Yakov as Risk Manager

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According to Torah Org's Rabbi Aron Tendler, Yakov ben Yitzak ben Abraham was a risk manager.

No, R. Tendler didn't come right out and state the fact.

But for Perashat Vayishlach the rabbi wrote that when Yakov learns that Eisav is coming to meet him with a 400-men force, he (Yakov) "applies a three pronged strategy in preparation for the confrontation: a) Tefilah - prayer; b) diplomacy; and c) war."

Granted, that may not be "risk management" as we now think of it, but Yakov - like Noah before him - understood, in a Biblical way, preparation, mitigation, and recovery.

Yakov prays for Devine assistance and guidance. He's been known to try to "buy" HaShem (if you promise me this, I'll let you be my god) much in the way we "buy" a vendor (it you'll back up your offer with proof you can meet the Service Level Agreements, you can be my vendor). Yakov, in his own way, is preparing for his inevitable confrontation with his estranged brother.

Yakov then comes up with a mitigation plan. Figuring he cannot avoid meeting his brother - no escape if he is to do as G-d tells him - he decided to send gifts to Eisav, to mollify his anger.

Finally, Yakov "prepares for war."

I disagree with the rabbi on this point. The Torah clearly states that Yakov wanted to preserve as much of his assets as possible; he elected to split his possessions - including wives, concubines and off-spring - into four groups. The Torah has given no indication that Yakov was anything but passive his whole life - the only time he did anything in his own defense was when he wrestled with a man (B'reishit 32 25).

Obviously, in today's world, if we are to instigate risk management into our lives we would try to identify the risks.

On a family level, out first priority must be to the family members: spouse, children, parents. We look at what could happen to them and look for ways to avoid or mitigate the risks. Something as simple as a tetanus shot (flu shots being suspect for some) or having arrangements with neighbors to watch our youngest (and eldest) dependents.

Then we look beyond our most precious "resource" to housing and sustenance.

At the synagogue, the first priority must be protecting people. Most of us don't have to worry about terrorist attacks (thank G-d), but we do need to be concerned with fire, flood, and structural integrity. We need to make sure the sefri Torah are safe; in a fireproof and waterproof aron. (Why people first? "From the grave who will praise you?" gives us the answer.) After that, membership information, both for current and previous members. Then, if the building "goes away," where can the congregation meet?

As risks are identified - and financial risk is a very real concern - ways must be found to avoid or mitigate the risks.

Avoidance and mitigation usually have a price tag. Sometimes the price is minimal - if, for example, all the congregation's records are on a computer, the "cost" is the price of a portable, external back-up hard drive and the time for someone to copy data from computers to it (not all data has to be copied each time so while copying should be frequent, it need not be unnecessarily time consuming). It is understood that all congregational structures will have fire detection and suppression systems installed, but water tends to do mean and nasty things to computers and to paper. Likewise fire (before the detection/suppression system has time to work).

Identifying risks is a "group" process that includes all members of the congregation, local police and fire personnel, and risk experts from the insurance company; it is time to prioritize the risks (remember, avoidance or mitigation usually has a price tag and most congregations have a limited budget) based on (a) probability and (b) impact on the organization.

So far, we only rated the risk to determine which are most critical to the organization.

Now it's time to look for avoidance and mitigation options. As before, the entire congregation should be involved, as well as the outside resources mentioned above.

The board will have to decide which avoidance or mitigation options need to be implemented and set an implementation schedule.

Once that is in place, plans need to be developed "in the event of."

For example, ushers and synagogue leadership need to be trained to safely move people out of the facility in case of fire (or broken pipe). Perhaps a Members' Handbook could be developed that, in addition to congregation bylaws, customs, and "how to do" for honors, includes a map with all exits noted as well as where fire extinguishers, ACDs, and other first aid equipment are located.

Synagogues are a business, just like General Mills or a Mom-n-Pop market; they have risks that need to be considered and, as appropriate, avoided or mitigated. Synagogues, like a doctor or lawyer or plumber or electrician provide a service (or several); that generates income. The source of income (the service) must be protected.

If the service "goes away," the income may also go away - to another congregation or, worse, to be lost completely.

Certainly we should put our trust in HaShem, but as the following old tale suggests, we need to do our part, too.

Seems there was a gentleman who owned a home in a flood plain.

The rains came; the creek overflowed its banks and the water came into the fellow's home.

Some friends came by in a truck and offered to carry the man to safety. No, he said, G-d will provide.

The water rose higher and he was forced to the house's second floor.

The Fire Department floated by in a boat and offered to take the man to safety. No, he said, G-d will provide.

The water rose still higher and the man was forced to the roof of his home.

The National Guard came over in a helicopter and offered to take him to safety. No, he said, G-d will provide.

The water rose higher and the man drowned.

The fellow insisted on seeing G-d and the angels acquiesced.

Standing before HaShem he demanded to know how he, a religious man who depended on HaShem, could have let him die by drowning. "I put my trust in You; why didn't you save me?"

Replied HaShem: I did try to save you; I sent the neighbors in the truck; I sent the Fire Department in the boat, and I sent the National Guard in the helicopter.

As the fellow in the flood, we should depend on HaShem, but we also need to do our part, and that includes protecting ourselves, our families, our business, and certainly our congregations.

Yohanon Glenn
Yohanon.Glenn at gmail.com
Enterprise Risk Management practitioner available for new projects

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