Northern R.I. / Mass. synagogues want Jews to JOIN in
By Jonathan Rubin
Reprinted from 2/20/04 Jewish Voice & Herald

Editor's note: In response to Partnership efforts to encourage innovation in outreach programming, the Voice & Herald will present a series highlighting four programs that involve Jewish people from a variety of backgrounds.

WOONSOCKET - Congregation B'nai Israel was looking for a way to draw in more members from the bordering communities. Congregation Agudas Achim in Attleboro was pondering the same problem. Both were looking to attract families with young children and as yet unaffiliated Jews, and both submitted requests to the Jewish Federation of Rhode Island for an endowment grant for an outreach professional to get the word out.

The endowment grants committee responded in a unique way - providing funds for an outreach professional that would be shared by the two synagogues for one year.

So a new partnership was created - JOIN, the Jewish Outreach Initiative of Northern Rhode Island and Greater Attleboro (www.joinrima.org), and Stephanie Greenblatt was hired to serve as the coordinator.

B'nai Israel has about 100 members, and Agudas Achim has 120 families, but both serve regions which are estimated to have between approximately 750 and 1100 Jews.  JOIN provided some much-needed staff resources to the two synagogues (B'nai Israel, for example, currently has only one paid administrative assistant on staff, and no rabbi), and allowed them to embark on some new creative ventures.

Greenblatt says by providing Jewish programming in the community - not in synagogues - unaffiliated Jews can more easily participate in activitie s and maintain their Jewish identity.  She stressed the importance of community-based programming in the Attleboros and Northern R.I. areas, which do not have local chapters of national Jewish organizations such as Hadassah, ORT, or B'nai Brith.

For example, they've held a screening of "The Pianist" and are working this February and March with local realtors to create a "welcome wagon" for Jewish families moving into the area. They prepared a Hanukkah Fest at Lincoln Mall, but were foiled by the intermittent snowfalls.

"We're raising the visibility of Jewish options to a broad range of Jews, some of whom might not think the synagogue is a place they want to go to," said Rabbi Elyse Wechterman, of Agudas Achim.

While the two synagogues work in tandem in brainstorming events, they will run separate events in their own regions and focus most of their marketing locally.

"Just the fact that we've had programs means it's successful," said Wechterman. "We've had some good press coverage and a number of people have been attending who aren't affiliated."

The next event will feature storyteller Mark Binder at Border's Books in North Attleboro on Sunday, Feb. 29, at 1 p.m. Other upcoming events include:

Shabbat Across America
On Friday, March 7, synagogues all across North America participate in this special event to encourage people to come out to experience the joy of Shabbat

Dinner and services will be held at 5:45 p.m. at Congregation Agudas Achim, 901 N. Main St., Attleboro.

Dinner and services will be held at 6 p.m. at Congregation B'nai Israel, 224 Prospect St., Woonsocket. Call 508-222-2243 or 401-762-3651.

Enliven Your Seder
On Sunday, March 28, A Passover program will be held at Borders Books, North Attleboro at 2 p.m. This program is for children and adults and will feature a craft program and discussion. Call 508-222-2243.

With reports by Toby London.