Kavana Partnership Explained

What is a Kavana partner?

A Kavana partner is an individual or family who has chosen to join the Kavana community through an annual contribution of time and money.

Do I have to be a partner to participate in Kavana?

No.  One of Kavana’s core values is to welcome everybody, and you are invited to participate and to explore the community.  That being said, to be part of a community, a person needs to consistently participate and provide material support.  Our expectation is that regular participants will choose to become partners, better supporting themselves and the community in the process.

What is the benefit of becoming a partner?

Kavana is a community whose core value is to empower its partners to be producers of their own Jewish lives.  As a result, the key benefit of becoming a Kavana partner is the satisfaction that comes from taking responsibility for creating and supporting your own personal and communal Jewish life.  (Really… it feels great!)  In addition, you’ll receive the support of a dynamic and innovative rabbi, a committed staff, and a vibrant community in realizing your vision of Judaism, whatever it may be.

Should I become a partner?

That is a decision unique to each individual or family.  However, our tradition speaks to this subject: the Talmud teaches that the longer someone has been part of a community, the greater responsibility they should take for maintaining it.  (For example, after you had lived in a city for a month you were expected to contribute to a fund for the poor, and after you had lived there for a year, you were also expected to contribute to the fund that maintained the walls of the city.)  While Kavana’s timeline is not set out as strictly, we like the principle.

How does someone become a partner?

First, by participating in the Kavana community and deciding that it could play an important role in your life.  Second, by scheduling a meeting with the rabbi to explore and define what partnership might look like for you.  And, third, by participating regularly and supporting Kavana through the contribution of time and money.

How much do partners typically contribute to Kavana?

Each person’s relationship with the community is different.  For many partners, Kavana is their only Jewish community, and as a result of that deep relationship and commitment, all of the time and money they contribute goes toward Kavana.  Other partners are involved in many communities, and spread their contributions proportionally across them.

Is there a minimum amount of time that a partner is required to contribute to Kavana?

No.  This varies from person to person based on their relationship with the community.  That being said, there are some things partners keep in mind when considering volunteer time:

• Kavana is a cooperative, and to work it presumes a meaningful volunteer commitment from all partner households.
• Kavana is most vibrant when partners are contributing their time toward producing programming and services that they personally value.

Is there a minimum amount of money that a partner is required to contribute to Kavana?

No.  Again, this varies from person to person based on their relationship with the community.  Here are a few things partners should keep in mind when making financial contributions:

• In FY2011, program fees covered 33% of the cost of Kavana’s total operations.  After accounting for these fees, the average cost per partner household to operate Kavana was about $3,500, and the average partner household contribution was $787.  Obviously, there’s a big gap there, and we’re hoping to bring those two numbers into closer alignment as we move forward.
• The Torah talks about tithing, or giving 10% of one’s income to support the community.  While that may sound out of reach to many of us, a typical expectation for Jewish families in America is that they will contribute 1 to 2% of their pre-tax income to supporting their Jewish community.  (You do the math -- $50,000 household income would correspond to an annual partner contribution of between $500 and $1000; $150,000 household income would correspond to between $1500 and $3000; etc.)
• As mentioned previously, the amount of time and money a partner contributes varies proportionally to the depth and duration of their involvement in the community.  Ultimately it’s up to every partner to determine his or her own level of giving.

Do partners get any special benefits that non-partners don’t get?

Yes.  Partners gain access to our rabbi, staff, and like-minded partners to create and realize their own vision of Judaism – whether it involves prayer, adult or family learning, home observance, community involvement, a book group, Jewish cooking, or something else.  We call this “personalized Judaism in a community context.”  Partners also typically get a discount on event fees, and the opportunity to participate in governance and help set the direction of the community.  From a legal perspective, partners have official voting rights and access to certain organizational information that is typically held private (such as financial information).