Talking Points, Strategies, Texts and Values

Ultimately, it all comes down to organizational culture. How do you convince key stakeholders and decision-makers that justice and sustainability should be central in your synagogue’s building efforts?

First, it’s vital to understand what kind of institutional culture exists, and who are the “gatekeepers.” Often, of course, it’s the rabbi/s. Sometimes it may be the executive director. In larger congregations, it may be the synagogue president or the board member whose portfolio would be most affected by a particular initiative (finance, buildings and grounds, treasurer, etc). In many small and mid-size synagogues, the informal authority actually rests with just one or two old-timers, whose years of service and leadership led to such great respect that little gets done without their explicit or implicit approval. So the first step is to figure out who you need to reach.

Second, establish what data and ‘talking points’ you may need to bring to the stakeholders. You’ll want to mix Jewish / moral values with practical and financial arguments, but in what ratio? For some communities, if you can successfully ground your proposal in halacha (Jewish law) or Jewish values, that is pretty much all you need. For other congregations, the discussion starts and ends with cost projections. Along with what you want to do, always be ready to explain both why and how -- i.e., do your research (much of which can be done right here on the COEJL website)!

And third, figure out who are your natural allies within congregational life. Often it will include people who are active with the social action committee or other such efforts. Ideally the list will feature multiple members of the congregational board, or even officers, who can advocate for your proposal from within the leadership. And in nearly all communities, even if the rabbi(s) isn’t going to ‘go to bat’ for your initiative, make sure that he/she/they are apprised of your efforts, and have at least heard you present the Jewish values and texts which reinforce the plan. Don’t forget younger members as well -- not only might the twenty-and-thirty-somethings be natural allies, but so may be members of the youth group or senior religious school classes, those who will be growing up in a world affected by decisions being made today.

In many cases -- where synagogues enjoy forward-thinking leadership, decent finances, and effective advocates for the cause (like you!) -- after taking these steps and making your presentation, success is all but guaranteed. Yet without these attributes, success becomes that much harder. So two further pieces of advice are: be creative in considering all possible options; and be open to compromise.

You may have wanted mostly FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified sustainable wood, but found that the right shingles and shakes and columns are hard to procure; settling for 20% is still admirable, and will serve to educate local suppliers along with your contractor. You may have hoped that the synagogue would pay the premium for all-renewable electricity, but budgetary realities preclude that; be ready to start with as much wind-power as $500 extra can purchase, and then try to ratchet up that line in the budget in successive years. And so on. Rabbi Tarfon’s exhortation in Pirkei Avot (2:21) is always worth repeating: “It’s not upon you to complete the task, but neither are you free to desist from it.”

Finally, even if you encounter challenges or opposition from synagogue leadership, remember that ultimately it’s about creating common cause. Given the multiple purposes that synagogues serve, and the centrality of relationships within sacred communities, we recommend knowing when to step back from the conflict. Over time, the key to success lies in proving the ecologically sound choice to be the moral, interpersonal, and communal best path. You must “win the hearts and minds” of members and leaders, along with mustering the appropriate arguments. Expect setbacks, but be in it for the long haul.

In conclusion, we have already suggested:

• Evaluating the congregational culture, and determining key stakeholders / gatekeepers
• Amassing appropriate data and ‘talking points’ which might sway such key individuals
• Cultivating allies within the congregation, especially those in synagogue leadership
• Being flexible, creative, patient, and open to compromise as needed

A few additional suggestions:

• Start early -- the more lead time you have, the better off your chances
• Do solid research -- reviewing alternatives (time) cuts synagogue costs (& opposition)
• Deputize other members of the community to help with research, phone calls, etc
• Consider educating members and vendors, and partial eco-enhancements, to be success

Best of luck! And know that you are doing avodat kodesh, sacred, Jewishly-rooted work, in trying to make your synagogue as sustainable as possible.