Beth+El+of+the+Sudbury+River+Valley+(Sudbury,+MA)

As Beth El's //BaDerech// initiative moves into its fourth and final year of LHIP funding, we will continue to work toward our goal of all congregants exploring their Jewish journeys and striving to live the words of the //v'ahavta///( וְאָהַבְתָּ בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ בְּבֵיתֶךָ וּבְלֶכְתְּךָ בַדֶּרֶךְ ) - to fully live and express a Jewish life while sitting at home and walking on the way - by creating seamless connections between expressions of Judaism in personal homes and Beth El, our communal home. On a programmatic level, our efforts to work toward this goal will focus on Preschool family learning programs, Shabbat family programming, support for interfaith families, and sharing stories through one-on-one community organizing techniques. We also advance the work of //BaDerech// on a systemic level through communicating our vision to the entire congregation, breaking down organizational silos, developing new leadership, and strengthening partnerships between and among professional and lay leaders at Beth El.
 * Beth El of the Sudbury River Valley, Sudbury, MA (Reform, 340 household units)**

[|Beth El Website]

[|BaDerech Website] (used up through June 2010) 105 Hudson Road Sudbury, MA 01776

Reform

Rabbi David Thomas rabbi@bethelsudbury.org

Prior to 2010: Nina Price, Director of Congregational Learning

BaDerech Task Force Co-Chairs Michelle Fineblum Fran Basche

=**Presentations at 2007 LHIP Seminar:**=

Report on Preschool BaDerech Presentation of future plans for BaDerech Presentation on the Story of BaDerech - [|baderech story silos.ppt]

=**Presentation at 2008 LHIP Seminar**= Working with Amcha Session Outline - Working with Amcha Handout - Calendaring Process Handout - BaDerech Task Force Handout -

=**Programmatic Components:**= Program Overview 2007-2008 - //BaDerech: On Our Way// – Phase 2 - **Finding Our Way to Community** Program Overview 2008-2009 - Building //BaDerech// - BaDerech Brochure Presented @ CAJE 2008 - [|BaDerech Website - An On-line Overview of the Structure and Work of BaDerech]

=Preschool BaDerech= There was email correspondence with both guides and participant families in advance of the Rosh HaShanah visit. Preschool BaDerech Rosh HaShanah Home Visit - Rosh HaShanah Training Session for Guides -
 * Overview**: Preschool BaDerech pairs families with young children with guides, primarily empty-nesters, who help teach parents what it means to be their child's Jewish teacher. They do this by bringing Jewish educational materials into the families' homes, running educational activities, and forming relationships with the young families. We completed the first cohort of Preschool BaDerech with a Rosh HaShanah home visit this past fall. Beginning in 2008-2009 we have integrated Preschool BaDerech into Beth El's Preschool curriculum. The program in 2008-2009 is focusing on the 3-year-old class.
 * Publicity**:
 * Materials**:

=Havurot= Emails and bulletin postings were sent to Preschool BaDerech participants and to the congregation as a whole. - Havurah Formation Questionnaire - Outline of Congregation-wide Simchat Torah Program Planned by a Havurah -
 * Overview**: As an outgrowth of Preschool BaDerech, we formed 6 new havurot in the congregation, four of which were mentored by guides from Preschool BaDerech. Each havurah was formed around a certain affinity - very young children, interfaith couples, focus on learning, etc.
 * Publicity**:
 * Materials**: To date, each havurah has had 2+ meetings and they all continue to meet on a regular basis. Guides keep in touch with havurah participants and offer program ideas and other resources as needed.

=Shabbat Opportunities for Children and Families with Young Children=

Tot Shabbat
Flyer -
 * Overview:** On most Shabbat mornings from November, 2009 - May, 2010 from 11-12:30 there is a special program for children ages 0-5 which brings the joy of Shabbat to these youngest members of our community. Tot Shabbat strives to create a space for families with young children to bond and grow together as a community in a supportive and enjoyable spiritual setting. All are warmly welcomed to participate. We will be taking time to refresh ourselves after the long week as we come together to sing, dance and celebrate Shabbat.

