Annual Report: A Year of Firsts

June 2022 - May 2023

What an exciting year it has been! Please enjoy this year’s annual report. We have included narratives, metrics, photos and video, along with moving testimonials from Den members to help describe the many ways the Den’s impact is being deeply experienced throughout our Greater Washington community. Enjoy!

Strategic Messaging + First Professional Video

the Den is now 7 years old! While an auspicious Jewish number, it is also a significant milestone in the life of a startup. We recognized the need to clarify how we describe the Den and the ways the Den is changing people’s lives. This past year, we brought on a strategic branding consultant to guide our community through a strategic messaging process to help better tell our story and share our impact in the community. This process led to the creation of the Den's first professional video. We excitedly kick off our annual report with the Den’s newly released video. Click on the link below and enjoy!

New Mission + Vision Statements

Our Why

Our vision at the Den is to create intimate spaces for intentional Jewish experiences of belonging where people feel seen, heard, and cared for; creating a culture where everyone has a rabbi they can talk to, learn with, and lean on. We envision a community that is created by people, for people and with people who are seeking deep Jewish learning, meaningful self-exploration, and a true sense of connection in community. 

The Den aspires to be a space where people experience a true sense of ownership and confidence over their Jewish lives. The Den empowers people to step into “firsts” as leaders in their homes, neighborhoods, the Jewish community and beyond - creating a world that is better - for everyone.

Our What

the Den creates intentional and intimate spaces of belonging in Jewish community with three unique elements:

• One-to-one Rabbinic Relationships - We start with the person before us, ensuring that each person has access to a one-to-one relationship with a Den rabbi who helps them develop a personalized roadmap for their life journey.

• Intimate Jewish Settings - the Den fills a void for those looking for intimate spaces that go deep. As we get to know people in our community, we work with them to co-create the Jewish community they truly yearn for – spaces of belonging for deep Jewish learning and living, self-exploration, and a real sense of connection with each other.

• Leadership Empowerment - People in our community tell us how their experiences at the Den help build their confidence and ownership over their Jewish lives – feeling empowered to step into “firsts” as Jewish leaders in their homes, their neighborhoods, and throughout the broader community.

Flourish with the Den

A dedicated team of staff, lay leaders, advisors, and Den members came together to brainstorm new ways to effectively amplify the Den’s work and impact throughout the greater community while also broadening the Den’s circle of support. And so, Flourish with the Den was born! On May 18, 2023 over 100 community members, including Den donors, community leaders, and a representative group of Den members, came together at the Glenview Mansion in Rockville for an interactive evening of connection and celebration marking seven years of the Den as we also look ahead to the Den’s future:

Engagement Metrics for FY 2023:

Communal Growth:

• 193 NEW Den Participants

Engagement by Numbers:

• 364 Unique Attendees to Den classes, gatherings, and one to one rabbinic sessions

• 165 Classes and Gatherings

• 1270 Attendances to Classes + Gatherings

• 212 People sought out a Den rabbi for 1to1 rabbinic pastoral care (emotional support / spiritual care / rabbinic guidance) and/or life cycle support who would not otherwise have had a rabbi to connect with

• Den rabbis held over 580 one to one rabbinic pastoral care and life cycle sessions

• 51 Den Leaders trained, led, and supported the creation of a variety of over 120 Jewish experiences (Jewish study classes, Shabbat/Holiday meals and gatherings, as well as Song/Prayer circles)  

New Micro Communities: Peer-Led Affinity Learning Circles

Our offerings continue to evolve in response to what we learn from our community members. In addition to our popular seasonal learning circle cohorts for women, couples, new/expectant parents, etc., and our expanding peer-led Mussar Learning Circles (we launched our 3rd this year!); in 2023 we launched a series of new Micro Communities. Each micro community is peer-led by a pair of Den members in a variety of areas selected by our community. We launched 3 new micro communities: 1) Outdoors/Hiking, 2) Baking/Cooking, and 3) Arts/Crafting. Den rabbis trained the peer-leaders in group facilitation, how to frame the experience within a Jewish context, and in community building.

the Den Selected to Join the Jewish Social Justice Roundtable!

the Den was selected to join the Jewish Social Justice Roundtable (JSJR) Network of Partners: We are beyond honored and thrilled for this incredible opportunity to increase the ways we network weave Den members with Jewish Social Justice organizations doing impactful work locally and throughout the country. This partnership will provide the Den with increased resources, support, training, and networks to deepen our organizational commitment to Social Justice through learning, advocacy, and action; in a way that is collaborative and also sustainable. Here are some highlights:

• We are deepening the ways our community engages in learning, advocacy, and action on pressing issues of our time. Social Justice learning opportunities at the Den include classes such as: MLK Text Study + Discussion as well as our Juneteenth Racial Justice Learning.

• We continue to collaborate with a variety of service organizations including: Avodah, HIAS, Dayenu, JUFJ, NCJW, and JCADA. We foster connections between Den members and these and other organizations, exposing them to these organizations as we continue to create opportunities for learning, advocacy, and action to bring about a more just and kind world.

A Growing Advisory Council

As the Den continues to evolve into its next phase of growth, we are grateful to our stellar team of advisors. Representing a diverse array of professional expertise, Advisory Council members provide wisdom, guidance, and support to our staff and lay leaders as we continue to build out our infrastructure to meet the high demand of 20s-40s throughout our community. This past year we welcomed four new members to join the Den’s Advisory Council:

• Kari Dunn Saratovsky

• Jessika Wellisch

• Craig Chanoff

• Daniel Rosenberg

We are grateful to the incredibly talented and dedicated members of the Den’s Board of Directors and Advisory Council:

Training the Next Generation of Jewish Leaders

At the Den we are intentional about ways we model what it means to be part of a Jewish community, molding the future generation of active Jewish communal members and leaders. We train community members on how to lead classes and Shabbat/holiday experiences; co-create worship/healing services; create text study sheets and facilitate effective group discussions; serve on task forces, the Den’s board and advisory council, as well as opportunities to take part in acts of hesed (acts of loving kindness and communal care).

• This year: 51 Den Leaders were trained to lead and support the creation of over 120 classes + gatherings including: Torah study, Shabbat/Holiday gatherings, song/prayer experiences, and more.

• This year we launched our third peer-led Mussar Learning Circle, a Jewish Ethics learning circle, and three micro communities, all peer-led by Den members, with support and guidance from the Den rabbis.

Thank you! Your generous support and partnership make all of this possible.