Our congregations form the backbone of our Movement; we are proud of the work that they are doing to exemplify creating communities where everyone can feel a sense of belonging. In 2023, our member congregations accessed training programs and resources for leadership, webinars surrounding engagement and creating environments of belonging, programs specifically tailored to the needs of small congregations, and online religious education through ShalomLinkED.
As part of our ongoing work to create a culture that prioritizes safety and accountability, we launched our Congregational Ethics Code initiative in 2023. The URJ provided congregational leaders with resources including ethics code templates and samples. Our congregations were also able to receive specialized coaching upon request. As of December, 92 congregations had submitted ethics codes, 85 were working on codes, and 23 had expressed interest in receiving coaching.
Young families hold a key to the vibrant, vital future we envision. In 2023, we launched resources for individuals and congregations under our "Parenting with a Purpose" banner. This initiative gave young families opportunities to connect with each other and the Jewish community through webinars, events, and print resources.
We reaffirmed our commitment to nurturing a sense of belonging throughout our Movement by uplifting the voices of community members who have historically been left on the fringes of Jewish life, including those living with disabilities, Jews of Color, and members of the LGBTQ+ community.
The safety of every person in our community is our sacred, moral responsibility. The URJ is committed to ensuring that our environments are safe, equitable, and inclusive for all. In 2023, we continued listening and learning, took accountability for harm, apologized, offered amends through actions centered on the needs of victims/survivors, and implemented mandatory ethics training for all staff, lay leaders, and volunteers.
