To write “Belonging to Bethlehem: Stories from the Christmas City’s Jewish Community,” in 2010, we began gathering the pieces of the story of this Jewish community in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Where were these pieces? With many different people of the community, and their friends and neighbors! In newspaper clippings, vintage photos, and telephone directories. Even in the architecture! All we had to do was look, and listen.
We listened to people telling their life stories and in those stories we found the “quilt blocks” of one community’s story. It took us 15 years but it doesn’t have to take you that long to find and document your story! “Six-Word Lessons for Writing Your Community’s Story” shortcuts all that.
Besides telling a good story, this narrative highlights the nature of belonging. For more, click here to order your book!
Our message: find a community, get involved, make it better!
This community is only a tiny part of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Bethlehem is a historic city that includes many ethnicities, religions, churches, workplaces, clubs, schools, and traditions. This is especially true when it comes music, history, and the arts!
***Are you a community within Bethlehem, Pennsylvania that would like to gather, write about and/or share your own “Belonging to Bethlehem” story? ***
*** If you’re outside of Bethlehem, see our “All of US” pilot program, below. ***
Write to us at jennifer@jenniferlader.com with the subject line “Belonging to Bethlehem.”
IS THIS ANYTHING LIKE YOUR STORY?
You’re a community, neighborhood, extended family looking into your roots, veterans group, or other collection of people with a common bond. You’ve been around for a while! Some of the longest-timers are getting older … or are no longer with us. Some people still remember the stories, though, of how it all started. It’s time to gather the stories, write them down, film them, or otherwise preserve the past.
More than that — you need to be able to talk about who you are and why that matters. Don’t leave it to someone else to tell your community’s story … or to ignore that important story. Shine a light on that story!
KNOWING YOUR STORY HELPS NAVIGATE THE NOW & LIGHTS THE WAY TO THE FUTURE
One of the things we’ve witnessed when communities start to listen to and learn their own people’s stories is that you feel good about who you are. You know who you are.
You start to be able to talk about who you are a little more easily. Others can “see” you … and you can see yourself better … and what you contribute in society. Somehow the future gets a little clearer, a little brighter looking.
Our clients are leaders with the courage and foresight to take a deep look at who they are in order to create the future they want to see.
CHANGE IS PART OF EVERY COMMUNITY’S PATH
There are a lot of stories-within-stories when you start listening to the elders and finding out how it all got started. Usually there’s a bigger story in there, too. Often, it’s about overcoming obstacles. It’s about resilience. Things are always changing; we see that every day. When you have a sense of who you are, where you come from, you can look at today’s demands on your community knowing you’ve been here before. You find a way forward.
You become more able to talk about this story to your young people — they need to know the story, too!
FIND YOUR STORY TO MOVE FORWARD
What we offer is a how-to for finding your community story. Step by step; we have written materials, we offer in-person or virtual assistance. It’s time to form your plan, gather your stories, and figure out what they mean.
You’ll find the process of finding and documenting your story can bring people together — whether within your community or with other like-minded individuals doing similar projects.
Got an anniversary — 25th? 50th? Centennial? Now is the time!
JOIN ‘ALL OF US’: A COMMUNITY STORY-FINDING INITIATIVE!
We also offer individual consultation on organizing or developing your community research project, identifying themes, or writing your story. Email us at jennifer@jenniferlader.com with the subject line “All of US” if you would like to speak with Jennifer about your project.
Please include a short description of your community, why this is the perfect time to do this project, and your name and (U.S. only) phone number.
If your community is a good match for this program, we will offer an initial individual consultation to help you assess where you are in the process and how you might move forward.
*** Outside the U.S. use subject line “Small World” and include an email address along with a description of your community. ***
We know how to find your story thread. That is our specialty.
A Journey of the Many
Your story very likely has many parts and phases, sometimes with changing settings or casts of characters. You may need to rely on oral histories, old journals, newspaper archives, or library research.
Our view is that life as we live it is a very big adventure. What you as a community become is not just the outcome of one hero’s journey, but the cumulative effect of many people’s journeys — the chapters that make up the book of your community’s history.
GREAT THINGS CAN HAPPEN!
Finding that story, collaboratively, and putting that story into words means you will:
- Become able to talk about your community in a new, more effective way;
- Let your purpose shine through and attract helpful people;
- See the end of that rainbow in the distance, the one that you want to reach; and
- Claim or reclaim your story, and in the process
- Discover a roadmap for the journey ahead.
Jennifer helped us look at our organization in a different way, focusing on our strengths and experience. She helped us answer the question, ‘How do we best use this?’
— Fred Bonsall, principal, Bonsall Shafferman Architects
OUR PROCESS FOR FINDING YOUR STORY
We have a process and it is one that we can adapt to any situation. The least this process requires:
- Knowledgeable individuals to speak with in person or by phone or videoconference;
- A small group of committed individuals with availability for a collaborative project.
- Feedback and talking about direction because this is an iterative process;
- Openness to what may emerge from the look-back; and
- A commitment to put your community story into tangible form. This might be a book (like the one above), a short story, photo exhibit, movie, quilt, or something else.
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