tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149626825782442228.post7942164722752320704..comments2024-02-07T22:33:08.606-05:00Comments on Dawn Ponders: Big Fish, Small CommunityDawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13377990352000842532noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149626825782442228.post-51490167919230279562011-04-21T17:25:30.708-04:002011-04-21T17:25:30.708-04:00Dawn:
It's true. There's a lot to be said...Dawn:<br /><br />It's true. There's a lot to be said for the "big fish, small pond" life. I left my hometown of NYC 38 years ago and have spent most of that time working and living ins mall communities. There are lots of good things about that, including the examples you cite of mutual support and strong sense of community. For years, I have advocated that Jews make aliyah to the rest of America outside our modern urban ghettos like NY, LA, Chicago, Montreal, Miami, etc. I've come to truly appreciate small congregations. I love working where I actually know everybody. I love the warmth, the support. Living in large urban areas it's easy to take being a Jew for granted. Not so easy in a smaller community. Makes you appreciate it all the more.<br />Yes, we have to deal with a certain lack of easy access to resources (but the net has changed all that.) Yes, there are monumental challenges, but in my experience we rise to them.<br />Yet small town Judaism is a double-edged sword, especially for people like me. I'm a bit of a generalist. Not only do I do Jewish Ed and Jewish Music, but a wide range of other things. Every congregation I have worked for has enabled me to utilize all these varied skills in their service. And therein lies the catch. One, small congregations with fewer resources become dependent on the generosity of their staff with their time and skills-and when it is time for staff to move on, they are left with a bigger hole to fill than that which the job description denotes. In addition, as funds get tight, congregations squeeze the staff for more-and for those of us already giving 200% it begins to feel abusive. And, as money gets tight and congregations have to let staff go, there's far less opportunity for that staff to find other work.<br />These, and many other reasons, are why I find myself, after 38 years away, returning to NYC to teach music at a day school beginning this fall. It remains to be seen how much I'll miss small community/small congregation life.migdalorguyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01662053981342064741noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149626825782442228.post-46358324435306498802011-04-21T16:16:23.595-04:002011-04-21T16:16:23.595-04:00Thank you, Dawn, for saying what so many of us fee...Thank you, Dawn, for saying what so many of us feel!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149626825782442228.post-15604207958019258292011-04-21T15:17:23.452-04:002011-04-21T15:17:23.452-04:00Too many small congregations strive to become big,...Too many small congregations strive to become big, believing that the more members they have is an indicator of their success and health. When small congregations spend all their effort on membership and fundraising they risk losing what is truly important. They divert effort (and sometimes funds) from core programming, which is undoubtedly what attracted their current membership base.<br /><br />If a congregation is determined to measure their success somehow, then how about counting the number of people at a Shabbat service or a study session rather than the number of names on a roster.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com