Bringing Shavat Vayinafash into the Everyday

Berkeley Room

Larry Dressler One of the paradoxes of the rabbinate is that we who are most devoted to repairing the world often find ourselves in a state of disrepair. Too often we and our institutions get caught up in a larger culture that values speed, multi-tasking and results. We learn to "cope" with or suppress our […]

Lunch

12:00 PM-12:45 PM Open Committee Lunch Meetings 12:45 PM-1:00PM Meeting with Rick Jacobs

Open Committee Lunch Meetings

Atid Legacy Society Liberty C Committee on Disability Awareness and Inclusion Jefferson Room Board of Appeals (Closed Meeting) Ethics Process Review Hampton Room Israel and MARAM Rabbis Gardner Room Committee on Justice, Peace, and Religious Liberties Berkeley Room Committee on Revenue Enhancement Clarendon Room Committee on Worship and Practices Dalton Room

A Visit to Mayyim Hayyim

Mayyim Hayyim 1838 Washington Street, Newton

Pre-registration is required. Session is capped at 35 participants.  There is no cost to this trip. Come for an up-close look at this local institution that has transformed the ancient ritual of mikveh for contemporary use. Learn from Mayyim Hayyim staff and volunteers about how the ritual is being used by clergy in their own spiritual […]

Free

Meeting with Rick Jacobs

Republic Ballroom

Join with our colleague Rick Jacobs to talk about the URJ and engaging Jews in the 21st Century.  Dessert will be served. Sponsored by URJ Camp and Israel Programs

Overcoming the Five Dysfunctions of a Team

Dalton Room

Russ Sabia For all the talk about the importance of teamwork by leaders, it is largely untapped and unrealized in most organizations. Many organizations - filled with talented, committed people - struggle to fulfill their full promise and find themselves bogged down by excessive interpersonal politics and confusion about what is really important. As a […]

Prepping for Placement: What to do Before You Go into Placement

Jefferson Room

Alan Henkin In this informal session we will talk about the preparatory steps rabbis can take before they enter placement. We will take up rabbinic resume writing, as well as crafting a personal statement. We will discuss interviewing techniques, especially internet video-conferencing techniques, and we will review the kinds of questions search committees typically ask, […]

Consensus Decision-Making: Pursuing Peace in Our Leadership & Governance

Berkeley Room

Larry Dressler and Sam Joseph As leaders, tired of the meeting after the meeting in the parking lot? Frustrated by the ‘after-meeting’ in the hallway? The primary goal of the session is how to use consensus decision-making, a cooperative, non-coercive form of decision-making in the setting of Jewish institutions and organizations. This session with be […]

Rabbinic Fundraising Success: Strategies, Tactics and Practice

Beacon D Room

David Altshuler and Steven Fox Setting goals and timetables, understanding philanthropic pyramids, making the case for support, prospect research, choreographing engagement and teamwork--a discussion of some issues and theories, as well as hands-on, "tachlitic" exercises.

The Yom Kippur Afternoon Experience: More Than Waiting to Eat

Hampton Room

Leon Morris and Eddie Goldberg with Janet Marder, Shelly Marder, Elaine Zecher and Peter Berg Through the years, many congregations have taken the opportunity to use creative endeavors at this point in the day, such as healing services, poetry readings, and musical interludes. Other congregations have chosen to harken back to the Avodah service, which […]

Ahad Ha’Am and the Reform Movement: On the Prospects for Modern Judaism (Taught in Hebrew)

Gardner Room

Michael Marmur In this session, to be taught in Hebrew, we will consider some aspects of Ahad Ha'am's complex relationship with Reform Judaism, focusing in particular on a fascinating and little-known exchange between the father of cultural Zionism, Ahad Ha'am (Asher Ginsberg, 1856-1927) and David Neumark (1866-1924), a professor of philosophy at the Hebrew Union […]

Beyond Laughter Through Tears: The Spiritual Power of Jewish Humor

Fairfax Room

Moshe Waldoks Study with Moshe Waldoks, one of Boston’s acclaimed rabbinic leaders and the co-editor of the Big Book of Jewish Humor. The session will examine the uses of Jewish humor to open both the heart and the mind to advance Spiritual growth.

Judaism Confronting Science

Clarendon Room

Dr. Phil Cohen. Dr. Jonathan Crane, Geoffery Mitelman For centuries Judaism understood science to be a partner. Jewish thinkers did not see a contradiction between science and Torah. It is Norbert Samuelson’s contention in his book Jewish Faith and Modern Science that, for various historical and philosophical reasons, that synthesis has been left behind. He […]

From Boston to Southern California: Journey Towards Our Future

Grand Ballroom

From Boston to Southern California: Journey Towards Our Future 2013 Convention Committee Reception sponsored by IsramWorld The simple act of conversation can be transformational when people speak their authentic truth, listen deeply, make space for reflection, and allow what is being said to touch their minds and hearts. And in a world where speed, multi-tasking, […]

Dinner with Friends

Why dine alone? Come to the concierge desk at 6:00 PM and meet new friends for dinner.

The Jacob Rader Marcus Memorial Lecture on American Jewish History

Grand Ballroom

The Jacob Rader Marcus Memorial Lecture on American Jewish History sponsored by the Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives   8:00 PM— 10:00 PM How Religion Divides and Unites Americans... And Why It's Basically Good For the Jews Dr. Robert Putnam

Maariv

Grand Ballroom

Heidi Cohen, Howard Jaffe

Closing Reception

Independence Ballroom

Closing Reception 10:00 PM–11:00 PM sponsored by Ayelet Tours, Ltd.