Essential services to help your organization thrive

Emergency Resources for Food Insecurity

The Jewish community has resources available for individuals and families experiencing food insecurity due to the disruption in SNAP benefits. If you or someone you know needs food assistance, please direct them to Jewish Family & Children’s Service SNAP Response Team by submitting a request online, contacting 781-693-1234, or emailing snapresponse@jfcsboston.org. For more support for people having difficulty making ends meet, please contact the CJP Warmline at 800-257-9500 or find resources online at the Jewish Assistance Network.

Spread the word: annual gathering of Jewish Employee Resource Group (J-ERG) Leaders

Thursday, February 26

CJP’s Center for Combating Antisemitism (CCA) is dedicated to ensuring Jewish employees feel safe, seen, and supported at work. Jewish Employee Resource Groups (J-ERGs) are a key part of this effort, helping build connection, foster inclusion, and respond to antisemitism in the workplace.

We invite leaders of J-ERGs and affinity groups to join us on Thursday, February 26 for CCA’s annual gathering of J-ERG leaders. This event is an opportunity to exchange best practices, discuss challenges, and develop practical skills to sustain and grow this vital work.

Know someone leading these efforts at their organization? Please share the event invitation with them.

Join An Evening with Hineni: From Problems to Possibilities

Tuesday, March 10 | 6:30 PM | Boston

You’re invited to join CJP’s Hineni Volunteer Network as we celebrate our fifth anniversary. Hineni connects skilled, passionate volunteers with meaningful leadership opportunities across CJP and our partner organizations. Through governance committees, task forces, and short-term projects, Hineni helps strengthen the organizations that power our Jewish community.

This inspiring, interactive evening is designed to deepen relationships and spark new possibilities.

Hear from keynote speaker Deborah Grayson Riegel, leadership consultant, in a hands-on skill-building workshop using an Appreciative Inquiry approach to transform potential division into collaborative strength. You’ll also have the opportunity to connect with fellow partner organizations and prospective volunteers.

This event is intended for current and prospective Hineni volunteers, Hineni Partner Organizations, and organizations exploring partnership with Hineni. Hineni partners with organizations that receive grants from CJP and focuses on non‑membership‑based organizations (ex: synagogues). We hope you will join us!

Governance Community of Practice for Organizations

With Marni Allen, Vice President, Volunteer Mobilization and Leadership

Next gathering: Wednesday, April 15 | 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. | via Zoom

Topic: Planning for Leadership Continuity — Board Succession as a Strategic Priority

Strong governance depends not only on effective leadership today, but on thoughtful planning for the leaders of tomorrow. Board succession is more than filling seats — it’s a strategic process that ensures continuity, institutional knowledge, and long-term organizational health.

In this community of practice, we’ll explore how volunteer leaders and professionals can approach board succession planning with intention. We’ll discuss identifying future leadership needs, engaging board members in meaningful pathways to leadership, and creating processes that support smooth transitions. Join peers to share experiences, reflect on challenges, and strengthen your approach to sustainable governance.

For any questions, please reach out to Lily McGuirk.

Governance Community of Practice for Synagogues

With Marni Allen, Vice President, Volunteer Mobilization and Leadership

Next gathering: Thursday, March 5 | 12:00–1:00 p.m. | via Zoom

Topic: Whose decision is it anyway? Clarifying roles of professionals and volunteer leaders in successful governance partnership

CJP’s upcoming Synagogue Governance Community of Practice focuses on one of the most critical questions in synagogue leadership: Whose decision is it anyway?

Strong governance depends on healthy partnership between professional leaders and volunteer boards. Professionals bring deep expertise and day-to-day proximity to operations, while board members offer strategic oversight and essential outside perspective. When roles and expectations are clear, organizations are better positioned to lead with trust, transparency, and impact.

In this community of practice, synagogue leaders will come together to:

Clarify roles and boundaries between professional and volunteer leadership
Strengthen alignment between Clergy, EDs, and board chairs
Share real-world challenges and best practices with peers
Deepen approaches to effective governance partnership

For any questions, please reach out to Lily McGuirk.

Interested in more? Following the March session, stay tuned for the next Synagogue Governance Community of Practice on the topic of board succession planning.

Tuesday, May 19 | 12:00–1:00 p.m. | via Zoom

Register here