Overview

Stepping Forward Together helps congregational leaders take a strategic stance in a challenging world. This book provides a resource that empowers leaders with planning tools and exercises to engage the community and step forward into the future.

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9781538142592

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Reviews

As a person who studies organization and community change processes, I would have to say Bob Leventhal's book delivers a lot more than the title promises. This book is good for the Jews, for sure, but Leventhal's methods could help any system where broad based engagement and commitment are the keys to success. It's also a fine manual on how to be the kind of leader who builds participation. Leventhal supplements guiding concepts of organizational change with a step-by step process for participants--replete with agendas, group guidance, checklists, surveys, and examples of how to do it right at each point, and what can go wrong if you don't. It is also a good read! Leventhal is an engaging storyteller and the text comes alive via accounts of real congregations and through the invocation of Jewish history and ancient wisdom.--David Kiel, Academic Leadership Consultant, David Kiel Associates, LLC For several decades, Bob Leventhal has helped synagogues across North America become more vibrant, forward looking institutions. In Stepping Forward Together we have the gift of Bob's accumulated wisdom from all his work in the field. Re-tooling institutions that have been around for 50-100 years is not an easy task. But this new book provides concrete suggestions about how to be planful and how to make it happen.--Sid Schwarz, Senior Fellow at Hazon; author, Jewish Megatrends: Charting the Course of the American Jewish Future We are living in a moment of rapid, profound change, that is impacting every aspect of life, including our religious, spiritual lives. Synagogues, as all sacred communities, are struggling to respond with meaning. In such an environment, strategic thinking, planing and implementation is needed more than ever. This book is just what is needed to help synagogue leaders step forward into the future, and there is no one better to be our guide than Bob Leventhal.--Rabbi Steven Wernick, The Anne and Max Tanenbaum Senior Rabbi, Beth Tzedec Congregation

As a person who studies organization and community change processes, I would have to say Bob Leventhal's book delivers a lot more than the title promises. This book is good for the Jews, for sure, but Leventhal's methods could help any system where broad-based engagement and commitment are the keys to success. It's also a fine manual on how to be the kind of leader who builds participation. Leventhal supplements guiding concepts of organizational change with a step-by step process for participants--replete with agendas, group guidance, checklists, surveys, and examples of how to do it right at each point, and what can go wrong if you don't. It is also a good read! Leventhal is an engaging storyteller and the text comes alive via accounts of real congregations and through the invocation of Jewish history and ancient wisdom.--David Kiel, Academic Leadership Consultant, David Kiel Associates, LLC Bob Leventhal's book is a gift. Synagogues are naturally reactive--focused on present worries or, worse, on past glories. To thrive, to be faithful, they need to be reflective--focused on the purpose and possibilities of the future. The shift from reactive to reflective requires both leadership and spiritual disciplines. It calls for risk. In this book Bob provides the tools, steps and expansive experience that will help. A gift indeed.--Gil Rendle, Alban Institute Senior Consultant (retired) and author of Quietly Courageous: Leading the Church in a Changing World We are living in a moment of rapid, profound change, that is impacting every aspect of life, including our religious, spiritual lives. Synagogues, as all sacred communities, are struggling to respond with meaning. In such an environment, strategic thinking, planning and implementation is needed more than ever. This book is just what is needed to help synagogue leaders step forward into the future, and there is no one better to be our guide than Bob Leventhal.--Rabbi Steven Wernick, The Anne and Max Tanenbaum Senior Rabbi, Beth Tzedec Congregation Following Bob Leventhal's strategic planning method, our congregation of more than 800 families engaged hundreds of members in creating a plan that reflected their hopes to be inspired, involved, and fulfilled as congregants. Great thanks to Bob for creating this practical, step-by-step planning solution!--Deborah M. Kaye, Former Planning Co-Chair, Jacksonville Jewish Center For several decades, Bob Leventhal has helped synagogues across North America become more vibrant, forward looking institutions. In Stepping Forward Together we have the gift of Bob's accumulated wisdom from all his work in the field. Re-tooling institutions that have been around for 50-100 years is not an easy task, but this new book provides concrete suggestions about how to be planful and how to make it happen.--Sid Schwarz, Senior Fellow at Hazon; author, Jewish Megatrends: Charting the Course of the American Jewish Future

"Bob Leventhal's book is a gift. Synagogues are naturally reactive--focused on present worries or, worse, on past glories. To thrive, to be faithful, they need to be reflective--focused on the purpose and possibilities of the future. The shift from reactive to reflective requires both leadership and spiritual disciplines. It calls for risk. In this book Bob provides the tools, steps and expansive experience that will help. A gift indeed. For several decades, Bob Leventhal has helped synagogues across North America become more vibrant, forward looking institutions. In Stepping Forward Together we have the gift of Bob's accumulated wisdom from all his work in the field. Re-tooling institutions that have been around for 50-100 years is not an easy task, but this new book provides concrete suggestions about how to be planful and how to make it happen. We are living in a moment of rapid, profound change, that is impacting every aspect of life, including our religious, spiritual lives. Synagogues, as all sacred communities, are struggling to respond with meaning. In such an environment, strategic thinking, planning and implementation is needed more than ever. This book is just what is needed to help synagogue leaders ""step forward"" into the future, and there is no one better to be our guide than Bob Leventhal. As a person who studies organization and community change processes, I would have to say Bob Leventhal's book delivers a lot more than the title promises. This book is good for the Jews, for sure, but Leventhal's methods could help any system where broad-based engagement and commitment are the keys to success. It's also a fine manual on how to be the kind of leader who builds participation. Leventhal supplements guiding concepts of organizational change with a step-by step process for participants--replete with agendas, group guidance, checklists, surveys, and examples of how to do it right at each point, and what can go wrong if you don't. It is also a good read! Leventhal is an engaging storyteller and the text comes alive via accounts of real congregations and through the invocation of Jewish history and ancient wisdom. Following Bob Leventhal's strategic planning method, our congregation of more than 800 families engaged hundreds of members in creating a plan that reflected their hopes to be inspired, involved, and fulfilled as congregants. Great thanks to Bob for creating this practical, step-by-step planning solution!"

