Parlor Meeting Results

Thanks to the hard work of our participants, mediators, note-takers, and analysts (especially Sue Landis), the Parlor Meeting results are finally in. Thank you to everyone who took part in this process! These meetings gave us all a chance to be heard and to share with each other the values and priorities that we are seeking in becoming part of the Jewish community at TBI.

There were four basic questions we asked members to respond to:

• 1. What do you value about being in community, and a Jewish community in particular?
• 2a. How did you feel when you were most engaged as part of a community?
• 2b. What would a Jewish community be like that would engage you?
• 3: What are your ideas about how we, together, can create this community?

In reporting members' answers to these questions, our note-takers tried to keep track of not only what was said, but of how many members said similar things or expressed agreement with another member's comment. Responses are listed in order from most often expressed to least often expressed. The pages for each of these questions contain both the major themes (similar responses from 3 to 25 people) and minor themes (anywhere from 1 to 3 people). We do not in any way consider the concerns of members less important, if they alone expressed a particular feeling or idea - the major/minor divide is simply a way to identify the common ground we share in building a more responsive and connected community. We hope you will take the time to read through all of these responses, including the minor themes, to gain a better understanding of the range our members bring to their participation in the TBI community.

Results Overview

In general, members want more of the good things we are already doing on a limited scale:

• More and better opportunities for personal connection with other members, especially small-group get togethers in homes
• Better and easier communication among members, and between members and the leadership
• More varied ways of connecting, from non-religious classes in the Adult Education program, to intergenerational social events, to volunteer opportunities tailored for members' interests
• More support for segments of the community with special needs: families need childcare, members with limited income need more free events, more observant members want minyanim, havurot, and deeper Jewish learning, and many want more events where Jewish-identity and culture are the focus.
• And, ultimately, members want a reassurance that their participation is valued and appreciated, from personal interactions to opportunities to make a difference.

We (the Board and various committees) have already begun following up on some of the suggestions members have raised, and are in the process of incorporating this feedback into our long-range planning. If you were unable or uncertain about taking part in the Parlor Meetings when they happened, you have not missed out - contact us now! Let us know if you have questions about the parlor meetings or the responses, or if you would like to share your answers to these questions. Simply talk to any Board member, or email the Office, so they can redirect your query to the appropriate person.

How you want to get involved

One of the sticking points in implementing these suggestions is a running contradiction in member responses concerning how they would like to get involved. Many members want a personal invitation (face to face or over the phone) from another member or the leadership before being willing to commit to volunteering, while at the same time members see the necessity for taking charge of their own community goals and initiating events themselves, rather than waiting to be asked.

We would love to know each member well enough to invite you personally to participate in events and activities. However, with the rapid growth of our congregation and the wide variety of member interests, this goal requires a new, more organized method for meeting and learning about our members. The Community Connections Committee is currently working on a detailed set of questions that will let each member tell us exactly how he or she would like to be involved. These answers will be tracked in our member database, so that any new project or event which needs member involvement will be matched with the members most interested in that kind of participation. Your answers to these upcoming questionnaires will be critical in implementing the goals that emerged from the Parlor Meetings. Please take the time to respond, when these forms are released.

If you get ideas from what you are reading here about an event or group you wish to start, go for it! The Community Connections Committee would love to hear from you or to help you find resources to make your idea a reality. Each of you has the potential to contribute to, change, and improve your community in collaboration with others to match your goals for connection, learning, and support.

The Results

Click on the links below to see each answer's results. The final link is to a downloadable PDF, which you can save on your computer and print.

1. What do you value about being in community, and a Jewish community in particular?

2a. How did you feel when you were most engaged as part of a community?

2b. What would a Jewish community be like that would engage you?

3: What are your ideas about how we, together, can create this community?

Printable PDF of the results

You can also see the results of the Parlor Meeting Surveys, where participants rated the experience and gave feedback on the process.