A synagogue website has plenty of practical jobs to do.
It needs to tell people when services are held. It needs to promote upcoming programs. It may provide access to registration forms, religious school information, donation opportunities, calendars and member resources.
But a great synagogue website does something else, too.
It helps people imagine themselves there.
Someone who has never walked through your doors should be able to spend a few minutes on your website and begin to get a sense of your congregation: the people, the relationships, the values and the kind of Jewish community they might find if they came to visit.
That’s something a calendar and a list of service times can’t accomplish on their own.
Imagine Someone Discovering Your Synagogue for the First Time
Picture a family that recently moved to your community.
They’re looking for Jewish connections, so they begin exploring local synagogues online. They arrive at your website.
They see photographs of real people talking, learning, celebrating and spending time together. They quickly understand what kind of congregation you are. They discover opportunities for adults, children and families. The website feels current, welcoming and easy to navigate.
As they explore, something important starts to happen.
They can picture themselves there.
Maybe they decide to attend Shabbat services. Maybe they register for an upcoming program. Maybe they contact the rabbi or synagogue office. Maybe they simply make a mental note: This is a congregation I’d like to learn more about.
Now imagine the same visitors arriving at a very different website.
The homepage is cluttered. The photographs are dated or mostly show empty rooms and buildings. An old event is still being promoted. It’s difficult to figure out what the congregation is like or where to begin.
They may not consciously decide that the synagogue isn’t right for them.
They may simply leave.
That’s why the experience created by a synagogue website matters.
Show the Community, Not Just the Building
One of the most effective ways to help visitors understand your congregation is through photography.
Synagogues sometimes default to photographs of the sanctuary, Torah scrolls, stained glass, the building exterior or other Jewish imagery. Those photographs certainly have a place.
But buildings don’t create community. People do.
Whenever possible, show the people who make up your synagogue: friends talking over an oneg, children learning together, adults engaged in conversation, clergy interacting with congregants, families celebrating and volunteers working side by side.
The goal isn’t necessarily to photograph your biggest crowd.
Some of the most effective photographs are smaller moments that communicate warmth, relationships and connection.
Your photography should also reflect the breadth of your congregation. If every photograph shows families with young children, someone without children may wonder whether there’s a place for them. If nearly every photograph shows older adults, a young family may reach the opposite conclusion.
Taken together, your images should tell an honest story about the community someone will encounter when they arrive.
Keep the Website Current
Nothing undermines confidence in a website quite like obviously outdated information.
If Purim is approaching and the homepage is still inviting people to a Hanukkah celebration, visitors notice.
For current members, stale content makes the website less useful. If they learn that they can’t trust what’s on the site, they’ll eventually stop looking there.
For prospective members, it can create a different impression: Is this congregation active? Does anyone maintain this website? Is this information still accurate?
Keeping a website current doesn’t mean changing everything constantly.
Much of the most important content on a synagogue website—your story, values, clergy, membership information and descriptions of your programs—shouldn’t need frequent updating.
But the things that are time-sensitive should actually be timely.
That’s why it’s important to establish responsibility for website updates rather than assuming someone will remember to do them.
Don’t Turn Your Homepage Into a Bulletin Board
Synagogues have a lot going on.
There’s always another class, committee meeting, social program, fundraiser, speaker, holiday celebration or religious school event to promote.
Naturally, everyone wants their program on the homepage.
The result can be a homepage that becomes little more than a collection of announcements.
Upcoming events absolutely belong on a synagogue website, and featuring selected events on the homepage can be very effective. But they shouldn’t overwhelm everything else.
Remember that the person visiting your homepage may not already know your congregation.
They need more than a list of things happening next Tuesday.
They need to understand who you are.
Your homepage should balance the functional information that current members are looking for with the storytelling that helps prospective members understand your community.
Services and events matter. So do your clergy, values, learning, community, worship and opportunities for connection.
The homepage should provide a window into all of it.
Give People Reasons to Explore
Your homepage doesn’t need to explain everything about your synagogue.
In fact, it shouldn’t.
Long blocks of text make it harder for visitors to quickly understand what’s important. Instead, use strong headings, short introductions, compelling photographs and clear links to help people decide what they want to explore next.
Think of the homepage as the beginning of a conversation.
Someone sees a photograph of a lively adult education class and wants to learn more. A parent notices your section about Jewish learning for children. Someone new to town sees an invitation to join you for Shabbat. Another visitor connects with a statement about your congregation’s values.
Each of those moments gives someone a reason to take another step.
That’s what a good homepage should do.
Make It Easy to Take That Next Step
Inspiring someone is only half the job.
Once you’ve captured someone’s interest, what do you want them to do?
Attend a service? Explore membership? Register for a program? Meet your clergy? Sign up for your email list? Contact the synagogue?
Make those next steps obvious.
A visitor shouldn’t finish reading about your welcoming Shabbat community and then have to search through the navigation to figure out when services are held.
Good website design connects inspiration with action.
Here’s who we are. Here’s what it feels like to be part of our community. And here’s how you can join us.
Your Website Can’t Create Community. But It Can Reveal It.
A website isn’t what makes a synagogue welcoming.
The people do that.
A beautiful homepage can’t manufacture meaningful relationships, engaging worship, thoughtful learning or a strong sense of community where those things don’t already exist.
What a great synagogue website can do is reveal them.
It can capture glimpses of the experiences happening inside your congregation and present them to someone who hasn’t experienced them yet.
It can answer practical questions for the people who already know you while giving newcomers a reason to want to know you.
And sometimes, that’s the most important thing your website can accomplish.
Before someone walks through your doors, your website can help them imagine why they might want to.