What Synagogues Can Learn From "Breaking Bad"

What will you be doing tonight at 9:00? If you're like me and 6 million other people, you'll be watching the final episode of Breaking Bad. And if you're like me and 4.8 million other people, you didn't watch the first season when it began; maybe not the second or third, either. You caught up later during a few weeks of "binge watching."

As the New York Times noted yesterday, Breaking Bad's audience grew over time because of word of mouth and its availability through Netflix:

"Breaking Bad" made its debut in 2008 to an underwhelming 1.2 million viewers - which would have caused many programming chiefs to drop it. But the show dodged cancellation and slowly built a following - especially once the old episodes were made available en masse on Netflix. 

Just using my own tv viewing habits as an example, similar cases can be made for The Wire, Boardwalk Empire, Rome, Downton Abbey, House of Cards, The Newsroom, Copper, and DaVinci's Demons. You can make your own list, or take this advice from Newsday if you haven't started this new habit.

It's a habit that is here to stay. Advice about what's good to watch comes from people who we view as reliable sources - our friends, family, coworkers, hair stylists - anybody, really, but the networks themselves. Amazon started us on the habit when they published reviews of books by readers, and then told us what other readers like us were also reading. We now buy music, clothing, shoes and housewares, eat in restaurants and stay in hotels AFTER we check the ratings from other people. Our computers and smart devices allow us to find what we want when we're ready.

I think this habit has implications in our kehillot, (communities). Clergy and lay leaders have tried for years to entice members to come into their synagogue buildings with programming. Volunteers have been burned out, budgets have been blown, new ideas have come and gone. Synagogue leaders complain of low engagement in programs, and yet continue to look for new ideas for programs. In part, it's because they ask their members what will get them more involved, and the answer they often get is, "New programs." Or, "More programs."

For this reason, I am watching data coming in from members of the 10 kehillot in United Syagogue's new Sulam for Strategic Planners program. Strategic planning teams are using our template and collection mechanism for congregational surveys to guide their planning.

We will share a summary of the aggregate data once participating synagogues have reviewed it, but here are the results from one question that has to do with programming.

Out of nearly 2,000 respondents, 593 people filled in the blank for the following question:

If our congregation would offer _____, I would attend and ask a friend to join me. 

A text analysis showed that the most frequently used words in their essay answers were adult, Jewish, social, Hebrew, services, programs, night, and classes. The most frequent phrases were Friday night, adult education, education programs, cooking classes, learning opportunities, Hebrew classes, social programs and more family.

There is nothing new in those answers.

I mentioned in a previous post that I look for the story where data points, rather than at the data itself, so I searched for other patterns. Hidden in the phrases of all of the respondents were feelings, not program ideas. Words like inspiring, ruach, exciting, convenient, illuminating, interesting, spiritual, enlightening, meaningful, dynamic, powerful, uplifting.

So, what can Breaking Bad teach synagogues? Its breathless fan base illustrates what is behind building an audience today. Think back to when you first heard the premise of the show: A high school science teacher dying of cancer decides to make money by getting into the methamphetamine business. If you ignored it, or found it a little repulsive, so did I...until my cool friends, and my most upright, straight-laced family members, told me I would feel like I got on a roller coaster and wouldn't want to get off. They didn't tell me what the story was about; they told me how I would feel. Against my own quantitative data about my preferences, (the amount of historical fiction listed in paragraph three of this post is no coincidence), I followed their advice. One Breaking Bad episode, and I was hooked faster than a...well, you fill in the blank with the clever meth addict metaphor.

People respond to word of mouth testimonials when they're about feelings, not content.

Advice to kehilla leaders: Planning any new successful program or initiative will require paying less attention to what the program planner thinks is good content, and more to how the program will transform people. It begins with assuring that new ideas are based on values, mission, and impact. If participation isn't a home run at first, before declaring it a failure, check to see if you have a few raving fans. Then help them bring in others. Synagogues might not have Netflix or On Demand where people can catch up or get on board, but we have You Tube, live streaming, Facebook, polls, newsletters, listserves, personal conversations, tutoring, Shabbat dinner, and services every week (or every day!). Find ways for a small community to build a larger community.

This week, we will publicly announce the recipients of the Centennial Solomon Schechter Awards. We'll honor the winning kehillot on Monday, October 14, at our Centennial Celebration. Their programs are excellent examples of planning that began with a holistic vision of transforming hearts and minds. Some were an instant success; others built their audience and impact over time. The best of the programs adapted and changed according to what they learned from the community. Watch for the announcement and descriptions as we highlight them on our website, in webinars, and at conferences throughout the year.

In the meantime, you'll find me at 9:00 tonight with my popcorn and beer in front of my tv. Because I'm a multi-tasking nerd who loves to find community among strangers, I'll also be enjoying the interactive surveys and quizzes on the Breaking Bad StorySync on my laptop.

And I'm open to suggestions for the next tv series to add to my binge watching queue.