Timeline for How do synagogues raise funds from people other than their own members?
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| Sep 22, 2015 at 14:07 | comment | added | DanF | @Shokhet It's more likely for the Mi sheberach, as that's when the gabbai pauses and you hear the amount. Which is why I don't like this idea. (Curious, how is talking about money on Shabbat not daber davar?) The yeshiva idea is excellent. Though, some shuls in my neighborhood that are "yeshivish" though not always next to a yeshiva, do this, as well. G'mar Chatimah Tovah, and give to your shul's Yizkor fund, tomorrow. (BTW, how many kapporos chickens did you have to shecht this year?) | |
| Sep 22, 2015 at 7:31 | comment | added | MTL | Monetary donation...for the mi shebeirach, or for the aliyah itself? ...as an aside, it's common practice in yeshivos everywhere to bid on Simchas Torah aliyos by the blatt. | |
| Sep 21, 2015 at 21:38 | comment | added | DanF | @Shokhet The shul I grew up in expected a monetary donation from every oleh. Yom Tov aliyot were pretty much reserved for the shul board members, chazzan and rav. On Simchat Torah, Tah Hareita and some other honors were auctioned. I know many shteibls auction Yom Tov aliyot. I don't like these public auctions. It wastes a lot of time, and it tends to embarrass many people in shul who cannot afford these big donations. One place cleverly got around this by having people donate learning pages of Gemara. After Yom Tov, donors anonymously converted it to a monetary amount. | |
| Sep 21, 2015 at 21:22 | comment | added | MTL | You can also sell aliyos, either weekly or just on holidays (major source of revenue for many shuls). One place I've been in announced that an anonymous donor will match all pledges from Tishrei one year, which encouraged significantly higher bidding. || Inspired by the "local talent" part of your answer, a friend of mine writes an article for the annual shul journal, but I don't know if the shul profits from it. | |
| Sep 21, 2015 at 14:37 | comment | added | DanF | @MonicaCellio I edited / added some additional ideas. I hope they help. G'mar Chatimah Tovah. | |
| Sep 21, 2015 at 14:36 | history | edited | DanF | CC BY-SA 3.0 |
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| Sep 18, 2015 at 16:04 | comment | added | DanF | Who's the famous Rav who lives in Pittsburgh - is it Twersky or Tendler? I don't recall. They apparently were successful raising money for their yeshiva and they know how to hit the "machers". Maybe, there's a way to contact them? I frequently see Rav Binyamin Kamenetzky, who is a master at getting money from rich people. I asked him once about his strategy. One of his biggest methods is to make people feel guilty about NOT giving to his yeshiva. It's not my own preferred strategy, but, you know, there is something about Jewish guilt that does work! RE follow up on unnamed cards is just trust | |
| Sep 18, 2015 at 16:02 | comment | added | Monica Cellio | Right, I understand the card concept in general (with pre-marked fold-down corners/tabs); I just wasn't sure how that worked for someone whose name wouldn't be pre-printed on the card (because not a member). Does your shul contact those people somehow, or just rely on them to remember to pay after, or what? | |
| Sep 18, 2015 at 15:59 | comment | added | DanF | @MonicaCellio Interesting question. Many shuls give donation cards where people fold down their pledge (pre-marked amount tabs). Yes, it has the member's name or it's blank. Ah, but when and how are these people paying? They're paying by a check in the mail, or online through the shul's web site. Those are two ways that you can get the demographics. Most people pay - eventually. (It takes some effort to chase them.) No guarantees, of course. Also, there will be gaps with a number of the guests remaining anonymous. But, they paid! You just hope they'll be there next year, if not more often! | |
| Sep 18, 2015 at 15:52 | comment | added | Monica Cellio | How does the Yizkor appeal work with guests? They're obviously not going to pay or fill out pledge cards that day, and they're not members so you don't have their contact info in your database already. Does the member who brought the guest act as some sort of intermediary for getting the donation to the shul afterward? | |
| Sep 18, 2015 at 15:50 | comment | added | Monica Cellio | Thanks for these detailed suggestions. We do have a good-sized school, but you know, I never thought about expanding it beyond members. Hmm, I wonder... | |
| Sep 18, 2015 at 15:42 | history | answered | DanF | CC BY-SA 3.0 |