Membership Committee
The Membership Committee’s main purpose is to provide a welcoming environment within the Temple Emunah community.
Broadly speaking, we welcome, assist, facilitate, introduce and help navigate. We work together with prospective members as well as current members to help foster a positive and fulfilling connection between each member and the congregation. In may ways, the Membership Committee serves as a resource for the entire Temple Emunah community.
How may we help you?
We organize some activities, help out at others, and generate new ideas, always trying to ensure that the spirit of welcoming carries throughout the community, whether it’s a friendly greeting at the door, an introduction to another congregant during an event, or a connection through a havurah or other means.
We are a diverse group, representing a broad range of ages, interests, life experiences and Jewish observances; this diversity helps us better understand our entire community, and in turn, better enabling us to strengthen the bonds within it.
How We Welcome Prospective Members
One of our primary roles is to reach out to prospective members, make contact, and see how we can help out. This often leads to email exchanges, phone calls or a plan to meet for coffee – whatever works best for the individual or family.
Some prospective members hear about us from friends; others are new to the area having relocated for work or school, and have many questions. We are happy to respond to all inquiries in a caring, professional and confidential way, recognizing that choosing a synagogue and becoming part of a new religious community is a highly personal decision and it often involves a process that takes time. Some are familiar with a Conservative synagogue environment, and for others, it is an entirely new experience. We have many members from a diverse range of religious backgrounds and experiences; for prospective members who are curious about whether Temple Emunah is the right congregation for them, we can help, or find a member who can provide their own first-hand perspective.
As a committee, we are available and eager to speak with you. We welcome your questions. We also invite you to check out the temple calendar and see what is happening at the synagogue: stop in at a minyan; join us for any events; or join us for Shabbat services and Kiddush on Saturday morning to see what’s up and begin to experience Temple Emunah for yourself.
How We Support Present Members
Current temple members may be just months, or even generations into being part of the Emunah family. Some members connect through prayer, others through study, still others through volunteering at the pre-school, library, or kitchen, tutoring, singing, social action, serving on committees, joining in the Israel trips, bike rides, softball, cooking classes, ping pong, yoga and on and on. The Membership Committee is available as a resource to all members. Let us know how we can support you.
For example, during this past year we helped with a new initiative called Community Conversations. Widely attended by hundreds of temple members, this effort served as a platform for fostering candid and meaningful discussions among members, and led to positive changes and stronger bonds within the Temple Emunah family.
Other ways in which the Membership Committee contributes to the synagogue include:
- Hosting a New Members' Shabbat in the fall
- Hosting a Shabbat morning to welcome all of the new babies and children who joined the community within the past year
- Inviting prospective members to barbecues and open house events
- Fielding calls and following-up with prospective and current members
- Arranging welcome presents for delivery to new members
- Connecting new and more experienced members through the Mentor program.
- Facilitating formation of Havurot
- Acting as a liaison with other TE Committees as we build the TE community together
