What would a more fundamental restructuring of the synagogue look like? What would it mean for synagogues to truly leave the vendor model behind?
First of all, it would mean changing the core vocabulary of the institution. The language of the market would be replaced by a vocabulary of shared responsibility and aspiration. The question would no longer be: “What does this synagogue provide, what do members receive for their dues?” but instead “What do members of this congregation owe to one another? What do they hope to build together? What principles and ideals do they wish to stand for and to work toward? What kinds of religious growth do they wish to cultivate in themselves and in their children?”
Second, breaking with the vendor model would mean changing the financial structure of the institution, such that membership is no longer for sale. The idea of paying dues for membership has become so literal that it is no longer possible to turn it back into a metaphor. That financial structure is now central to the problem. Removing the price-tag from membership and moving to a system of voluntary giving – which a number of synagogues are already doing – is a crucial step toward achieving deeper change. The essential goal is not just to make synagogue membership more accessible – though it would also have that effect – but to make membership literally priceless, to transform it from a product that one buys to an expression of commitment and belonging. A corollary of that redefinition is that membership would bring with it no tangible benefits. It would simply be a statement of support for what the institution stands for.
Third, breaking with the vendor model would mean changing what the synagogue actually does. The essential challenge is not to offer more, but to ask for more. The synagogue must function less as a spiritual provider and more as a place that motivates growth. To take one negative example, synagogues often try to revitalize their prayer services by projecting more energy from the front of the room – e.g. by putting a band on the bimah. But that only re-enforces the assumption that the synagogue is responsible for delivering an experience. The real challenge is to motivate participants to share responsibility for their collective prayer experience by learning, growing, and giving more of themselves to the mitzvah. Only in that way can a congregation generate the kind of spiritual intensity that flows from true community.
Michael Wasserman, “The Vendor Trap: Why Selling Spirituality Doesn’t Work”, eJewish Philanthropy (9 January 2014), {http://ejewishphilanthropy.com/the-vendor-trap-why-selling-spirituality-doesnt-work/}