2009 Convention Resolution: Encouraging Synagogues to Network for Jobs

Our historic Jewish mission, which charges every individual to look beyond his own seemingly secure four walls and to aid others, arises from a wide range of core Torah values and such express mitzvah concepts as “Love your neighbor as yourself” and “You shall not stand by your brother’s blood.”

Today’s economic climate poses challenges to all Americans in our national work force, with job security increasingly volatile and unemployment rates reaching heights not seen for many years. In this employment environment, creative approaches for social and business networking are increasingly important in helping unemployed individuals find a suitable parnasa.

We note with appreciation and commend the leadership roles in this area that have been taken by several Torah-based national and local synagogue bodies. Nevertheless, we wish to emphasize that the local synagogue is particularly positioned as a resource through which job seekers may network, dignity intact, with others who are uniquely positioned to identify appropriate opportunities.

The synagogue, as a public community institution, already serves as a natural networking agency for many variegated purposes, including religious and spiritual growth, educational and cultural enrichment, and social programming. In these times of financial challenge, the synagogue and its membership can serve in a critical new role, enabling networking between people seeking fitting, gainful employment and people who know where fitting, gainful employment can be found.

Therefore, be it resolved that the synagogue community explore with a new perspective the less-tapped employment resources available within our memberships.

We call upon our synagogues to join forces, networking actively within their memberships as well as those of sister synagogues to identify job seekers, evaluate and circulate their qualifications, and help in every way possible, while upholding and honoring the dignity of job seekers, throughout the hiring process.

We further call upon our synagogues to encourage their members to hire the job seekers among them, as well as to actively search for job opportunities within their spheres of activity.