Havurah’s founders emphasized that their new community would be built around the central value of member participation. For over 40 years, Havurah members have jumped into a variety of roles  – service leaders, committee members and co-chairs, holiday celebration organizers, greeters, musicians, Shabbat School teachers, kitchen crew, office and mailing supporters, Steering members, adult learning teachers, building maintenance helpers, Tikkun Olam organizers, High Holiday service and music leaders, ushers and flower arrangers, and many more.

Our vibrancy as a congregation has relied on this model. Through our participation, we build relationships with each other and strengthen our commitment to supporting fellow members through good times and challenges. Even with a growing staff in the coming year, Havurah leaders recognize that we would not be the community we are without this foundational principle.

The following chart shows the many areas where Havurah members engage with the community. We come together to celebrate the High Holidays with a majority of the congregation. We also see significant numbers of congregants taking roles in leadership across several different areas.

In the Havurah census conducted in the summer of 2021, we asked all members to identify why they joined and why they remain members. This chart shows that many joined when looking for community, for holiday and Shabbat observances, or for Shabbat School for their children. While some factors are less important as children and parents age, the strength of the Havurah community has increased as an important factor for most of us.