Builders, Movers, and Champions
Submitted by nhc on Sun, 12/27/2009 - 18:55
By Erica Raphael
"I live for Jewish community." That's how one member of the new Segulah Minyan in Silver Spring/Northwest DC introduced herself at a recent Friday night kabbalat shabbat service and potluck dinner.
"When you hear about a community that develops organically, you're actually hearing about a community that was built from the ground up by a group of passionate people." Reading this statement by social media strategist Maddie Grant, I immediately recognized a source of the NHC's strength.
How do we sustain passion and continue to build a strong NHC community between regional retreats and Summer Institutes? How do we reach and engage more people who share the goal of creating vibrant, inclusive, joyful Jewish communities? Grant describes three roles essential to strong communities: builders, members, and champions. One of the special things about havurot is that each of us plays all three roles. We are learners and teachers, daveners, prayer leaders, and organizers of services, potluck cooks, hosts, and guests, workshop planners, leaders, and participants, shleppers of chairs, siddurim, and Torah scrolls. As champions, we recruit participants, in person to people we meet, in the blogosphere and on Twitter, in print media, and through local and national Jewish communal organizations. Our newly launched Resource Bank project will both build connections internally and help people beginning new initiatives.
Sustaining and expanding our community takes financial resources as well as "sweat equity." This year we provided 44 scholarships to the Summer Institute in fulfillment of our commitment to affordability. We anticipate that the need will be at least as great during the coming year. The NHC's 2010 budget will be about $230,000, of which less than half will come from participant fees. We hope to again provide over $18,000 in scholarships for the Summer Institute.
All of us can help. If you are reading this online, go to www.havurah.org/donate to make your gift online or contact the office to join the monthly giving program. Giving monthly allows you to make an annual pledge and pay a manageable amount each month. If you are reading a print copy of the newsletter (or to save help the NHC reduce credit card processing fees), send your check to NHC, 7135 Germantown Ave, 2nd Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19119. Have questions? Want to contribute securities? Interested in helping with NHC fundraising or want help by introducing friends to the work of the NHC? Call Yael in the office, 215-248-1335, or contact Erica Raphael.
