerns expressed by many congregants to establish roots and have a space of our own.</p> <p>To address these concerns and to look into the various issues involved in housing, an ad hoc committee should be established to begin reviews of the issues and perhaps conduct a feasibility study so that by the end of this strategic plan (5 years from 5/99) there is a firm statement of what the congregation's position should be. If the statement is CBM should acquire its own facility, a housing and capital campaign committee should be created to pull together the plan and begin the work. </p> <p>Establish an ad hoc committee to review the need for and feasibility of acquiring space to be used as an office. If the resolution shows the need to have such space, the VP for administration should develop a plan to acquire the space.</p> <p>8)  To assess the desirability of affiliating with one of the denominational movements in Judaism.</p> <p>Affiliation: Establish an ad hoc committee to review the pros and cons of organizational affiliation. </p> </TD></TR></TABLE></CENTER> <P><HR> <p align="center"><FONT face=Arial><small><small><b>For more information, contact our office at <a href="mailto:office@betmishpachah.org?SUBJECT=Request for Information from Web Site">office@betmishpachah.org</a></small></small><br> <small><small>Send comments about this site to <a href="mailto:webweaver@betmishpachah.org?SUBJECT=Comments About Web Site">webweaver@betmishpachah.org</a>.<br> Copyright 1996 - 2008 Bet Mishpachah. </small></small></FONT></FONT> <CENTER><font face=Arial size="-1" color="#999999"><small><small><P><b>This page last modified on Sunday, May 18, 2003 at 08:00 PM EDT.</b></small></small></font> </CENTER> </body>