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Congregation Membership and Paying the Bills

Traditionally, Shabbat has not been a time for working, transacting business, or handling money (see “Shabbat—The Sabbath”). Therefore, unlike most Christian services, a collection plate or basket is not passed during Sabbath services. Since money is not collected at services, congregations are supported by congregation membership and the collecting of synagogue membership dues, donations for special purposes, and fund-raising events. Congregation membership is usually flexible, which allows people with limited or fixed incomes to join.

As you can imagine, synagogue buildings must be established, maintained, and repaired, and the rabbi, cantor, and other support personnel must be paid. The mortgage must be taken care of. If there is a religious school or day camp associated with the synagogue, it must be funded, and educators and administrators need to be employed (which is the same as any religious or parochial school).

Synagogues are democratic organizations. Each congregation nominates a board of directors, elects officers, and sets up various committees. Typically, a congregation includes education, ritual, and membership committees, as well as others that deal with fund-raising, social action, community outreach, and library issues. Often there is a group that aids members needing help after the death of a family member.

The synagogue generally belongs to one of the larger denominations—Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, or Reconstructionist—each of which maintains an organizational headquarters. If a newly formed congregation follows the principles and precepts of a particular movement, it will be accepted into the larger group and can use the group’s resources for religious materials, educational curricula, social activities, and national publications. While a synagogue may be a member of a larger association of congregations, there is no organization similar to a Catholic archdiocese that supports individual synagogues.

More than ever before, congregations are called on to contribute to religious and social causes, and this is being done more frequently during religious services. How is this accomplished without money passing hands? Some congregations place pledge cards or envelopes on or near the seats of congregants, who are asked to return them sometime after Shabbat. In the end, each congregation determines when and how fund-raising occurs.