2. Agenda 10:00Welcome and Introductions Team Building Exploring Values Limiting Assumptions 12:15Lunch BMR Theory of Change Nuts & Bolts of the Chicago Cohort 1:15Adolescence:A Developmental Transition for Youth and Families What We’ve Learned (so far) Community Engagement 3:15Next Steps; Q&A 3:30BMR Staff available for consultation

3. Name, Congregation, Position and: Share a meaningful bar or bat mitzvah memory, your own or someone else’s.

4. Why are you personally interested in being involved with this project? What do you bring to this work? What do you want to see changed in relation to b’nai mitzvah at your congregation? What new experiments would you like to see? What can we learn about our team from this discussion? What are our strengths? What are we missing? Who might we include to add that voice/perspective?

5. I have now officiated at well over 1,000 B'nai Mitzvah. We have created beautiful Jewish memories over this time, joyful and personal, but personally recognize that we need to revision our approach and our ultimate goal in this life cycle moment. As a congregation that has 'thrived' through its school and B'nai Mitzvah population, we are well positioned now to rethink and reevaluate our program and its goals.

6. I want to use the b’nai mitzvah event as the beginning of an integration of Jewish identify and congregational life. Revolution means the destruction of the old and creation of something new. We need a “white piece of paper” to create, modify, discard and recreate. In business I have referred to this process as destructive creation. I do not expect to create the salvation of Progressive Judaism but rather a course of action that is both positive and productive.

7. I am rabbi of a Conservative shul and feel that the overlap between Reform and Conservative Jews is growing in terms of practice and belief. I want to see the degree to which our two communities share practical goals for creating moments of transcendence.

8. I want to be sure that what we are doing is meaningful for our families and children, and additionally is meaningful for those of us aiding them in the process. It is holy work, but sometimes on my 50th bar/t mitzvah of the year, I can grow weary. Personal connection is vital, but I often wonder if for some cases how we can give the attention and the creativity necessary to put all the pieces of the Jewish puzzle together.

9. I have been engaged in the evolution of our synagogue's B’nai Mitzvah program over these past 26 years. I have seen its successes and its failures. I hope that by engaging in dialogue with others and brainstorming creatively we can set our collective selves up with greater successes in the future.

10. Exploring Values

11. Values Connected To: Individual b’nai mitzvah student Family Congregational community Jewish community at large Jewish tradition

12. Discuss your values chart Is there anything surprising about which categories have the most values? Is any category too sparsely populated? Are some categories more important to your community than others? What might you team learn from this list about the strengths and limitations of b’nai mitzvah at your congregation?

13. Is there an assumption that your team would like to change or challenge?

14. BMR Theory of Change www.bnaimitzvahrevolution.org/changetheory

16. BMR Team At least 3 people B’nai mitzvah decision makers At least 1 lay leader and 1 clergy A primary contact Who else?

17. Next Steps May 21BMR workshop May 22Follow-up questions emailed May 30Follow-up responses deadline week of June 9Chicago Cohort announced

18. Year 1 June 2014Applications Due, Cohort Announced Summer 2014Team meetings with Irene Fall 2014Visioning and Planning for Experimentation January 2015Experimentation Year 2 – 3: Summer 2015Reflection, Planning for Experimentation Fall 2015Experimentation December 2016Cohort Wrap-Up

19. BMR Commitments: Facilitate cohort learning and ongoing sharing Project Manager Support and guidance Adequate notice

20. Congregation Commitments: Regular communication Participate in cohort learning and ongoing sharing opportunities Launch experiments by fall 2015 Engage in elements of Theory of Change Commit necessary resources.

21. Interactive Guide to B’nai Mitzvah Innovations

22. Next Steps Follow-up Questions emailed May 22 Follow-up Responses submitted by May 30 Cohort Announced week of June 9

23. Thank you! B’nai Mitzvah Revolution Chicago Cohort: http://www.bnaimitzvahrevolution.org/chicago-cohort B’nai Mitzvah Revolution Theory of Change: http://www.bnaimitzvahrevolution.org/changetheory info@bnaimitzvahrevolution.org