Beit+Am+Visioning+Project

Beit Am Visioning Project **What is the Beit Am Visioning Task Force?** We are a group of twelve people whose mission is to lead the Beit Am community through a process of understanding where Beit Am is right now and developing a vision for the future.We will be guided by Amy Asin, a consultant withexperience in organizational change, and in supporting congregations to become more visionary.

The task force will meet monthly from October to July.There may be two months (most likely February and April) when we will meet twice. The first three months will involve reflection and discussion within the task force itself.After that, the task force will facilitate small-group conversations in order to make the process inclusive of the entire Beit Am community.

Our Final Vision Statement:

At Beit Am we build an inclusive Jewish community. We are a center for Jewish life that embraces a diversity of religious and cultural traditions.
==We cherish each individual, cultivating friendship and reaching out to support one another in difficult times through acts of //__h__esed// (loving-kindness). We gather to learn, pray, and celebrate the cycles of Jewish time, infusing our lives with joy and meaning, and revealing //kedushah// (holiness) within and around us.==

Beit Am is an active presence in the larger community, contributing to its vitality and serving those in need through our commitment to //tikkun olam// (repairing the world).
** SCHEDULE: **

** Kickoff Meeting - Wednesday, October 28, 2009 [|Kickoff Meeting Agenda and Facilitation Guide.doc] ** Text Study: [|TfilatHaDerech.P1.jpg] [|TfilatHaDerech.P2.jpg] Notes from Kickoff Meeting: [|Visioning Kickoff Notes.doc]

David Bernell: love of father, honoring his father, valuing prayer Sarah T: family, tradition, connection with family history Mallory: valuing ritual objects connected with significant life events (wedding) and creating Anne: valuing prayer and friendship and work of hands Ellie: connection with the land of Israel and Judaism Benjamin: connection to God, things that bind us to God Nadine: connection to ancestors and to Israel, and spirit Richard: love, marriage, commitment Cindy: valuing praying, creating, marriage, and sharing Scott: valuing family connection, tradition, honoring life events
 * Values touched upon in connection exercise, where we each showed the group a Jewish object that was meaningful to us: **

Honoring parents and ancestors: 3 Valuing tradition and family history: 3 Valuing ritual objects connected with significant life events: 3 Connection to the land of Israel:1 Connection to God and valuing prayer 6 Valuing love and marriage, and friendship: 4 Valuing creating (work of our hands): 3
 * Zingers: summary of values and number of hits **


 * PLANTING SEEDS: Research and Reflection**

In a message dated 11/6/2009 4:58:22 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, Scott Leibowitz writes:
Task Force members, In preparation for our next meeting in mid-November, Benjamin, Anne, and I would like to hear your responses to the following question:

What are some of the key events that have defined Beit Am historically, and what were the values behind these?

I will also be posing this question to some of our long-time members.

Please respond to "all" with your answer(s) by next Thurs., Nov. 12.

Thanks, and good shabbas!

scott

[|Visioning Meeting 1 Agenda and Facilitation Guide.doc]
 * Visioning Meeting 1 - Tuesday, November 17, 2009 **

Beit Am Timeline/Text Study/Discussion
Thinking back over the key events in the life of Beit Am, what are some of the themes that stand out for you?When were we at our best? After Moses received the second set of tablets, the Israelites carried the broken tablets along with the new ones.While our history is not “broken,” there are parts of it that we want to carry forward into our future. **Discussion:** Best Jewish experiences

Text Study: [|BrokenTablet.P1.jpg] [|BrokenTablets.P2.jpg] Notes from Meeting 1: [|Visioning Meeting 1 Notes.doc]

**Visioning Meeting 2 - Thursday, December 10, 2009** [|Visioning Meeting 2 Agenda and Facilitation Guide.doc]