Editor's Letter

Securing Jewish Detroit's Core

B

irthright Israel remains one of Jewish America's
great success stories in bringing young Jews into the
organized fold. Young adults who have never visited
Israel as part of a trip with their peers are embracing the
chance to do so.
The 18- to 26-year-old travelers
from the diaspora are responding in
droves to the belief that it's the birth-
right of every Jew to visit their ances-
tral homeland and, in turn, explore
their connection to Judaism.
The free 10-day trips have proven
so popular, funding lags well behind
interest. More than $400 million has
been spent on more than 200,000
participants over the past 10 years.
Birthright is unquestionably the most
innovative and successful Jewish outreach initiative in history.
It has helped counter the lures of assimilation and its effects
on the identity of Jewish teenagers as well 20- and 30-some-
things.
Israel certainly needs this infusion of potentially long-
term diaspora support, given the terrorists who surround the
Jewish state, the raging anti-Semitism that infects parts of
Europe and the upsurge of Islamist apologists in America.
The trips are a gift from the New York-based Birthright
Israel Foundation, in partnership with the State of Israel,
United Jewish Communities, Keren
Hayesod-United Israel Appeal and the
Jewish Agency for Israel.
Despite funding drama involving
philanthropists at the highest levels, the
Jewish community is investing heavily in
these trips and this age group. We need to
maximize the impact. We also need to do
more to engage alumni before the wow
factor of the Birthright experience wanes.

positioned to have the connection to students as they are
working towards their education and exploring their identity
as they focus on their careers and who they are as part of the
world they live in."

In Touch
For 15 years, HMD has hosted local college students and
young adults on trips to Israel, first through Tri-Trippin'
along with the Michigan State, University of Michigan and
Eastern Michigan Hillels (about 100 students) and lately via
Taglit-Birthright Israel/Hillel (about 200 students). Although
HMD receives Campaign funding, the Jewish Federation of
Metropolitan Detroit is sponsoring a separate community
Taglit-Birthright trip this year.
The HMD-Birthright trips are in conjunction with Hillel
International. "We have always considered these trips to be the
beginning of the participants' Jewish journey:' says Miriam
Starkman, HMD's tireless executive director.
HMD has about 2,800 local students/young adults in its
range. Of them, it's in contact with about 1,200.
Make no mistake: Hillel requires our help in developing
innovative ways to link Birthright returnees and other Israel
trip participants with Jewish Detroit. Creating regular and
sustained opportunities for these young adults to be involved
with the Jewish community, its agencies, its synagogues and
its Hillel reinforces the Israel experience and lays a better
foundation for involvement and deeper Jewish identification.
As amazing as it is that Birthright
Israel has given so many young Jews a
golden opportunity through the allure
of peer travel, keeping alumni engaged
through activities and events that are
worthwhile, philanthropic or community
building is not easy. Hurdles include lack
of enough communal leaders to extend
personal attention; insufficient original
or joint programming to compete with
non-Jewish activities and interests; the
HMO's Strategy
tendency to want to see alums as an
Against this backdrop, it's no surprise
instant new donor base; and incorrect
that Birthright's major thrust is how to
contact information for a highly transient
keep alums Jewishly involved back home. Hillel's Miriam Starkman
demographic group. Birthright believers
Many communities have been unable,
consider these challenges ripe for over-
or unwilling, to rally their returnees because other commu-
coming. Success typically doesn't come painlessly.
nal issues considered more pressing have intervened. Jewish
HMD has sought to host reunions and post-trip interviews
Detroit must avert that tack. More of our young adults seem
for Birthright participants. This past year, it was both respon-
to be moving to other urban hotspots, where jobs and night-
sive (returnees wanted to learn Hebrew, so HMD offered a free
life are more plentiful, than staying or returning here.
Hebrew class in which 15 young adults enrolled) and proac-
Enter Hillel of Metro Detroit, based at Wayne State
tive (Federation's Blumenstein Millennium Fund will under-
University in Detroit. HMD also serves Jewish students at
write an intensive social action initiative that includes spring
Oakland University, Oakland Community College, Lawrence
break for 10 students, including four Birthright alums, who
Technological University, University of Detroit Mercy and
will work in New Orleans on Hurricane Katrina repair).
University of Michigan-Dearborn. Diverse as these schools
are, they all are local.
On Track?
Students from these campuses are more likely to stay here
Is this enough? What else can HMD offer Israel trip return-
than those attending out-state or out-of-state schools. But
ees that can help reconnect them and, at the same time, help
there is no guarantee. We need to assure they have a compel-
them revitalize Jewish Detroit? HMD is asking these questions
ling reason to stay. And if they stay, we need to be proactive in
— and rightly so. Alumni follow-up has been the Achilles heel
making sure they become involved in our Jewish community.
for the entire Birthright program.
HMD is committed to doing its part to communicate more
To differentiate its Birthright follow-up from other
with its Birthright alums so they can tap into meaningful pro- Birthright trip hosts, HMD is kicking around the idea of a
grams that enrich the community and stand with Israel.
Taste of Jewish Detroit-Welcome Back Coupon Book. On their
I like how the incoming board president, Linda Zlotoff of
Bloomfield Hills, sees HMD's strategic role: "Hillel is uniquely
Securing Jewish on page A6

take
your
eyewear
to
new
heights

ROBERT MARC

PRADA

CHROME HEARTS

FREUDENHAUS

MYKITA

PERSOL

AY BAN

LUNOR*

BEAUSOLEIL

(ORIGINAL VINTAGE AND CONTEMPORARY

EYEWEAR AND ACCESSORIES

CHARLEY HARPER PRINTS,
AND RARE, VINTAGE jEWELRY
FROM THE COLLECTION
OF JOANN GOLDBERG

EYE EXAMS BY
DR. JOE ALES

245 WEST MAPLE
JUST EAST
OF BATES,
DOWNTOWN
BIRMINGHAM
248-646-6699

MOST MAJO IR ea
OPTICAL
INSURANCE
ACCEPTED,
INCLUDING VSP

"'EXCLUSIVELY IN MICHIGAN AT GPM( BIRMINGHAM

February 19 • 2009

A5

