Planning and Visioning Initiative
May-September 2025
Big ideas Need all voices. Join us for an Intergenerational Input Session either in-person on Sunday, July 27 at 3:30 pm* or virtual on Tuesday, July 29 at 5:00 pm
*babysitting provided during the Sunday in-person session
Thank you to everyone who completed the Strategic Planning Online Survey! Our consultants are compiling the data so that we can discuss the highlights during the upcoming Intergenerational Input Sessions.
The Survey is now closed.
Or Hadash Strategic Planning Process
We announced the launch of a new initiative to guide our synagogue’s growth and enhance our community’s vibrancy over the coming years. After months of careful planning and thoughtful discussions, our board approved a collaborative strategic planning and visioning process, guided by two nonprofit consultants and members of the Atlanta Jewish community. The success of this plan will emerge from your direct engagement in a highly participatory process so that we can collectively write our future as a Jewish spiritual community.
Key Objectives of the Strategic Planning Process
Community Engagement: We aim to foster deeper connections among our members through innovative programming, outreach, and volunteer opportunities.
Sustainability: We are committed to ensuring the long-term sustainability of our synagogue through sound financial practices, resource allocation, and community support.
Inclusivity: Our goal is to create an environment that welcomes everyone, encouraging diverse voices and participation from all members of our community.
Timeline
We will be conducting this process in a very short timeframe. We initiated the process in May and are scheduled to conclude before the High Holidays in September. The Or Hadash Board, staff, strategic planning team, congregation and our consultants all have specific roles and tasks during these next three months.
Ways for you to Participate
We want to hear your voice. We need to hear your voice. Here are a few ways for you to get involved.
Take the Congregational Online Survey: The Survey is now closed, but please join us for one of the Intergenerational Input Sessions!
Thank you for participating in the survey. We received a tremendous number of responses from our community.
Join the Intergenerational Input Session at Or Hadash: July 27, 3:30pm-6pm
We invite you to come in person to share your feedback in an interactive session, led by members of the Strategic Planning Team and Consultants. Register HERE. Whether you're 13 or 88, your perspective matters. Come share your thoughts during an interactive, action-focused afternoon as our Strategic Planning consultants share highlights from the congregational survey and guide us in conversations that begin shaping the priorities for Or Hadash's future.
Join the Virtual Intergenerational Input Session: July 29, 5pm-7 pm
If you are unable to attend the in-person Input Session at Or Hadash, there will be a Zoom Input Session so that you may participate virtually. Register HERE.
Come to a “Learning the Landscape” Study Group: Thank you to all who participated in these sessions, they have concluded.
These weekly sessions explore what’s happening in the wider Jewish world and how it can inform our future. They’re vibrant, thought-provoking and your input helps shape the conversation. Refer to the weekly EHadashot or our website calendar for the weekly link and password.
Strategic Planning at Or Hadash: Your Questions Answered
Q: What is Strategic Planning and why are we doing it?
A: Strategic planning is how we dream together. The process helps us shape Or Hadash’s future with intention and your participation helps shape the plan. It allows us to assess where we are, where we want to go, and how we’ll get there—together. This is our opportunity to build upon the foundation of our last strategic plan in 2009 toward a future grounded in our shared values and aspirations and give us a road-map for the next three+ years.
Q: Who can I talk to if I have questions or want to share an idea?
A: You can always speak with Rabbi Lauren, Strategic Planning Committee Chair Sheila Dalmat, members of the Strategic Planning Committee, or email the team at LearningtheLandscape@gmail.com. We’d love to hear from you.
Q: Who are the consultants we are working with?
A: We’ve brought in two thoughtful and experienced consultants—Gail Rothman and Rachel Alterman Wallack from The Callahan Collaborative. They are both former nonprofit Executive Directors with deep experience in community-based strategy. Their approach uses an evidence-based method called Technology of Participation (ToP), developed by the Institute of Cultural Affairs, which has helped organizations and communities drive meaningful, lasting change.
Q: What happens at the end of the process?
A: We’ll pull together everything we hear—from surveys, sessions, and study groups—and shape it into clear, focused priorities. The process will result in clear, actionable goals for Or Hadash—S.M.A.R.T. goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound)—for the next three years. These goals will be shared with the congregation and include quarterly accountability milestones to keep us on track.
Q: Why now?
A: Because our future doesn’t just happen—we shape it. At 22 years and counting, Or Hadash is growing and evolving. Strategic planning helps us build on what we love, listen to each other, and shape what comes next—together, and with intention.
