MHS Strategy 2018

Background

The aim of this strategy paper is to set the agenda for the next phase of the community’s development as we enter an exciting time in our history with a new building project ahead of us and a growing membership. We are planning over a three-year timescale, but recognise that many elements of any strategy will have to remain fluid and open to debate. The proposals here arise from an extended strategy meeting of the Board of Management on Sunday Nov 5th 2017, from previous discussions of the Executive and of the Board of Management, and from the community engagement survey carried out in 2017 to inform the strategy day.

Community Survey

Our community survey was commissioned as a source of data to feed into the board strategy day and has provided some useful insights into the views and level of engagement of the community. We do take into account that the survey was completed by a mainly engaged group of members, but there was a viable sample of 78 members, (approx 10% of the community) with 54 fully completing it. There was a female skew (56% versus 44% men) and it was dominated by the 46-55 year old age bracket, followed by the 66-75 year olds.

It is worth noting that the survey reveals that most members feel positive about MHS.

This survey fed into our board strategy day where we also developed a Purpose and Vision for Muswell Hill Synagogue. We agreed that the key values that feed into our purpose include:

• Not judgemental
• Irreverent
• Meets you wherever you are
• Unorthodox Orthodox synagogue
• Traditional values with modern refinement
• Push boundaries within Halachic constraints
• Inclusive
• Caring

Vision and Purpose:

The Purpose of Muswell Hill Synagogue as an organisation describes our current position, and answers the question, “Why does Muswell Hill Synagaogue exist?”

The Board described our current purpose as:

Muswell Hill Shul exists to provide a space for Jewish people in the wider Muswell Hill area to come together and engage in a traditional, inclusive, modern and outward looking community.

Our Vision describes where we would like to be in 5 years time:

BY 2023…Muswell Hill Synagaogue aims to create a modern, vibrant hub with a choice of activities engaging people of all ages to pray, learn, socialise and volunteer in a traditional Jewish environment