Kehillat Noar / Youth Programming
Once a month on Shabbat morning from 11:30 -12:30 there is a wonderful Shabbat hour of Torah exploration and fun for children ages 6-12. Bibliodrama, a great interactive program of bringing Torah to life and to action for all learners, will be the focus of our monthly program. Our teachers will lead our children in the dramatic fun of finding themselves inside the Torah and all it can offer. Our goals? To offer an enriching and fun program for our younger Beth El students on Shabbat morning; and to encourage families to join us for our wonderful Shabbat morning services! Flyer -

Shabbat B'Yachad: Shabbat Together
Flyer for Bulletin - Letter to Congregation - Program outlines for past programs - Programming ideas for remainder of year - Kick-off Program September 2008 -
 * Overview:** On the first and third Fridays of the month, we have Shabbat B'Yachad, an interactive Kabbalat Shabbat program geared for families with children age 9 and under. The format of Shabbat B'Yachad includes prayer with the whole congregation, a learning service, an interactive activity, family discussions, and singing. The goal of Shabbat B'Yachad is to create a program for families with young children in which they can come together to celebrate Shabbat, pray, learn, and build community. On the first Friday of the month Shabbat B'Yachad is followed by a congregational pot-luck Shabbat dinner.
 * Publicity**:
 * Materials**:

=Interfaith Programs= Notices were posted in the bulletin and email announcements were made - Flyer for 2008-2009 Series - Interfaith Family Living: Finding a Place at the Table for Everyone - Summary of Training w/Rabbi Kerry Olitsky - Presentation to the Beth El Board by Rabbi Kerry Olitsky -
 * Overview**: During 2008-2009, to make Beth El a more welcoming congregation, we addressed interfaith issues on two levels: direct programming for participants and training for staff. The direct programming involved facilitated discussion groups periodically throughout the year. The staff worked with the Jewish Outreach Institute for training and consultation relating to the inclusion of interfaith families in our congregation.
 * Publicity**:
 * Materials**:

= = =Beth El Connections (Ayekah)= Flyer -
 * 2009-2010 Overview:** We connected during the past few years, sharing a wealth of experience through the Ayekah program-that's why we have renamed the program-Beth El Connections.This aligns better with our priority of supporting community through strengthening our connections. The connections we experienced one to one in group meetings and house meetings around the table have introduced us to others or helped us forge deeper connections with members we already knew in our community. Often we were not ready to leave when the program ended. We shared and listened to social conversation, good humor and enlightening and inspiring stories, interests and concerns. We found that connection means different things to different congregants. When congregants forge the type of Beth El Connections that interest them most, they will deepen the Connections of the whole community. When we strengthen Connections in our community, the caring and support or search for all types ofknowledge within our community will rise to a new level. Introduction to Beth El Connections (Ayekah).

Rosh HaShanah Sermon - Ayekah http://bethelsudbury.org/jewish_basics/text005.php3?page=12721 Program outline for kick-off - Timeline for first phase of Ayekah - [|Link to Rabbi Thomas' Ayekah Sermon at Rosh HaShanah] Timeline for Ayekah Phase 2 - Outline for Kick-off Event 2008 - Agenda for Fall Team Meetings 2008 - Outline for November 2008 Gathering - Shabbaton "Housemeeting" Session - One-on-one Tips -
 * Ayekah Overview (prior to Fall 2009)**: Over the course of Ayekah, a significant number of Beth El members will learn how to tell their own stories in a way that seeks to answer, for others as well as themselves, the question of "Ayekah?" - "Where are you?". Equally important, Beth El members will have the opportunity to tell their story and be listened to, and listen to their fellow congregants' stories. As this happens, people with similar needs and interests will find each other in order to work together and create the guides and maps that they need to help them along with their Jewish journeys. As this happens, Beth El's congregants will work together to discern the common values and interests that stretch across Beth El's stories and work with those common values and interests to craft new stories for Beth El, new opportunities to act on those values and interests when they pray, when they learn, when they teach, when they function as a community, when they reach out into the world.
 * Publicity**:
 * Materials**:

=Congregational Shabbaton=
 * Overview**: Our congregational Shabbaton took place on April 4-5, 2008. The Shabbaton involved 25 hours of programming at Beth El that linked various populations within the congregation and offer multiple means of bringing Shabbat into individuals' lives and making it more central to the Beth El community as a whole. The Shabbaton also communicated the vision of BaDerech to the congregation and celebrated the congregation's accomplishments in moving forward toward achieving this vision. Given the success of our first-ever Shabbaton in spring 2008, we have scheduled another Shabbaton on May 7-8, 2009. For 2009-2010, we recognized that f or the past two years we have hosted a full, varied and well-attended 25-hour community Shabbaton, each filled with celebration, learning, and communitybuilding. For 2009-2010, we are expanding to THREE mini-Shabbatons, using similar approaches but scheduling them during a different portion of Shabbat throughout the year. Our theme this year is "There's No Place Like Home." Scheduled dates are: Friday evening, November 6; Saturday morning-early afternoon, January 9; Saturday afternoon, April 3.


