Facilitation Guidance

Our approach to leading groups in study of America's foundational texts.

The single greatest challenge to facilitating this program is moving participants out of their accustomed academic or professional frames of reference and into a spiritual frame of reference. To help address this challenge, facilitators can point out the difference and adopt some key techniques:

Create a Spiritual Environment

The program is most effective when participants see it as part of the spiritual life of the congregation, rather than as a class being offered in an academic setting.  Some basic steps can help make this happen:

• Clergy should facilitate the program in their full clerical role. That means rabbis and cantors should activate their pastoral thinking, lean into pre-existing relationships, speak about Jewish values and traditions, and, when appropriate, bring God into the room.