World COMMENTARY Engaging Young Philanthropists Editor's Note: The New York-based United Jewish Communities, umbrella for North American federations, held its annual General Assembly Nov. 11-13 in Nashville. New York A s part of the annual General Assembly of the United. Jewish Communities, I have been asked to reflect on the challenge of engaging younger Jewish philanthropists in commu- nal life. As a member of the next genera- tion, I have wrestled with this question for more than a decade. Approximately five years ago, at the Andrea and Charles Bronfman Philanthropies, we created a division called 21/64 to focus on this very chal- lenge. "Engaging the next generation" used to signify the transference of lead- ership, like passing a baton from one generation to the next. Sharna Today, with the Goldseker average life span Jewish increasing from 47 Telegraphic years old in 1900 Agency to 78 years old in 2000, there are now four generations above the age of 21 in American society and four generations of adults who want to be engaged in Jewish life. Therefore, "engaging the next genera- tion" actually means engaging multiple generations at once. In the Jewish community, our institu- tions are often led by Traditionalists — those born between 1925 and 1945 — whose worldviews were imprinted with World War II, the Depression and the Holocaust. In giving back, they have built many of the institutions that are pillars of our communities. Baby Boomers, born between 1945 and 1964, outnumber Traditionalists and now represent the majority of our communal leadership. Their generational personalities were formed by the founding of the State of Israel; television brought the secular world into their Jewish homes. Post-World War II economic opportuni- ties led some to the suburbs, where they built synagogues and JCCs while others contributed to the social movements of A20 December 13 • 2007 the 1960s.With these distinct experiences come divergent lenses into Jewish life. Add to that picture the different life experiences and styles of philanthropy of Generation X, born between 1965 and 1980, and Generation Y, born between 1981 and 1999. No wonder we are strug- gling to understand and accommodate additional generations, making our com- munications and planning even more complex. The Next Generation Through 21/64, I travel to different com- munities in North America, consulting with families, foundations and federations about multigenerational philanthropy. My experiences across the United States and Canada — and affirmed by research — tell me my peers are self-confident about their Jewish identity, yet remain hungry for ways to connect. I have started to comprehend that the question isn't whether the next generation is prepared for its communal responsibili- ties. The question is whether the commu- nity is prepared for the next generation. Some communities are just now real- izing it is time to add more seats to their boards and allocation tables for members of Generation X. Those more forward- thinking communities that already have begun to engage the next generation are realizing the very act of engagement actu- ally changes the shape of those tables. Post-Baby Boom The post-Baby Boomer generations in America have grown up with access to opportunities across race, religion, class, sexual orientation and even global bound- aries that previous generations did not have. Technology has become more than TV in the living room but a way in which community is formed, connections made and communications conveyed. The experiences these 20- and 30-some- things bring, the vocabulary and skills they draw on, the diverse social circles they move in, the questions they pose, all require a shift in the way our federations operate. Are we willing to adapt how we operate for the sake of who we want to engage? If we endeavor to engage them on their terms and not just change the window dressing on what already exists, we will be planting the seeds of long-term relation- ships and our own Jewish future. For example, this year I worked with a community that has made the engage- ment of 20- and 30-somethings a priority. However, when I asked what "engagement" meant to members of the community, I heard four different answers. To a Traditionalist, engagement meant creating an agency for young adults. To a Baby Boomer, engagement meant creating outreach activities for 20-somethings. Gen-X And -Y When I asked the Gen-Xers what they thought engagement meant, they envi- sioned seats at an allocations table. For a Gen-Yer, engagement signified a meaning- ful experience of Jewish life having noth- ing to do with allocating dollars or attend- ing social events. Eventually, this community commit- ted to involving Gen-Xers and Gen-Yers Jewish tradition and next-generation innovation, we will be focusing on the right goal. If we can "go to the balcony:' as author William Ury offers, and see from our historical perspective that we are talking about the continuity of a people and not of an organizational model, the better prepared we will be for our community's long-term survival. Echoes Of Tradition In the Jewish world, I have witnessed this approach among a group of 20- and 30- somethings who envisioned Slingshot and The Slingshot Fund. The founders, committed to Jewish tradition and their family legacies of phi- lanthropy, seek to highlight and support ways in which the tradi- tion is resonating with the next generation. With the help of 25 Jewish funding professionals across the United States, 50 innovative and effective Jewish organizations and projects are featured annually in Slingshot: A Resource Guide to Jewish Innovation. Then the 50 organizations are invited to apply to the Slingshot Fund for resources to build their capacity for engaging the next generations. In its inaugural year, nearly $400,000 was raised and allocated by these next-generation funders. The real lesson in this example is how it was set up. We gave the next generation the proverbial keys to the car and, in the end, they have taken better care of it than we could have ever imagined. I have never experienced a more thoughtful and meticulous process where The question is whether the community is prepared for the next generation. in structuring allocation decisions that affected themselves and their peers. But more important, I would ask us all to con- sider how members of Gen X and Gen Y can help the whole federation system. In the 21st century, wouldn't we want experts in 21st century management, technology and communications — those who grew up with it — to help lead? Continuity is not merely repeating what we have been doing with Traditionalists and Baby Boomers because that is who is leading now. If we can take the long view, reflect on our centuries of Jewish life, and from there hold the paradox between