Leading Jewish thinkers and doers are convening in Atlanta, GA, for the 2017 USCJ Convention. The convention will address critical issues in the Jewish community, inspiring participants to innovate and advance Conservative Judaism’s role in North America, Israel, and around the world.

“The issues facing Conservative Jews are clear. We’ve had, and will continue to have, debates about them, but it’s our duty to do more than just discuss the state of the union,” said Rabbi Steven Wernick, USCJ CEO. “It’s time to start laying the foundation for our future and offer ideas that will help congregations navigate the new paradigms of a rapidly changing world.”

The convention will provide ideas and tools for how congregations can embrace change, engage key demographics such as teens and empty nesters in their Jewish journeys, and renew passion for pillars of Jewish life prayer, social justice, and Israel.

Speakers include recognized thought leaders and innovators such as Jeffrey Goldberg, Editor and Chief of The Atlantic; Dr. Yehuda Kurtzer, President of the Shalom Hartman Institute of North America; Yael Cohen Paran, Member of Israeli Knesset and Co-Chair of the Green Movement; Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League; Reverend Natosha Reid Rice of the Ebenezer Baptist Church; Rabbi Noa Kushner, founder of The Kitchen; Rabbi Ed Feinstein, Senior Rabbi of Valley Beth Shalom in Encino, CA; Rabbi Mike Uram, author of Next Generation Judaism; and Archie Gottesman, the brand guru behind Manhattan Mini-Storage.

Attendees can also take advantage of USCJ and lay leadership experts with “brain dates,” one-on-one and small group discussions about the current issues facing congregations including member recruitment and retention, financial sustainability, and more.