I can’t believe it’s the end of April already. My first year as president came to a close at the Annual General Meeting on May 21st. It wasn’t exactly the year I dreamed it would be. My major goal as President this year was to continue the visioning and strategic planning started by my predecessor, Rick Lee. I hoped to get this process moving right after High Holidays. The strategic planning got derailed for a few months while the Board and I dealt with the Executive Director issues that arose suddenly and unexpectedly.

 

To update you, the Executive Director Search committee had initial interviews with six potential candidates. The committee recently completed the second interview process and we are very close to hiring a new Executive Director. I would be remiss at this time if I didn’t thank Jackie Wassermann for stepping back into the breach to help us out. You have enabled us to get back to synagogue business.

 

For me, that meant getting back to the strategic planning. Why is this issue so important to me and why do I believe it is so important to the Synagogue? I and my fellow Board members are convinced that the synagogue is at a crossroads in terms of what Shaarey Zedek means to its almost 1,100 member units and to the Winnipeg Jewish Community. It’s not news to anybody that for the large majority of our members, the synagogue is not a major part of their life. They require the Synagogue and its clergy for Life Cycle Events, High Holidays and maybe a program or two. However, their continued support is mandatory for our survival. How can the Synagogue play a larger part in their lives and their children’s lives? The rate of intermarriage in our community continues to escalate. The number of intermarried couples that do not convert or practice Judaism is growing by leaps and bounds. What does this mean for our future generations and the future of our Synagogue?

 

The overriding factor in needing to find the answers to the above questions and many more lies in our building. It is close to 60 years old and requires upgrading in almost every area. Thus, it is imperative for us to develop a strategic plan. We must determine what our synagogue’s membership will look like and what their needs will be in the next five to ten years, in order to plan for the repairs or changes required in our building.

 

I am excited to tell you that we have hired Dr. Suzanne Stier of the Alban Institute to lead us through the Strategic Planning process. She holds a PhD in Organizational Behavior and Social Psychology from the Union Institute in Cincinnati. Dr. Stier brings a wealth of experience, expertise and knowledge to her work with Jewish Institutions. She has over twenty-five years of consulting experience in organizational behavior, participative management, strategic management and executive coaching. She consults with synagogue boards assisting them in strategic thinking and problem solving. She also frequently acts as coach to a number of Rabbis to help them in this area.

 

After the first step of hiring Dr. Stier, the second step was completed on April 15th when Dr. Stier came to Winnipeg to meet us. She held meetings with the Executive Director and the staff. She had lunch with the Past Presidents and our Clergy and finished a long day at dinner with the Executive committee. She generated a buzz in the building that we have not had for a while. It felt wonderful. She provided us with an outline of the process and the timelines that we hope to achieve. Our goal is to have a completed strategic plan by the date of our Annual General Meeting in May 2009.

 

The next step in the process was to appoint a chair for the Strategic Planning committee. I am thrilled to tell you that Rocky Pollack has graciously accepted this position. His first job is to recruit a number of individuals to form a Steering Committee for the strategic planning. These individuals will represent the various interest groups within our membership that have the interest, energy and willingness to engage in the process of planning the growth and direction of the Synagogue. Don’t be surprised if you get a call from Rocky.

 

I will continue to keep you up to date on the strategic planning process through my articles in the Shofar. Please come and talk to me about it. We need input from all of our members.

 

I hope all of our members have a warm and healthy summer with family and friends.