Editor's Letter Reverse The Flight! A s I reflected on the acceptance speech by the winner of Detroit Jewry's highest com- munal honor, I was struck by her not-so- passing comment about our young adults who have opted for other, hipper urban areas in search of a career, a spouse or adventure. "We must involve these 20- to 40-somethings — Generations X, Y and one day Z — in the commu- nity-building process because I firmly believe that people sup- port what they help create said Penny Blumenstein, 2005 winner of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit-sponsored Fred M. Butzel Award for distin- Robert A. Sklar guished communal service and Editor leadership. The Bloomfield Hills resident added, "While I recognize that too many of our post-college age children move to other places, many do stay and others return to the mother ship years later. If we have a strong community, they'll grow in numbers." Her assessment captures exactly what we need to do: nurture our Jewish identity as a community and involve our young people to make where we live the best that it can be. Rather than sit idly, we must transform Metro Detroit into a viable place to find gainful work and meet other young people. We're foolish if we don't. We'd be risking our Jewish future. We know this is a great community for set- tled families to raise their children Jewish — but you need to live here to enjoy the benefit. We must treat the youthful flight to Chicago, New York, Boston, Atlanta, Seattle and L.A. as a high pri- ority. Some relocation is the natural order of things, but Detroit seems to have experienced a dispropor- tionate share. The reason essentially boils down to limited opportunity — whether landing a job,.find- ing a mate or making a Jewish connection. And I'm terribly concerned. It's not that we don't offer job, dating or commu- nal opportunities. We do. But we may not have the same abundance as, say, Chicago, nor do we pro- mote the ones we have as well as we should. The need to reach Out with more vigor to young adults isn't lost on the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit, our campus Jewish outreach organizations out-state or the Detroit Jewish News. We all share a common interest: to convince those young adults who do stay or who are contemplating a return that they can plug into a vibrant Jewish community. We can't guarantee jobs or always excel at matchmaking, but we can succeed at helping these future leaders find Jewish fulfillment. Still, we all can do better. Michigan's poor economy helps fuel the flight, which prevents us from regenerating a critical mass of young adults to allow new relationships. Federation engages young adults on a career path and with leadership talent through its Young Adult Division, Community Connections, Grosfeld Leadership Group and Jewish Entrepreneurs Network, but what about those.who are unem- TN October 20 2005 ployed? Federation must revive an idea it kicked around a few years ago: creating a job corps to help young professionals land jobs in their field so they aren't forced to pull up their roots. If Federation isn't at the forefront of securing the Jewish commu- nity's still-maturing financial timber, who will be? Hillel, Chabad, Machon and other programs on our state campuses achieve some success in attracting and energizing Jewish students. But their influence on alumni often wanes over time. We know this is a great community for settled families to raise their children Jewish — but you need to live here to enjoy the benefit. The JN is engrossed in redesign and content enrichment to widen its appeal to younger, less affiliated, less involved Jews. But finding these potential readers and potential activists isn't easy. Nurturing future leaders is pivotal if we're going to have a seamless passing of the leadership baton. Seasoned young leaders in their 40s and early 50s must set the bar for 20- and 30- somethings. Having a model to emulate and a goal to reach is always a plus. Blumenstein gave sound advice that must echo if we are to stem the rush outward. "We must plan and act now for the future," she said, "by inspiring young people with potential, giving them the opportunity to learn, to grow and most of all, actu- ally lead." The most urgent need confronting Detroit Jewry is reversal of the tide carrying so many young adults elsewhere. Must we accept that Detroit will never be as hip and opportunity rich as Chicago? No! Led by Federation, and working with the larger community and government leaders, we must strive to make Detroit equally inviting not only for young Jews, but other young adults. Federation must help show the way. At stake is our pride and, thus, our hope. ❑ Have we as a community been overcome by the full force of ci other cities' magnetism? re O. What are your ideas to keep 0 young adults here and bring back those who have left? ▪ i- z E-mail: 5 letters@thejewishnews.com 0 . 271 WEST MAPLE DOWNTOWN BIRMINGHAM 248.258.0212 SUNDAY 12-5 MONDAY—SATURDAY 10-6 THURSDAY EVENINGS 'TIL 9 5