From Ushers to Shabbat Greeters
by Rabbi David Locketz
When I was in rabbinical school, a professor in a professional development seminar gave us the assignment of attending a Sunday morning church service at a megachurch. The goal was simply to experience the "welcome" built into the culture of these massive communities. These churches understood that the sheer size of the building and massive numbers of attendees didn't need to impede the sense of connection for the people entering the building. Even it was their first time. Especially if it was their first time. The churches understood that if someone feels unwelcome, whether because of their own nerves, feelings of impostor syndrome or because they actually were not welcomed, that is likely the only time they will come. One and done! It’s hard to accomplish your mission if the pews are empty.
At the megachurch we were directed into parking spots, and then someone literally opened our car door. Kids were signed in and sent off to programming. Adults were directed to the coffee shop and assigned to church members to be shown around and aided in services if they were unfamiliar with the church’s customs.
Bet Shalom is not as big as a megachurch, and we have different customs. I am not suggesting that we meet people in the parking lot! But welcoming people to Shabbat services is fundamental to our “Relational Judaism” efforts and to building community.
Bet Shalom’s leadership instinctively understood this throughout our history. There was a time when what we used to call the "Ushering Corps" was robust, and the ushers looked forward to being there together to help manage what I call the “back of the room.” Clergy cannot manage the "back of the room" from the "front of the room." From a practical perspective, we need help managing the crowd: getting people into the sanctuary so we can start on time, showing them where they can get quiet toys for kids, and even, in the best of all worlds, knowing who in the congregation might be willing to sit with them and show them the ropes.
But our group of ushers was shrinking over the 5-10 years leading up to the pandemic. And after the pandemic we really only focused on the holidays in this regard, not regular Shabbat services. We were also asking the ushers to play a role in security, and understandably most of them didn't want to do that. Now that we have hired security, the greeters can focus on greeting!
We are reinventing the "Ushering Committee" as our “Shabbat Greeters.” The goal is to help people attending services take those first, often really difficult, steps into our community. A warm welcome can and does make a huge difference. People need to know where to hang their coats, where the restrooms are, that there is food and community in the social hall, that they can sit in the sanctuary in quiet until services start, etc. Often they have questions about our programs. We ask greeters to give out my business cards and to come introduce me to them if I am available. And if they recognize that folks just want to dip their toes in the water, not be thrown into the deep end, they can simply welcome them to Bet Shalom. The people at our front door can have an enormous impact on whether visitors feel welcomed to our Shabbat services!
Cantor Havilio with Becky Fritz and Ali King
This might all sound like it is just aimed at people who have never set foot in Bet Shalom. But I have frequently seen Bet Shalom members who "don't know how to come to services" and really appreciate the welcome and guidance when they enter the building. And even people who attend services only occasionally feel more at home when someone greets them at the door.
Typically we have a board member and the staff "Manager on Duty" in the front lobby, and often our clergy are there, too. Congregants who volunteer as Shabbat Greeters complement this group. We would love to increase the number of volunteers doing this important work. Please consider joining our team! For further information, contact Debbie Levy at volunteering@betshalom.org or Amber Brumbaugh at abrumbaugh@betshalom.org.