Ben Romer

“Revising institutional views about the synagogue Reinterpreting Jewish values Reimagining the venue of the synagogue By unshackling synagogues from leftover views about how they do their work, by creating stronger points of connection between Jewish values and the real life concerns of individuals, and by reimagining the synagogue as a venue where people are empowered to find and create community on their terms, synagogues may become places of greater vision, inspiration, and relevance.”
― Zachary I Heller, Synagogues in a Time of Change: Fragmentation and Diversity in Jewish Religious Movements

“Synagogue Leaders 1. If people are attracted to Judaism and want to convert to Judaism, are we willing to make conversion more accessible? If so, how would we do so? 2. How can we allow people who are attracted to Jewish ideas to engage our community institutions even if they don’t want to convert to Judaism? 3. What program changes need to happen for our institutions to effectively share Jewish thought in the marketplace?”
― Kerry M. Olitzky, Playlist Judaism: Making Choices for a Vital Future

“thought outside the religious realm. 3. Jewish values, particularly because they are often manifest in concrete ways, are of particular interest to those in the marketplace of ideas. 4. For Jewish thought to speak to the masses, it has to be accessible and cannot remain hidden within the walls of Jewish communal institutions. 5. Like Jewish thought, Jewish culture has also found its place in the marketplace. 6. The influence of Jewish thought and Jewish culture is particularly apparent in popular media. 7. The culture of so-called open source, made possible by the Internet, is ideal for sharing Jewish ideas in the marketplace of ideas. As a result, they can be accessed by all. 8. The marketplace of ideas is pluralistic and knows no boundaries or limitations. 9. All ideas are subject to scrutiny and criticism in the marketplace. Thus, they”
― Kerry M. Olitzky, Playlist Judaism: Making Choices for a Vital Future

“will be interested in moving forward on the path of engagement during the first year of follow-up activities and events. The other two-thirds will take an additional year or two. 3. Families with young children tend to access Judaism through their children at holiday time. 4. For Public Space Judaism events to be most effective, they have to take place on numerous occasions throughout the year and be dispersed throughout the wider community. 5. Public Space Judaism events raise the profile of the sponsoring institution. As a result, soliciting funds (but not at the events themselves) from community members outside the sponsoring institution becomes easier. Reflection and Discussion Questions for Synagogue Leaders”
― Kerry M. Olitzky, Playlist Judaism: Making Choices for a Vital Future