As part of a restructuring and cost-cutting effort, the Union for Reform Judaism will close its San Francisco–based Pacific Central West regional office next week.
One full-time staffer will be let go, while three part-time staffers will now work from home. The URJ-run Camp Newman in Santa Rosa will continue to maintain a Bay Area office.
Rabbi Stacey Offner, URJ’s vice president, said her organization is closing all 13 regional offices across the country, replacing them with Congregational Support Centers located in Los Angeles, Atlanta and New York City.
“The driving force of the regional system was geography,” she said. “The driving force of the new system is affinity. Congregations won’t have to look geographically for needs to be met.”
The URJ is the Reform movement’s national organization that supports synagogues and congregational life.
Linda Feldman has worked at the URJ’s San Francisco office for 20 years. Though she will be out of a job at the end of this month, she agrees that reorganizing is a good idea.
“We really do need to streamline,” Feldman said. “What they’ve come up with has great potential to really help our congregations. We have over 900 [U.S.] congregations of various needs, sizes and models and our role is to help them serve their members.”
According to a URJ press release, approximately 60 staff positions will be eliminated as part of the restructuring. The Union will continue to maintain its Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, URJ Camps and Israel programs, NFTY (North American Federation of Temple Youth), Reform Judaism magazine, the North American Biennial and other Jewish education programs.
Though she said she regrets the layoffs and budget cuts, Offner also said she is looking forward to seeing the URJ function under its new structure.