mc , Generation Future members? Ericka Wolfe, Mindy Nigoff, Shirlee Berman and Margo Berman on ORT's young leadership mission to Israel. (no photo credit) Robert Colbum: Younger people don't have the money. Local Jewish organizations work to attract younger members. Patti Aaron: Smaller amounts of time. JULIE WIENER STAFF WRITER ast month, three Women's American ORT members brought their teenage daugh- ters with them on the orga- nization's young leadership mission to Israel. "By the end, some of them were saying they might think about joining when they're older," said Janet Berman, president of ORTs Michigan Region. Members of other Jewish orga- nizations may want to start bring- ing their children along as well. As the Jewish community becomes more assimilated, many organi- zations find their membership dominated by leaders who are middle-aged and older, with few newcomers to carry the torch. Last week, The Jewish News ex- plored United Jewish Appeal (UJA)'s changing approach toward younger donors. But faced with the same new demographics that affects UJA and Jew- ish federations, a number of local Jew- ish organizations are forming or revamping programs for attracting younger members. In the process, they are learning that recruiting young people often requires innovative strategies and a de-emphasis on fund-raising. At the age of 37, Ron Elkus is about to become vice president of the Jewish Association for Resi- dential Care (JARC). And he is not the only under-40 on the organi- zation's board. "JARC has been super-sup- portive of getting young people in- volved and listening to them," he said. "There's a real openness to new ideas." JARC formed its Young Adult Committee five years ago. Ac- L cording to committee chair Stephanie Jacobson (herself age 30), 60 young adults β€”in their 20s and 30s β€” serve on the commit- tee and 400 regularly attend fund- raisers and events. Although the young adults raised only 6 percent of JARC's funds last year, they are a vital part of the organization's volun- teer corps. And Ms. Jacobson estimates that half of the young members are not involved in other Jewish organizations. She said many peo- ple comment that JARC is their favorite Jewish organization be- cause "they see where the work is going." In addition, Ms. Jacobson and Mr. Elkus attribute JARC's popularity to its em- phasis on involve- ment over fund-raising. "If you volunteer at JARC, you don't have to give money," said Mr. Elkus. "It's a nice atmosphere, not a high pressure thing." While JARC's young supporters can easily volunteer and see where their money goes, Israel Bonds purchasers are an 11-hour flight from their investment: the infra- structure of the state of Israel. Another challenge Israel Bonds faces in attracting young people is that, unlike JARC, this organiza- tion is about raising funds, not ser- vices. And young people don't always have a lot of funds. "Younger people ... may have the $18 to make a chai gift to [the Jew- ish Federation of Metropolitan De- troit], but they may not have the $500 or more to invest [in a bond]," said Robert Colbum, chair of Is- rael Bonds' Detroit New Leader- ship. THE DETROIT J EWISH NEWS New emphasis on involvement, not fund- raising. lq . Reinvigorated in 1992, after a period of dormancy, New Leader- ship reaches out to people in their young 20s to mid-40s, said Mr. Colbum, who is 39. Currently, the board of 20-25 members is in tran- sition and being re-formed. In addition to stepping up ef- forts to "create an awareness for people of a younger age as to what Israel Bonds does," Mr. Colbum said New Leadership is working to enhance its social offerings. 'We're trying to appeal to people on more than just a sales level," (to benefit technical and scientif- he said, adding that New Leader- ic education in Israel and the Di- ship has begun sponsoring social aspora) with a local social action events, such as a recent lecture fol- agenda, focusing on support for lowed by a gathering at the Vel- public education, separation of and state and women's is- churc h vet Lounge. Israel Bonds sponsors New u ORT chapters throughout the Leadership groups throughout the country, with programming in- country are actively reaching out cluding trips to Israel and an an- to members between ages 25-45, nual ski trip. However, it is said Ms. Aaron, who is 39. In ad- difficult to gauge the success of dition to last month's young lead- these programs because statistics ership mission to Israel (which 30 on the number of Israel Bonds people attended), ORT sponsors a purchasers under age 45 were not number of outreach events for available from the Detroit office or younger women, including an up- coming "Motown" music event the national office. While all Jewish organizations during the organization's nation- must contend with changing de- al convention in Detroit in July. Because ORT has only recent- mographics and competition from other volunteer groups, women's ly begun tracking members ac- organizations face an additional cording to age, statistics on the challenge: With more and more number of young members were women entering the workforce, unavailable. The National Council of Jewish young women tend to be busier than their mothers and grand- Women (NCJW) formed its young leadership group this January. "I mothers were. "At one time, active members was at a program meeting, and gave ORT a tremendous amount when I drove home that day, I of time. Now we have greater thought, We shouldn't be plan- numbers giving smaller amounts ning as older women and grand- of quality time," observed Patti mothers. We should get younger Aaron, a Women's American ORT people,"' recalled longtime NCJW national board member and asso- member Sandra Leshman. With help from their daughters, ciate chair of the group's national young leadership outreach com- members of this fund-raising and mittee (founded in 1995). ORT service organization put togeth- combines fund-raising activities er a phone list of over 100 names and got 75 responses. The result was the Just For Kids Committee, a group of young women focusing on raising funds and providing ser- vices to disadvantaged children in the Detroit community. Because most of the younger members hold down careers, Just For Kids does not meet in the day- time with the older members, but in the evenings. According to Joyce Rubenstein, NCJW's vice presi- dent of membership and pro- gramming, 55 women are involved in Just For Kids, with 25-30 of them actively involved. NCJW's total membership for metropoli- tan Detroit is 2,300. 'e have to be more creative ... more flexible in our program- ming," said Ms. Rubenstein, who added that NCJW's challenges are no different from those of other Jewish organizations. 'Tye heard this from Hadassah ... temple sis- terhoods, boards of temples and synagogues," she said. "Volun- tarism is ex- pected of people more and more, but people's time is stretched." Like ORT and NCJW, Hadassah, a Zionist women's organization, re- cently launched its own group for young women. Called Ruach (Hebrew for spirit), the group started out as a social and networking organization. Initial- ly, members were recruited through mothers and mothers-in- law. According to founding president Kari Provizer, who is 28, Ruach now boasts 150 members and is starting to broaden its mission to include social action projects, such as tutoring students and promot- ing awareness about women's ' health. issues. As with other orga- nizations reaching out to young people, Ruach does not ask for sig- nificant financial donations from its members. 'We don't ask members for a lot because they're not at that age yet where they have a lot of finances to give," said Ms. Provizer, adding that this year's fund-raising goal (which the group met) was only $2,000. Hadassah's other chapters in metropolitan Detroit raised a combined total of $375,000. ❑ This is the second in a three-part series on the changing nature of Jewish philanthropy. Next: How a young philanthropic alterna- –/ tive is attracting a new gen- eration of Jewish leaders.