Temple De Hirsch Sinai Ethics Code

PART 2: CODE OF ETHICS

EXEMPLIFY HOLINESS (K’DUSHAH)

• Temple De Hirsch Sinai welcomes all who wish to engage with our sacred community.
• We embrace everyone without regard to religious background, age, ability, race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, or socioeconomic status.
• We strive to make all who participate in our community feel a sense of belonging with the expectation that their ideas and concerns can be openly stated and responded to with respect.

HONESTY (YOSHER)

Temple De Hirsch Sinai expects all who engage in our community to conduct themselves in an honest manner.

• We promote open and honest communication that allows for addressing differences constructively.
• We protect the confidentiality of privileged information, either about an individual or the synagogue, and do not disclose it without permission. For example, this includes personnel information such as employment status, compensation, and performance review, as well as personal information about an individual’s health, financial status, or family matters.
• We respect the efforts of others and do not take credit for their work.
• We recognize, respect, and protect the intellectual property rights of our synagogue and others. We obey copyright laws governing the use and distribution of published materials.
• We make decisions regarding synagogue-related matters with transparency, openness, and accountability, unless confidentiality dictates otherwise. For example, it is especially important that we protect inadvertent and premature release of names of candidates for employment. This includes adhering to placement guidelines of the CCAR (Central Conference of American Rabbis), ACC (American Conference of Cantors), and ARJE (Association of Reform Jewish Educators) when hiring clergy.

CONFIDENTIALITY

Confidentiality involves preserving information, especially as it pertains to personal or private information about congregants, employees, volunteers, and business and financial data of the synagogue. Personal and financial information is confidential and should not be discussed or disclosed without permission. Even well-meaning disclosure of information revealed in confidence may have damaging results. Care should be taken to ensure that confidential conversations are not overheard and that any documents containing confidential information are not left in the open or inadvertently shared. Under certain circumstances, however, it may be necessary to share otherwise confidential information to avoid harm. As special diligence is required for employment discussions, the community shall:

• Protect information to which we have access by way of a “need-to-know” to support our professional roles in the congregation, including personnel information related to employment status or progression, compensation, performance management, etc.
• Discourage the seeking of employment-related information about others.
• Refrain from speculation about other synagogue partners’ personal situations (e.g., health, financial difficulty, marital problems).
• Refrain from sharing, even with family members, information obtained in confidence (e.g., in an executive session of a board meeting).
• Establish and strictly follow procedures when conducting personnel searches, including, in the case of clergy, guidance from their professional organizations (e.g., CCAR or ACC). It is especially important to prevent inadvertent and untimely release of candidate names and prior employment details.

There are inherent challenges in using the internet, email, and social media, as well as texting and other electronic communications. Synagogue partners should demonstrate respect, professionalism, and good judgment when using any such technology. Special care must be taken to protect confidentiality when using social media (e.g., blogs, message boards, chat rooms, electronic newsletters, online forums, social networking sites, and other sites and services that permit users to share information and photography with others).

HONOR (KAVOD)

Temple De Hirsch Sinai values acting with integrity.

• We act solely according to the synagogue’s best interest when acting on its behalf.
• We refrain from using one’s synagogue position for personal advantage or benefit. For example, we refrain from hiring or firing, rewarding or punishing staff or volunteers, and awarding or denying contracts based solely on personal considerations such as favoritism, nepotism, or bribery.
• We conduct financial matters related to synagogue involvement with complete honesty. For example, we refrain from financial impropriety in decisions regarding restricted, committed, and discretionary funds.
• We are bound by sacred obligation to uphold financial agreements made with the synagogue. If a change in personal circumstances occurs, we will inform those charged with managing synagogue finances and make appropriate arrangements.
• We conduct employment practices and related decision-making in an ethical and legal manner. We establish and enforce the appropriate policies and procedures to protect the employees of the congregation, such as fair employment policies, grievance reporting, and conflict resolution procedures.

COMPASSION (RACHAMIM)

Temple De Hirsch Sinai embraces the fundamental value of performing acts of lovingkindness (g’milutchasadim).

• We treat others with respect, dignity, fairness, and compassion.
• We refrain from derogatory speech, negative talk, gossip, and slander, whether in person or on social media.
• We oppose bullying, including any unwanted behavior that degrades, humiliates, or oppresses another. Verbal, physical, or cyberbullying is never acceptable.

