ROME IMPROVEMENT ME IIIIIMIOVER
•
Opinion
OTHER VIEWS
Remaking The
Community
New York
hen the American Jewish
Committee, which is cele-
brating its centennial year,
was established, American Jews were
frenetically creating new organizations
to address their religious and commu-
nal needs. It was a time when, as Louis
Marshall, a founder and
long-serving second presi-
dent of the AJCommittee
put it, "organization was in
the airy'
Indeed, in the two
decades between 1897 and
Winds Of Change
the end of World War I, the
Just as America's social
so-called "big three" Jewish
capital has eroded, Jewish
defense agencies were
civic engagement has
Jack We rtheimer declined, too.
founded — the American
Further com-
Spe cial
Jewish Committee, Anti-
plicating matters, ever more
Comm entary
. Defamation League and
American Jews are choos-
American Jewish Congress.
ing to live far removed from
Zionist organizations, such as the
the geographic centers of Jewish life.
Zionist Organization of America and
Also, fewer Jews are befriending and
Hadassah, came into existence. Major
marrying other Jews.
institutions of Conservative and
Fortunately, countervailing trends
Orthodox Judaism were established
have also emerged in recent years.
or reorganized. And numerous social
Some enterprising American Jews
welfare agencies, such as the large-city
are harnessing new technologies to
federations of Jewish philanthropy and
connect with each other. Synagogues,
the American Jewish Joint Distribution
schools, JCCs and federations are creat-
Committee, sprang into existence.
ing satellite institutions. And organiza-
What prompted this explosion of
tions have been formed to the under-
new energy? Some of the answer lies
served, such as gay and lesbian Jews,
in the broader influence of America's
the intermarried and Jews of color.
Progressive Era, whose ideals seeped
Equally important, some American
into the American Jewish community
Jews are investing energy to create
at that time and inspired institution
organizations that speak to the next
builders to tackle the tough issues with generation: in our large cities, 20- and
efficiency and optimism.
30-something Jews are founding their
The dynamic expansion of the
own congregations, study circles,
American Jewish community also
salons and journals.
brought new forces to bear. Young men
New umbrella agencies have
and women from the so-called Uptown
emerged to link specific types of
(German Jewish) severe inspired by a educational programs: We now have
sense of mission to serve their people,
separate networks for day schools,
while the grown children of the newly
early childhood centers, Israel experi-
arrived East European immigrants
ences and summer camping. Freshly
threw themselves into the task of insti-
developed adult education curricula
tution building. Both groups of leaders
are attracting new populations to syna-
responded to the worrisome growth
gogues and JCCs, while cultural pro-
of anti-Semitism abroad and at home.
grams, such as Jewish film and music
And both sought to bring relief to Jews
festivals, appeal to unaffiliated Jews.
in Eastern Europe and Palestine.
Some agencies, such as Hillel and the
One hundred years later, the
American Jewish World Service, are re-
American Jewish community can boast inventing the way they do business and
of a rich panoply of Jewish organiza-
sharpening their focus. Others remain
tions — some dating back to the early
true to their original and still-neces-
20th century and even earlier, others of sary mission to serve as guardians of
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24
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Ain!
June 22 • 2006
more recent vintage.
Unfortunately, the mass base sup-
porting many Jewish organizations
has eroded in the past decade or two.
A comparison of the National Jewish
Population Study of 2000-2001 with
that of 1990 reveals a 20 percent
decline in American Jews who claim to
affiliate with large-membership orga-
nizations and a one-third
drop in the percentage of
households contributing to
the annual campaigns of
federations.