Starlight is living history – light generated in the past that can point us to the future.

STAR (Synagogues: Transformation and Renewal) considers the synagogue a kind of starlight – the living history of Jewish life and the dynamic future of our people.

STAR builds capacity and shifts culture in synagogues by providing resources and training in nonprofit management, targeted programming, marketing and communications, program evaluation, and volunteer development.

STAR has developed two national initiatives – The Synaplex Initiative and Professional Education for Excellence in Rabbis (PEER) – address gaps in synagogue resources. These programs create:

Enriched synagogue life
A process for long-term change and renewal
Immediate influx of energy, resources and creative ideas to jump-start renewal efforts
Technical and financial support for the efforts of individual synagogues
Central resources for program development, implementation and evaluation
A research-based model for addressing the changing needs of modern Jewish life
Evaluation and reporting of qualitative and quantitative changes in synagogue life