Clergy Circles
Sustaining, connecting, and strengthening clergy leadership in small town Jewish life.
“Who is wise? One who learns from every person.” (Pirke Avot 4:1)
What is the Clergy Circle?
The Clergy Circle is a professionally facilitated community of practice for seasoned rabbis and cantors serving small town and geographically dispersed Jewish communities.
Clergy in these settings often carry wide-ranging responsibilities—spiritual leadership, pastoral care, teaching, administration, facilities management, and community-building—frequently with limited professional peers nearby. While the work is deeply meaningful, it can also be isolating.
This Clergy Circles offer a consistent, collegial space where clergy can:
- Build authentic relationships with peers who understand their context
- Reflect on the unique challenges and opportunities of small town community leadership
- Share wisdom, questions, and strategies on specific areas of concern and interest in a confidential setting
- Learn together how to nurture vibrant, resilient Jewish life
You will be able to join a Circle that is focused on areas of specific concern or interest (i.e., ritual innovation, effective governance, strategic planning, facilities management, and creating a culture of giving).
At its heart, this is a space for connection, reflection, and shared growth.
What’s Involved?
Participants gather monthly in a virtual cohort designed to balance structure with openness:
- Monthly virtual convenings:
Facilitated conversations focused on pressing questions, emerging challenges, and lived experiences - Peer learning and reflection:
Text study, case discussions, and guided dialogue that connect Jewish wisdom and practical experience with contemporary leadership - Confidential collegial space:
A trusted environment where clergy can speak candidly about sensitive issues - Shared problem-solving:
Opportunities to bring real-time challenges—from pastoral complexities to communal dynamics—and explore thoughtful responses - Resource and idea exchange:
Practical tools, program ideas, and approaches tailored to smaller or less-resourced communities
What Will I Gain?
Clergy who participate in the Community of Practice will:
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Enhance leadership effectiveness
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Expand ritual, organizational and communal skills
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Replenish and sustain themselves
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Feel part of a broader professional community
Why This Matters
Small-town Jewish communities rely on clergy not only as spiritual leaders, but as connectors, visionaries, and sustainers of communal life. Supporting these leaders is essential to ensuring that Jewish life in smaller and more remote places remains vibrant and enduring.
The Clergy Community of Practice strengthens clergy by giving them what they often lack most: time, peers, and space to think together—so they can continue serving their communities with clarity, creativity, and resilience.
Tuition
We’re offering two price options:
$180 for those who can comfortably pay the majority of the cost of the program.
$54 for those who can comfortably pay a basic access amount.
The Center for Small Town Jewish Life is committed to programming that is affordable and sustainable. If none of these options are viable for you, please contact Liz Soloway Snider at [email protected] to discuss financial assistance. Payment will be requested prior to the start of the program.
Interested in Learning More?
We welcome inquiries from rabbis and cantors interested in joining a future cohort. Reach out to learn more about upcoming opportunities by contacting Bill Robinson, Director of National Leadership Initiatives: [email protected].