 * 2008 Shabbaton:** Find the Path from Your House to Ours

[|Article in Local Paper] Shabbaton Schedule Handouts Blessing Cards to Be Used at Home Shabbaton Announcements & Messaging [|Post-Shabbaton Survey]


 * 2009 Shabbaton:** Planting Seeds on the Road to Sinai

[|Interactive on-line publicity Materials] [|On-line Registration] Shabbaton Overview - Shabbaton Schedule Handouts - Detai​led Session Descriptions - Press Release -

[|Post-Shabbaton Survey]

After the 2009 Shabbaton, a task list was created to help in the planning of a full Congregational Shabbaton. This task list will be used during the planning of the January 9 and April 3, 2010 "mini"-Shabbatons. Although this is presented in html format here, the task list is actually a shareable Google document with the ability to color code the status of tasks.



Flyer - Email to Congregation (originally sent out in October with follow-up reminders)-
 * November 2009 "mini"-Shabbaton:** There's No Place Like Home - Part 1 - Israel, Our Jewish Homeland - November 6, 2009


 * January 9, 2010 "mini" - Shabbaton:** There's No Place Like Home - part 2 - Judaism in America - 2010 will provide opportunities for us to explore what it means to be Jewish in America in 2010.

= = =Systemic Change Materials - Work w/BaDerech Task Force= August - First Task Force Meeting [|NotesFrom08022007Meeting.doc] November - Focus on Four Frames December - Joint meeting w/Executive Committee LHIP Conference Call Powerpoint Presentation - Summary of Systemic Change March Task Force Meeting (this meeting was cancelled due to snow but much of the work of the meeting was done via email) Agenda for June Task Force Meeting Systemic Change Diagram Presented @ March Board Meeting Proposal for CAJE Poster Session Opening Task Force Meeting October 2008 & Worksheet - Presentation to Board November 2008 - December Task Force Meeting 2008 - February Task Force Meeting 2009 - June Task Force Meeting 2009 - June Task Force Meeting Notes: Plan for 09-10 - Leadership Advisory Committee Information on Congregational Health and Vibrancy - Kallah Detailed Agenda - August 2010 - BaDerech Presentation to Board of Directors - October 2010 - Programming Task Force Meeting January 2011 - Preparation for Beth El Calendaring Meeting March 2011 - Interfaith Series Press Release and Flyer May 2011 - = = =Communication= The use of Constant Contact has allowed for the means to communicate various aspects of BaDerech with the Congregation. This document provides examples of how communication about BaDerech is included in other aspects of Congregational communication: Preschool emails, Religious School emails, Weekly Newsletters:
 * April 3, 2010 "mini" - Shabbaton:** There's No Place Like Home - part 3 - Jewish Communties Throughout the World.
 * Dvar Torah - [[file:JACOB BADERECH.doc]]
 * Summary of Beth El's Four Frames [[file:Frames Summary.doc]]
 * Summary of Impact of Four Frames on Implementing BaDerech [[file:BaDerech frames.doc]]

After the 2009 Shabbaton, a task list was created to help in the planning of a full Congregational Shabbaton. This task list will be used during the planning of the January 9 and April 3, 2010 "mini"-Shabbatons. Although this is presented in html format here, the task list is actually a shareable Google document with the ability to color code the status of tasks. In addition, such a task list using the same type of format and shareable Google document could be used for other Beth El event and holiday programming. For the 2009-2010 year, this is yet to be analyzed or started for such an event or holiday.



Up through June 2010, The BaDerech Website provided the Congregation with information regarding the many aspects of BaDerech and the interconnections within the Beth El Community. Using Google Analytics, we had the ability to analyze how the site is being used. As of December 2009, this type of analysis had not fully begun, but the toolset was available and was used starting in January 2010.

In the May of 2009, the President of the Congregation sent out a Constant Contact email to the Congregation titled "Goals for the Congregation in 2009-10. The experiences and methods of Ayekah proved instrumental in the process described in the email.