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Project ToBE, launched three years ago, was the first step towards building our vision for the future.  Project ToBE offered that introspective look at who we are as a congregation, and who we would like to become.  It gave birth to our congregational Shema, Inspire through purpose, Be known by love. 

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The Strategic Planning process we launched in April of 2016 has multiple objectives.  Among its most important objectives is to courageously inspire us to refine and commit to our PURPOSE.  The TBE Strategic Planning committee chose the consulting group, Plan A, because they said to us: “We are interested in working with your synagogue (unlike others) because you just might have the courage to break the model, to identify your mission in a bold and daring way.”  

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Our Shema & Purpose we crafted, Inspire through purpose, Be known by love, begins with purpose.  However, the question has been asked many times: what is that singular purpose that we should inspire?  Can we have the courage to identify one truth, or a first truth, one purpose, or a first purpose, which will orient everything in this synagogue and which will give birth to that which we cherish most deeply? 

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Unifying Purpose: The strategic plan we are working on today is a compelling next step in ensuring that our spiritual home not only survives, but thrives in the decades to come.  We strive to set a new bar for what it means to be a spiritual home and to become a transformational force within our Great Neck community.  Shabbat and holidays yes, learning yes, life-cycle yes, introspection yes and a range of revenue producing programming yes – but also a defining, unifying purpose that builds on the 90 year tradition of TBE and the 150 year vision of the Reform Movement. 

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Inspiring Forgiveness--TBE’s History & Reform Mission: By choosing forgiveness as our unifying purpose -- forgiveness toward ourselves, our families, our Jewish communities, our broader community, our nation and our world -- we will fulfill the nearly 90 year tradition of Temple Beth-El and our 150 year calling as Reform Jews.  Every outward step of forgiveness makes us more connected to and invested in the well-being of the larger world. 

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Forgiveness, Unique Value Proposition: TBE, led by their spiritual leaders, has been striving to build a unique value proposition. The great value proposition for Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, is that he wanted (and wants) to catalyze a global transition to sustainable energy.  We at Beth-El intend to catalyze a local transition to sustainable spiritual energy.  We intend to create the electric car -- of the spirit and the soul.  We at Beth-El aspire to build a Center for Forgiveness, a center that will catalyze a local transition to sustainable spiritual energy, in our hearts, our homes and between our numerous and diverse houses of worship in Great Neck. 

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Forgiveness & Judaism: Our two most authoritative Jewish sources, the Talmud and Maimonides, teach that the redemption of the Jewish people depends on one and only one thing -- teshuvah, forgiveness, the courage to request it and to grant it.  Everything in our building will reflect this truth.  Our Early Childhood Education Center and our Religious School children will marinate in this wisdom.  Our High School seniors, in their college applications, will write about powerful moments of forgiveness.  Our Shabbat services, Jewish Yoga School, adult learning, and even our catering services will manifest and reflect our journey toward forgiveness. 

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A National Model - 5 Years: Our goal is not to become the one and only Center for Forgiveness.  Rather, our goal is to establish a compelling model that inspires synagogues, churches, and mosques, far and wide, to build their own centers for forgiveness.  Every religious institution should become an engine for teaching and inspiring forgiveness.  The goal is to make extraordinary acts of spiritual courage our daily aspiration.

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Judaism & Our Life Experience: Blessedly, even without the Talmud and Maimonides, we know that the peace in our homes (or lack thereof) reflects this truth.  The love, the joy, the fun, the day-to-day business of our homes depends upon forgiveness, the ability to ask for and grant it.  Everything in our building will be oriented around this truth.  Temple Beth-El will strive to inspire every family to undertake the mundane and the life-threatening demands of forgiveness.  No doubt a Forgiveness App, an App for every place of worship in this country, should be forthcoming.  Forgiveness is a daily and a life-long journey.  (And it should be a journey of fun.) 

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From Forgiveness to Joy & Justice: The essence of our Shema is that the Unity of life contains multitudes.  Likewise, our singular “purpose” will nourish that which we hold most dear.  The spiritual work described here will be a powerful driver of joy.  What seems like work that will bring people “down” will have the opposite impact.  Our forgiveness work will transform Beth-El into a beautiful engine of joy and uplift in people’s lives.  Our laser-sharp focus on forgiveness, a truth known in every home and community, will give birth to an abundance of the values we cherish most. Our center will come to teach as well that with more forgiveness comes more justice, that great spiritual power will unleash great political progress.  

 

National Leader/Authority - 3 Years: If Charleston, Orlando, Boston, Dallas happen again, our nationally known Center for Forgiveness will become an invaluable resource on the power of forgiveness.  We will become a collector and generator of extraordinary forgiveness stories.  Our Center for Forgiveness will catalyze a local transition to sustainable, spiritual power. 

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