JUSTICE (TZEDEK)

Temple De Hirsch Sinai believes everyone entering our sacred space has the right to feel safe and respected, and that we are morally and ethically responsible for one another (kol yisrael areivim zeh bazeh).

• We do not tolerate sexual harassment, including unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal, physical, written, or visual conduct of a sexual nature. We do not tolerate acts or behaviors that exploit the vulnerability of another, take advantage of a power imbalance, compromise one’s moral integrity, or create an intimidating, offensive, abusive, or hostile environment.
• We strive to protect those who appear to be the victims of abuse or neglect, including spousal abuse, child abuse, verbal abuse, physical abuse, and other types of domestic violence.
• Procedures for addressing allegations of unethical behavior are available on request from Temple De Hirsch Sinai main office.

PART 3: ADDRESSING ALLEGATIONS OF UNETHICAL BEHAVIOR

Temple De Hirsch Sinai’s Ethics Code will be made available to all congregants, staff, and clergy. Visitors and guests will be able to see the Code, on request, from the Temple De Hirsch Sinai main office. The Code will also be published on the Temple De Hirsch Sinai website. The Code, and Addressing Allegations of Unethical Behavior document, will be updated as appropriate. Examples contained in the Code are not all-inclusive.

THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURES DELINEATE HOW ALLEGATIONS OF UNETHICAL BEHAVIOR BASED ON THE TEMPLE DE HIRSCH SINAI ETHICS CODE WILL BE ADDRESSED.

• The synagogue president will appoint a congregant to chair an ad hoc Ethics Committee for receiving and addressing allegations of unethical behavior. They will also select a minimum of three committee members based on the following qualities: integrity, leadership, independence, and ability to handle challenging situations. The synagogue president shall be an ex-officio member of the Ethics Committee. The synagogue president, if unable to serve, shall appoint a member of the Executive Committee to serve in that capacity. Members of the Ethics Committee must recuse themselves if an allegation pertains to them in any way.
• An allegation of unethical behavior, oral or in writing, should be directed to the synagogue president, rabbi, or Ethics Committee chair. In order to initiate an Ethics Committee process, the person who received the allegation will share the information with the other two. If the allegation pertains to any one of the three, that person must recuse themselves.
• If an allegation of unethical behavior pertains to a member of a professional organization with its own code of ethics such as the Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR), American Conference of Cantors (ACC), Association of Reform Jewish Educators (ARJE), National Association for Temple Administration (NATA), or Union for Reform Judaism (URJ), the Ethics Committee will determine whether to handle the allegation or refer it to the appropriate organization.
• When an allegation of unethical behavior is made to the Ethics Committee chair, the chair will decide with the synagogue president whether they should consult independent legal counsel representing the synagogue.
• Where an allegation raises the possibility of imminent and substantial harm to the person(s) of concern, legal obligations will take precedence and supersede any procedures otherwise delineated by this Code. The synagogue president, in consultation with the Ethics Committee chair, may take such action as deemed appropriate.
• The Ethics Committee will decide on a process that includes information gathering, deliberation, and resolution based on the particularities of each allegation that is received. All efforts will be made to resolve matters as promptly as possible.
• Everyone involved in an Ethics Committee process is expected to comply with all Ethics Committee requests to assist in information gathering. All steps, from an initial allegation of unethical conduct to ultimate resolution, will be documented in writing by the Ethics Committee.
• Confidentiality will be maintained throughout any Ethics Committee process to the extent practicable and consistent with thorough assessment and restoration of the matter.
• All attempts will be made to protect those who make an allegation of unethical behavior from retaliation.
• Ethics Committee processes will balance the Jewish principles of judgment (din) and compassion (rachamim). All allegations will be responded to with sensitivity and compassion. Judgment will be withheld pending completion of a full evaluation. During information gathering and/or consideration of a resolution for an ethics violation, the committee shall bear in mind that, as a sacred community, healing and reconciliation are important goals to achieve.
• While there is no time limit to making an allegation of unethical behavior, the time that has elapsed since the alleged violation will be one of many factors in the totality of circumstances considered by the Ethics Committee.

Temple De Hirsch Sinai’s Ethics Code will be made available to all congregants, staff, and clergy. The Code will also be published on the congregation website and will be available in the synagogue office. The synagogue is committed to promptly investigating any reported violations. The following procedures delineate how allegations of unethical behavior based on the Ethics Code will be addressed.