“ Communities of Practice in Action in the Jewish Community: What do They Mean for Me? ”

1. EXCERPTS FROM “Communities of Practice in Action in the Jewish Community:What do They Mean for Me?” Naava Frank and Caren Levine August 2008 With gratitude to the Covenant Foundation for supporting this project

2. Framework for Communities of PracticeC. P. D. Community WHO: HOW WHAT: Practice Domain A strong CoP maintains a balance between the pulls of Community, Practice and Domain. This ‘conceptual trinity’ is the foundational framework of CoP.

3. Three Key Components of a Community of Practice WHO: Community/Members – Professionals who function as community facilitators in Jewish Organizations WHAT: Domain/Content Area –any topic relating to Community Facilitation: Facilitation, Knowledge Management, Network, Collaboration, Technology HOW: Learning Activities Focused on Sharing Field Practice – Face-to-face meetings, teleconferences, collaborative projects, case-studies, listservs, surveys, visits, shared web space

4. What is Kehilliyot? Kehilliyot is a “place” where Jewish professionals meet to gain support, continue to grow their skills and strengthen their practice of community facilitation. We are grateful to The Covenant Foundation for supporting the growth of the new and emerging professional field of community facilitation

5. Goals HOW WHAT: • Learners will enrich their understanding of the unique theory and practice of CoPs for professional learning. • Learners will become aware of the challenges and successes of 13 diverse projects and experiments taking place with CoP in the Jewish community and unified in the Covenant Foundation funded Kehilliyot project. • Learners will try out and take away ideas, tools, tips, protocols and technologies that are being used successfully by Kehilliyot CoP that can be adapted to strengthen the learning and engage their own constituents. • Learners will build connections to organizations and professionals who can be tapped as a resource after the session (social capital).

6. Kehilliyot Members HOW WHAT • Participate and lead teleconferences • Attend and design face-to-face meetings (in New York City or at national conferences) • Post and receive information of interest on the Kehilliyot Google Group listserv • Share resources and build a shared knowledge base using the Kehilliyot wiki (our electronic home) • Dialogue using Skype chat • Engage in one-on-one “backchannel conversations” with Naava the community facilitator and Caren and John the facilitation team. • Present case-studies, share challenges from your practice, gain input from peers, and look over each others shoulders for ongoing learning.

7. Roles of Community Facilitator WHAT • Defining the Scope of the Community and Recruiting Members - Darim Online • Defining the Priorities for Learning Activities - CAJE • Helping Members feel Welcome - CAJE • Planning Learning Activities – PEJE • Encouraging Reflection - PJLL • Getting Ongoing Feedback from Members - JESNA • Documenting the Knowledge that Emerges - JCSA • Disseminating the Knowledge that is Documented – IJS • Continually Growing your Expertise in the Domain – BJE LA • The Role of Technology – Tech Stew Blog

8. Community Facilitators • Connecting to individual members -- listening • Stimulate learning -- by asking questions • Weaving the web -– find the wisdom in the group • Being sensitive to the needs of the group as a whole –- following the energy of the group • Facilitate distributed leadership –- people own what they create • Scan the external environment – bring in new ideas • Behind the scenes – logistics and planning WHO WHAT: