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Values Statement

A values statement is an explicit declaration at the beginning of your Policy stating your organization’s values, which will underpin decision making and be reflected in the policies and practices that follow.

Considerations

Articulating values helps generate policies based on creating safe, respectful, and equitable spaces rather than avoiding liability or meeting a minimum regulatory standard.

The following section will help you reflect on specific values that your organization might already emphasize, identify other values that resonate for your organization, and incorporate them into your values statement.

Identify Your Organizational Values through Discussion Questions

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  1. Which values (Jewish, ethical, moral etc…) are foundational to your organization? Which values are part of your organization’s regular discourse?
  2. In what ways do these values manifest themselves in your organization? What stories, texts, or artifacts illustrate how these values come to life?
  3. Do any of your organizational values conflict with each other or the programmatic/operational reality in your organization? How so, and how might you address that?
  4. How might you employ these values to create healthy dialogue around safety, respect, and equity in your organization?

Sample List of Core Jewish Values

  1. צלם א-לוהים / Tzelem Elokim / That all human beings are created in the image of G-d (Genesis 1:27 and elsewhere)
  2. לא תעמוד על דם רעך / Lo Ta’amod Al Dam Reiecha / Do not stand by the blood of your fellow (Lev. 19:16)
  3. תיקון עולם / Tikkun Olam / Repairing the world; social justice (Likutei Moharan 5:1:2 and elsewhere)
  4. צדק צדק תרדוף / Tzedek Tzedek Tirdof / Justice, justice shall you pursue (Deuteronomy 16:20)
  5. דרשו משפט אשרו חמוץ / Dirshu Mishpat, Ashru Chamotz / Devote yourselves to justice, Support the victim (Isaiah 1:17)

Drafting

Now that you have considered which Jewish values resonate most for your organization, you are ready to begin drafting your values statement. Below, we have included examples of values statements for your reference.

Congregation Beth Shalom of Naperville Values Statement

Sacred Spaces Values Statement

Supporting Resources

Vayikra as a Model for Transparent Communal Governance