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Resources on Community Building

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(This list of resources is valuable, but in need of updates. Please feel free to suggest any corrections or additions!)

Alpert, Rebecca and Staub, Jacob Exploring Judaism: A Reconstructionist Approach. Reconstructionist Press, Philadelphia, 2000.

Alpert, Rebecca. Like Bread on a Seder Plate Jewish Lesbians and the Transformation of Tradition. Columbia University Press, New York, 1997.

Baab, Lynne. Personality Type in Congregation: How to work with others more effectively. The Alban Institute.

Balka, Chistie and Rose Andy. Twice Blessed: on Being Lesbian or Gay and Jewish Beacon Press, Boston 1989.

Baron, Salo. The Jewish Community: A History. 3 Vols. JPS, Philadelphia, PA, 1942.

Bellah, Robert et al. Habits of the Heart: Individualism and Commitment in American Life. Berelye: University of California Press. 1985.

Berger, Gabriel. “Membership Studies in Reform Congregations.” Research Report 6. Waltham: Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies, Brandeis University, March 1992.

Brudney, Jeffrey L. Designing and Managing Volunteer Programs. in The Jossey-Bass Handbook of Nonprofit Leadership and Management. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1994.

Fletcher, Kathleen Brown. The Nine Keys to Successful Volunteer Programs. Rockville, MD: The Taft Group, 1987.

Friedman, Edwin. Friedman's Fables. Guildford Press.
These 24 mischievous tales illuminate the outrageous, the fantastic, and the paradoxical sides of the human dilemma. Useful for study groups, retreats, and counseling-plus a delight to read. Includes study guide.

Friedman, Edwin. Generation to Generation: Family Process in Church and Synagogue. New York: Guildford Press, 1985.

Goitein, S.D. A Mediterranean Society. 5 Vols. University of California Press, 1983.

Goldsmith, Emanuel and Mel Scult. Dynamic Judaism: The Essential Writings of Mordecai Kaplan. Fordham Press, 1991.

Gozdz, Kazimierz. Community Building - Renewing Spirit & Learning in Business. New Leaders Press, SF, 1995.

Jewish Outreach Partnership. Designing the 21st Century Synagogue. Rabbi Phil Warmflash, Philadelphia, PA, 2001.

RRC/Jewish Reconstructionist Communities. Highlights of the 1996 Demographic Study of the Reconstructionist Movement. Summer 2001.

RRC/Jewish Reconstructionist Communities & RRA. Homosexuality and Judaism: The Reconstructionist Position. The Reconstructionist Press, 1993.

RRC/Jewish Reconstructionist Communities.. The Challenge of Growth Workbook. Rabbi Shawn Zevit, Cinnie Morgan, JRF, 1998.

RRC/Jewish Reconstructionist Communities.. A Torah of Money Workbook. Rabbis Shawn Zevit and Jonathan Malamy, Anna Rosenfield, JRF, 1999 (The Torah of Money is a service mark of The Shefa Fund, Pa.).

RRC/Jewish Reconstructionist Communities.. A Sacred Trust. Rabbi Shawn Zevit, Yohanna Kinberg, 2000/1.

RRC/Jewish Reconstructionist Communities.. Kehillah Builders. Rabbi Shawn Zevit and Elliot Tepperman, 2001/2.

RRC/Jewish Reconstructionist Communities.. Reconstructionism Today. Larry Bush, Ed., Movement Quarterly Magazine. 

Journal of Ministry Marketing and Management. Volume 1 Numbers 1-2 1995, Hayworth Press.

Kaplan, Mordecai. The Religion of Ethical Nationhood Macmillan, London, 1970.

Kaplan, Mordecai. Judaism as a Civilization. 1934, 1957, 1981, JPS & The Reconstructionist Press, Philadelphia, PA.

Levenson, Jay and Seth Godin. The Guerrilla Marketing Handbook. Houghton Mifflin, Boston 1991.

The Life-Cycle of Synagogue Membership: A Guide to Recruitment, Integration and Retention. UAHC Task Force on the Unaffiliated, UAHC 1991.

McCurley, Stephen. Recruiting and Retaining Volunteers, in The Jossey-Bass Handbook of Nonprofit Leadership and Management. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1994.

The 1997 Idea Book. UAHC, The New Idea Book 1995.

Oswald, Roy. Making your Church More Inviting. Alban Institute 1992.

Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. The Reconstructionist. Rabbi Richard Hirsh, Ed, Philadelphia, PA.

Schwarz, Sidney. Finding A Spiritual Home. Jossey-Bass Inc. New York, NY. 2000.

Shapira, Kalonymus Kalman. Conscious Community: A Guide to Inner Work. Jason Aronson Inc. Northvale, NJ. 1996.

Shapiro, Rami. Minyan: Ten Principles for Living a Life of Integrity, Bell Towers, NY, 1997.

Shawchuck, Norman, Philip Kotler, Bruce Wrem and Gustave Rath. Marketing for Congregations: Choosing to Serve People More Effectively. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1992.

Stern, Gary J. Marketing Workbook for Nonprofit OrganizationsSt. Paul, Minnesota: The Amherst H. Wilder Foundation, 1992.

Steinke, Peter L. Healthy Congregations: A Systems ApproachAlban Institute, 1996.

Teutsch, David. “Shaping Communities of Commitment.” The Reconstructionist, Fall, 1995.

Weeks, Andrew D. Welcome! Tools and Techniques for New Member Ministry. Washington, D.C.: The Alban Institute 1992.

Woods, C. Jeff. Congregational Megatrends. Bethesda, Md.: Alban Institute, 1996.

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