"As a person who studies organization and community change processes, I would have to say Bob Leventhal's book delivers a lot more than the title promises. This book is good for the Jews, for sure, but Leventhal's methods could help any system where broad-based engagement and commitment are the keys to success. It's also a fine manual on how to be the kind of leader who builds participation. Leventhal supplements guiding concepts of organizational change with a step-by step process for participants--replete with agendas, group guidance, checklists, surveys, and examples of how to do it right at each point, and what can go wrong if you don't. It is also a good read! Leventhal is an engaging storyteller and the text comes alive via accounts of real congregations and through the invocation of Jewish history and ancient wisdom. --David Kiel, Academic Leadership Consultant, David Kiel Associates, LLC Bob Leventhal's book is a gift. Synagogues are naturally reactive--focused on present worries or, worse, on past glories. To thrive, to be faithful, they need to be reflective--focused on the purpose and possibilities of the future. The shift from reactive to reflective requires both leadership and spiritual disciplines. It calls for risk. In this book Bob provides the tools, steps and expansive experience that will help. A gift indeed. --Gil Rendle, Alban Institute Senior Consultant (retired) and author of Quietly Courageous: Leading the Church in a Changing World Following Bob Leventhal's strategic planning method, our congregation of more than 800 families engaged hundreds of members in creating a plan that reflected their hopes to be inspired, involved, and fulfilled as congregants. Great thanks to Bob for creating this practical, step-by-step planning solution! --Deborah M. Kaye, Former Planning Co-Chair, Jacksonville Jewish Center For several decades, Bob Leventhal has helped synagogues across North America become more vibrant, forward looking institutions. In Stepping Forward Together we have the gift of Bob's accumulated wisdom from all his work in the field. Re-tooling institutions that have been around for 50-100 years is not an easy task, but this new book provides concrete suggestions about how to be planful and how to make it happen. --Sid Schwarz, Senior Fellow at Hazon; author, Jewish Megatrends: Charting the Course of the American Jewish Future We are living in a moment of rapid, profound change, that is impacting every aspect of life, including our religious, spiritual lives. Synagogues, as all sacred communities, are struggling to respond with meaning. In such an environment, strategic thinking, planning and implementation is needed more than ever. This book is just what is needed to help synagogue leaders ""step forward"" into the future, and there is no one better to be our guide than Bob Leventhal. --Rabbi Steven Wernick, The Anne and Max Tanenbaum Senior Rabbi, Beth Tzedec Congregation Bob Leventhal's book is a gift. Synagogues are naturally reactive--focused on present worries or, worse, on past glories. To thrive, to be faithful, they need to be reflective--focused on the purpose and possibilities of the future. The shift from reactive to reflective requires both leadership and spiritual disciplines. It calls for risk. In this book Bob provides the tools, steps and expansive experience that will help. A gift indeed. For several decades, Bob Leventhal has helped synagogues across North America become more vibrant, forward looking institutions. In Stepping Forward Together we have the gift of Bob's accumulated wisdom from all his work in the field. Re-tooling institutions that have been around for 50-100 years is not an easy task, but this new book provides concrete suggestions about how to be planful and how to make it happen. We are living in a moment of rapid, profound change, that is impacting every aspect of life, including our religious, spiritual lives. Synagogues, as all sacred communities, are struggling to respond with meaning. In such an environment, strategic thinking, planning and implementation is needed more than ever. This book is just what is needed to help synagogue leaders ""step forward"" into the future, and there is no one better to be our guide than Bob Leventhal. As a person who studies organization and community change processes, I would have to say Bob Leventhal's book delivers a lot more than the title promises. This book is good for the Jews, for sure, but Leventhal's methods could help any system where broad-based engagement and commitment are the keys to success. It's also a fine manual on how to be the kind of leader who builds participation. Leventhal supplements guiding concepts of organizational change with a step-by step process for participants--replete with agendas, group guidance, checklists, surveys, and examples of how to do it right at each point, and what can go wrong if you don't. It is also a good read! Leventhal is an engaging storyteller and the text comes alive via accounts of real congregations and through the invocation of Jewish history and ancient wisdom. Following Bob Leventhal's strategic planning method, our congregation of more than 800 families engaged hundreds of members in creating a plan that reflected their hopes to be inspired, involved, and fulfilled as congregants. Great thanks to Bob for creating this practical, step-by-step planning solution!"

Author Information

Robert Leventhal is the Chief Development Officer for United Synagogue for Conservative Judaism (USCJ). He is a trained leadership consultant and directs over 25 workshops per year working with rabbinical leaders on how to strengthen their synagogue by preparing a more effective strategic plan. He is the sole author of all USCJ’s leadership training materials.

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