2026-2027 Program Guide

2026–2027 PROGRAM GUIDE

NATA Learning Lab

Synagogue leadership asks us to move constantly between the strategic and the practical: managing people, navigating change, building budgets, communicating
clearly, strengthening systems, and addressing difficult situations with confidence. The 2026-2027 NATA Learning Lab is designed around those realities. All NATA Learning Lab sessions are held virtually.

October 7, 2026
Partnership Under Pressure: Navigating Tension, Accountability, and Difficult Conversations

Avi Olitzky
Strong professional relationships are easy when everyone agrees. The real test comes when expectations differ, authority is unclear, performance concerns emerge, or a difficult message needs to be delivered. Synagogue executives navigate these moments across every direction of the organization—with board chairs and lay leaders, colleagues and clergy, and the staff they supervise. This session explores how to maintain productive partnerships while still communicating directly, establishing boundaries, and holding others accountable.

Through practical frameworks and real-world scenarios, participants will examine what should remain consistent across difficult conversations, what needs to change based on the relationship and power dynamics involved, and how to address tension before it becomes organizational damage.
Included with membership.

Topics: Leading & Supporting Staff | Partnering with Lay Leaders | Building & Strengthening Community

November 10, 2026
Exploring Synagogue Dues Models

Debbie Joseph
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to funding your synagogue community. This in-depth webinar will examine a range of dues and membership models, looking at how each is structured, the assumptions behind it, and the benefits and challenges congregations may encounter in practice.

Participants will think critically about whether their current model still aligns with their congregation’s values, culture, financial needs, and membership goals. The session offers practical questions and strategies for evaluating change and for engaging lay leadership in thoughtful conversations about
dues, affordability, sustainability, and member expectations.

NATA members will leave with a stronger framework for comparing financial models and considering what approach may be the best fit for their own congregation.
Included with membership.

Topics: Building & Strengthening Community | Managing Finances | Supporting Revenue Generation

January 21, 2027
Mission-Based Budgeting: Aligning Resources with Congregational Priorities
Stefan Teodosic

Stefan Teodosic
A budget is more than a financial document—it is one of the clearest expressions of a congregation’s mission, values, and priorities.

In this 60-minute session, Executive Directors will explore how to move from traditional, line-item budgeting to a more strategic, mission-based approach, leaving with practical tools to align resources with congregational priorities, make thoughtful tradeoffs, engage clergy and lay leaders in meaningful budget conversations, and build a budget that advances both mission and long term financial sustainability.
Included with membership.

Topics: Supporting the Synagogue’s Vision | Partnering with Lay Leaders | Managing Finances | Supporting Revenue Generation

Wednesdays January 27, 2027 through February 17, 2027
HR Foundations for the Synagogue Executive:
A 4-Part Series

Joel Bennett
Most synagogue executives lead complex, mission-driven organizations without a dedicated HR function, which means the people work often lands squarely on their desks. This four-part series will provide foundational frameworks, practical tools,
and greater confidence for navigating the HR responsibilities of synagogue leadership, with particular attention to the clergy-staff-lay dynamics that make synagogue HR distinctive.

• Session 1: HR Without an HR Department: The Synagogue Executive’s Foundations
• Session 2: The Employee Handbook as a Leadership Tool
• Session 3: Hiring, Onboarding, and Building the Team
• Session 4: Supervising, Coaching, and the Hard Conversations

Separate registration fee: $150

Topics: Leading & Supporting Staff

February 23, 2027
Calm the Chaos: Internal Comms that Build Trust and Unlock Potential

Elisheva Thompson
Internal communication shapes more than how information moves; it shapes trust, culture, psychological safety, and your team’s ability to do its best work.

In this practical workshop, learn how to replace confusion and communication chaos with clear norms, streamlined systems, and intentional practices that build stronger, healthier, more effective teams. You’ll leave
with practical frameworks and tools you can use immediately to create a workplace where people know what’s happening, what’s expected of them, and how they can contribute.
Included with membership.

Topics: Guiding Communications | Building & Strengthening Community | Leading & Supporting Staff Partnering with Lay Leaders

Thursdays May 6 and 13, 2027
Moving into Tomorrow: Leading Change in Congregations Grounded in The Way It Was

Lou Feldstein
Change in the congregational world is the most difficult strategy to successfully implement. This two-part workshop will explore in detail the essentials to successfully implement the different facets of the congregation’s strategic vision.

In the first session we will learn the fundamentals of successful change management, particularly through the lens of congregational dynamics.

In session two we will discuss change management strategies when addressing governance change, member engagement, and fundraising.
Included with membership.

Topics: Supporting the Synagogue’s Vision | Partnering with Lay Leaders | Guiding Communications

Thank you to our 2026-2027 Webinar Selection Task Force, led by Danny Glassman and Sarabeth Levine, for lining up a phenomenal learning program from the influx of proposals we received.

For more details or to register for events, members can visit us on NATA Connect.