Synagogue websites need to serve members across generations, with very different levels of comfort with technology. Good design can make digital tools easier for everyone — while helping congregations embrace technology, improve communication, and work more efficiently.
A synagogue website has two important jobs: telling your congregation’s story to prospective members while making essential information easy for current members to find. The challenge is creating a website that balances both — and reflects the unique priorities of your community.
Your members may not visit your synagogue website every week to see what’s happening — but that doesn’t make the website any less important. Here’s why your website should serve as the central hub for your synagogue’s communications, even when email, social media and other channels are what bring people there.
For synagogues with WordPress websites, there are several common approaches to event calendars. Each has advantages and drawbacks. The best choice depends on how your synagogue manages events, who maintains the website, and what you want the calendar to do.
Do you know where your synagogue’s domain name is registered — and who can access it? Learn why keeping track of your digital accounts matters, what DNS and nameservers actually do, and why launching a new website isn’t always as simple as flipping a switch.
Fonts do much more than display words — they help establish the personality of a synagogue website. From serif and sans-serif pairings to font weights, sizing, readability and hierarchy, here’s how thoughtful typography can give a website the right voice while making its content easy to read.
Color does more than make a synagogue website attractive — it helps shape how visitors perceive the congregation. From bright and energetic to soft and welcoming or dark and sophisticated, here’s how I use existing branding, logos and custom color palettes to create the right impression.
Is your synagogue website still serving your congregation well? Here are six signs it may be time for a redesign — and why a new website is about much more than simply giving your site a fresh look.
Online security is an important consideration for every synagogue. From passwords and website maintenance to staff contact information and member photos, here are practical ways to protect your synagogue online without making your community less visible or welcoming.
Is your synagogue website ready for the High Holidays? Here are six ways to make important information easier to find, simplify registration and create a more welcoming online experience for members, guests and prospective members.
Website templates can offer synagogues a quick and affordable way to build a new site — but they come with tradeoffs. Here’s a look at the pros and cons of using a template, and why the right choice depends on your congregation’s needs.
A great synagogue website does more than provide information. It gives visitors a sense of your people, values and community — and helps someone who has never walked through your doors begin to imagine themselves as part of it.
A new year is a great opportunity to take a fresh look at your synagogue website. Here are five resolutions to help keep your site current, useful and welcoming to both longtime members and people discovering your congregation for the first time.
Churches and synagogues are different, but they face some of the same challenges online. Here are six lessons synagogue websites can take from the best church websites — from leading with purpose to showing real community and making newcomers feel welcome.
From cluttered homepages and confusing navigation to outdated content and websites that forget about first-time visitors, here are ten common synagogue website mistakes — and some practical ways to avoid them.
