LaNasi: Resources for
Chapter Presidents

Making Meetings Magnificent

1. Give enough notice - people need time to plan meetings into their schedules.
2. Set the meeting for an exact time.
3. Always start on time, so everyone feels the need to be prompt.
4. Begin with a D'var Torah - this is an easy way of incorporating an educational aspect to the meeting, and it shows that we identify as a Jewish Youth Group.
5. Always set an agenda - distribute main points sometime before the meeting so that everyone can prepare for the topics of discussion.
6. Have handouts so everyone knows what you are referring to, i.e. agenda, upcoming program schedule, check1ist etc.
7. Maintain order in meetings at all times. You should have fun, but be sure not to lose focus.
8. Plan ahead - if the meetings are before a program, go over the schedule, check that all the details are being taken care of, and make sure that everyone knows his role at the event. If your meeting isn't before a program, spend time planning for future events or discussing long-range projects and goals.
9. Encourage note taking, so that everyone will have their own record of the information covered during the meeting. This should be done in addition to someone who will take official minutes.
10. Include everyone- - ask questions; go around the meeting for opinions, begin with "go around" questions, have committee reports.
11. Rotate leaders so that everyone on the board will have the opportunity to run different parts of the meeting so they, too, will learn from the experience.
12. Be prepared - time is valuable. Preparation will make sure that it is well-spent.
13. Have occasional non-business activities and sessions with your board.
14. When appropriate, daven at the beginning of the meeting (if it is large enough for a minyan).
15. Occasionally include a major topic of content to discuss the chapter's goals in the long run. Discuss whether your outreach is sufficient, whether your members are learning about Judaism, ways to strengthen ties between chapter and synagogue, etc.
16. Keep the discussion relevant; don't allow it to go off on tangents.
17. Keep meetings to a prescribed length of time.