Editor's Notebook

Our Young Adult Flight

especially need young adult role models to step up Israel
is not easy seeing so many 20- and 30-somethings who
grew up in the Detroit Jewish community follow friends advocacy among peers who don't understand or appreciate
why the Jewish state matters.
or dreams to hipper metropolises like Chicago, Boston,
Winning over young adults dialed into their Judaism, but
New York, Atlanta or Los Angeles. Walk through Lincoln
who
need a nudge to commit their time and energy, is one
Park or adjacent Chicago neighborhoods and you'd be hard
thing.
It's a tougher challenge when you're dealing with
pressed not to see a transplanted young Detroiter.
We don't like admitting it, but Metro Detroit has suffered a young adults devoid of much interplay with their heritage;
the message to them must be one of enrichment, inspiration
brain drain of young Jewish professionals. Some come back
and tangible return.
in a few years to raise a family; too many don't. For many
YAD raises about 2 percent, or $800,000, of Federation's
who stay away, it's a matter of Michigan's
Annual
Campaign. Spreading tikkun olam (repair of the
lousy economy.
world)
helps
motivate YAD participants. So does the panoply
As much as we lament the loss of so much
of
events
for
singles, couples and families. Ditto for identity-
homegrown talent to distant bright urban
strengthening Jewish learning and volunteer opportunities as
lights, this flight isn't absolute. Metro
well as Israel trips.
Detroit remains home to bright young stars
But I'm most impressed by the YAD project 'Above and
in real estate, e-commerce, law, finance,
Beyond." It allows the YAD board to allocate
medicine and business ven-
part of the group's Campaign increase. For its
tures. Some of these young
ROBERT A. people are primed to take
SKLAR
leadership reins in Jewish
"We are the ones responsible for
Editor
Detroit. Others live beyond
taking care of the generations
the edges of organized Jewish
before us and after us. We are the
life.
Connecting with more young adults is a
ones this community is depending
shared pursuit of the Detroit Jewish News, the
upon to sustain it."
Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit and
the largest agency that Federation supports, the
—Young adult leader Gayle Gold
Jewish Community Center. All three must
solidify such connections to remain relevant.
Surely, young adults with some Jewish involve-
ment are a lot easier to reach than those whose
inaugural effort, YAD picked in-home support services for
Judaism is dormant.
To bolster connections with 25- to 40-year-olds, the JNhas local older adults and hunger relief for Kiev seniors.
The intent of the YAD project is noble: to enlighten and
created a young adult advisory board. The board speaks to
energize
our young adult leaders so they will rally the larger
what we're lacking as we try to expand readership and secure
young
adult
Jewish community around the chosen causes.
our company's role and profitability.
"There
will
be
numerous volunteer opportunities, education
One board member is Gayle Friedman Gold, new presi-
and
training
initiatives,
a local agency tour and, hopefully, an
dent of Federation's Young Adult Division (YAD). She also
overseas
mission
to
Kiev,"
said Gold, 30.
serves on the JCC board, so it's not surprising that she's a
This
effort
isn't
about
well-off
young adults, insulated from
longtime JNsubscriber. She works as creative director at
desperation,
donating
perhaps
their
parents' money to charity
Southfield-based Star Trax Corporate Events.
and
just
feeling
good
about
it.
It's
about
young adults donat-
Young adults remain in Metro Detroit either because they
ing
money
through
available
resources,
then
going above and
want to or because they can't afford to leave. So I asked Gold
beyond
to
maximize
YAD's
collective
investment
in building
a vexing question: How do we inspire more of the young
a
better
world.
adults remaining in Metro Detroit to cultivate their Jewish
"Sure, we're all busy," Gold told me last Friday, "but there
heritage, if not their religious tradition?
are
ways to effectively balance taking care of family, taking
I liked her brutally honest reply: "Many
care of your career and taking care of
young adults are complacent when it
community. It is possible to do it all. And
comes to being involved in the Jewish
Points to Ponder
those who do, find it to be more reward-
community. They think somebody else
ing than they ever imagined."
will take care of it, that they don't need to
Current young adults will influence
• How do we motivate
worry about it. But they do. This year,
Jewish life over the next 25 years. Most
Jewish
young
adults
who
YAD will make it clear to young adults in
are under-involved communally; wooing
remain in Metro Detroit to
this community that we own a critical
them is a high priority for Federation, the
become
active
in
the
responsibility. We are the ones responsible
JCC
and the J/V. As a Jewish community,
Jewish
community?
for taking care of the generations before
we can bemoan the exodus of so many of
us and after us. We are the ones this com-
our best and brightest. Or we can engage
• How do we describe the
munity is depending upon to sustain it."
more of the young people still living here,
merits of moving back here
Is she right or what? She's speaking on
many with leadership qmlities.
to
Michigan-bred
young
behalf of YAD, but she could be promot-
We must help them find the kinds of
adults
living
ing B'nai B'rith, Hillel, Hadassah or any
uplifting
rewards that Gayle Gold talks
out
of
state?
of the larger communal groups with
❑
about
so
eloquently.
vibrant young adult movements. We

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8/ 4
2005

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