Optimizing strategic communications

: internal guidelines for the jewish community of Chile

Abstract

Chile is home of a thriving Jewish Community, who is organized and whose main mission is to guarantee that Chilean Jews can practice their Judaism in peace. This study explores the communication dynamics of the Jewish Community of Chile, a nonprofit and faith-based organization representing nearly 17,000 Jews in the country. The events in the Middle East that followed October 7th, 2023, have impacted the community’s communication strategies. The research aims to formulate comprehensive internal guidelines tailored to the specific needs of the Jewish Community of Chile, providing a foundation for the development of a strategic communication plan. These guidelines focus on enhancing decision-making processes for communication leaders, promoting rational, strategic thinking, and fostering greater awareness and engagement within the community. Data collection involved a mixed-method approach, combining a questionnaire distributed among community members and in-depth interviews with key stakeholders and community leaders. The findings were analyzed through thematic content analysis and descriptive statistical methods.The results revealed that the Jewish Community of Chile has made significant efforts to manage its communications in a resource-constrained environment, particularly considering the geopolitical crisis. This study underscores the importance of differentiated messaging channels to address diverse internal and external audiences, and the shift towards a Hope-Based Communication approach, which aims to empower and motivate the community. Additionally, the need for clear role delineation between the community and the Israeli Embassy was highlighted, along with the importance of ongoing feedback mechanisms to evaluate communication effectiveness. This research demonstrates that even in times of crisis, maintaining a strategic vision for communication roles within non-profit and faith-based organizations like the Jewish Community of Chile is essential. The internal guidelines proposed in this study are expected to support the community’s communication leaders in navigating both current and future challenges.

Date of Award	14 Feb 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Naíde Müller (Supervisor)