Business as Unusual
12/12/2019 08:21:08 AM
As you read this, I will be with the Temple Sinai delegation at the URJ Biennial Conference in windy Chicago. What you may not know is that the Biennial is preceded by the annual conference of the National Association for Temple Administration (NATA). Founded in 1941, NATA is the professional organization for those who serve synagogues as executives, administrators, or managers. The organization has more than 400 members from North America and Australia. NATA is dedicated to improving the management of Judaism’s key institution: the synagogue.
NATA offers regular webinars and conferences on best practices related to facility management, budget and finance, fundraising, human resources management, membership, technology, public relations, and security. In addition, NATA offers its members a social networking tool to openly connect and engage with other NATA members. Finally, NATA leads bi-annual resident seminars which provide in-depth courses on topics related to all areas of synagogue administration. All these programs offer participants valuable opportunities for networking, fellowship and professional growth.
I have been a proud member of NATA for more than 13 years, and have served on NATA’s Board of Directors and Executive Committee since 2012.
What makes this year’s conference truly special for me is that this past Tuesday night, I will have had the honor of being installed as the next President of NATA. My term as president will officially begin on January 1st.
I’ve been thinking a lot about my tenure as NATA President, and what the future might bring. NATA is fortunate to have a talented, creative and committed leadership, who recognize that the synagogue environment in which we work on a day-to-day basis is rapidly changing. In fact, the theme of this year’s plenary session is ‘Business as Unusual’. As synagogues continue to evolve - some, like Temple Sinai, from a place of strength, others out of necessity - so must the role of the temple administrator. To lead most successfully, administrators today have to be creative, nimble and thoughtful in our work, and stay ‘ahead of the curve’. NATA conferences and other professional development settings help to teach new skills, provide new tools and share new ways of approaching the many challenges that we face on a daily and yearly basis.
I am excited and a bit nervous, but most of all energized by the opportunity I have been given to lead NATA for the next three years. I feel incredibly blessed and fortunate to serve a congregation whose lay leaders and fellow staff members are encouraging of my professional growth and this tremendous leadership opportunity; I am grateful to each and every one of you for your support. And please know that, while the NATA presidency undoubtedly comes with some added responsibilities, I still look forward to helping lead our remarkable and dynamic congregation to ever new strengths!
Wishing you and your loved ones a joyous and peaceful Shabbat,
Jack
