Bring PJL to your CommUNITY
Start a PJL Program in your Community
Step by Step Process
Step 1: The Community
Before PJL Global can partner with a local community, we need to ensure that the community is set up for success. Each community must demonstrate that they have a religiously diverse population representing each of the major Jewish denominations and those that don’t affiliate with any official stream. There also needs to be a willingness among local leaders and community organizations to launch and promote a community-based learning program. Everyone will need to be on board to help promote the program and encourage their constituents to participate and learn with individuals who are different than them. The only way for an ambitious program like this to succeed is if there is a non-competitive atmosphere and an eagerness to enhance the way the community operates.
Step 2: The Strategic Committee
To ensure that the PJL program is viewed by community members as a genuine community program, a small, diverse group of local donors and community leaders will form the local Strategic Committee. This committee will be responsible for the initial rollout, preparing a budget, and assisting in guiding the local program. Once the members of a local committee have been identified and each member has agreed to participate, they need to work with the PJL Global Team to develop a sustainable financial model for their community. A budget will be created using a template supplied by PJL Global that will include the local Director’s salary and all programming expenses. The local committee will work with their local Jewish network to identify a neutral organization, such as a Jewish Federation or a Jewish Community Center (JCC), that will act as the employer and identify at least one location that could host the weekly learning program.
Step 3: Shared Funding Model
For the first three years, the salary and the programming expenses are shared equally between the local Jewish community, represented by the local Strategic Committee, and PJL Global. Beginning with the fourth year, the community takes on full responsibility for funding the program. Although the shared funding agreement will conclude after three years, the community will still maintain an affiliate relationship with PJL Global to use its branded materials and participate in global programs.
Step 4: The Community Director
The PJL committee will use the PJL Community Director profile, supplied by PJL Global, to advertise the position and identify potential candidates. To best serve the specific needs of the entire Jewish community, the Community Director will need to be employed by an organization that serves the entire Jewish community, like the local Jewish Federation or a Jewish Community Center (JCC). The organization will be presented with joint funding to hire the local Director and pay their salary and programming expenses for three years. The PJL Global Director and the PJL Associate Director will be a part of each step of the process so that each side clearly understands how to achieve the goals and objectives of the program. They will bring their experience and knowledge to help overcome challenges or obstacles to launch local programs smoothly.