Last week the halls of Los Angeles synagogues Shomrei Torah and PICO Shul were buzzing as rabbis and lay leaders gained skills in community organizing and explored how to put them to work in their own communities.
JOIN for Justice Senior Organizer Jeannie Appleman conducted trainings with synagogue lay leaders of the rabbis in our LA Cohort of the Clergy Fellowship, focusing on building a culture where members feel ownership over the synagogue, and exploring how to use house meetings to kick off these culture shift projects.
After Havdallah on Saturday night, Jeannie participated in small-group conversations with 30 members of PICO Shul, a vibrant Jewish community committed to spiritual growth and living mindfully led by JOIN Clergy Fellow Rabbi Yonah Bookstein. Synagogue lay leaders discussed the struggles members were facing in their lives and possible social justice campaigns they could support through their synagogue. They also discussed internal organizing efforts that could help them envision the future of PICO Shul, and the particular talents they plan to bring to creating that future.
Thank you to the LA Jewish community for welcoming us and joining us for these trainings! We’re inspired by the commitment there and excited to see how this work continues to unfold.
