I

"Let all who are hungry
come and eat.:

"Help ensure that everyone in our community have afiilfdling Passover.
Join us in helpingfeed Jewish families.
Yad Ezra and Moies Chetim will use your donation to purchase
Passover food to distribute to those in need.

Birthright Alums
Are Not Affiliating

Passover Food Facts

• Over 1,600 families will receive a
holiday package
• Packages include all the food items
needed to celebrate a Seder.
• Over 150 volunteers give their time and
YAD EZRA
energy to sort, package and deliver
feedv s Jewisir tiorgry
food packages.

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1 case of matza meal

$31.00

1 case of chicken

$65.00

1 case of tuna fish

$58.00

1 case of matza

$58.00

1 case of coffee cake mix

$40.00

1 case of gefilte fish

$47.00

1 case of soup/matza ball mix

$22.00

1 case of macaroons

$41.00

1 case of horseradish

$30.00

1 case of oil

$25.00

1 case of eggs

$42.00

1 case of grape juice

$32.00 I

Sue Fishkoff
Jewish Telegraphic Agency

San Francisco

N

Seder packages for 20 small families...$625.00

Your contribution is eligible fora 50% Michigan Tax Credit.
(subject to certain limitations)

I

Enclosed is my check of $
for
cases of
Passover food as a tax-deductible contribution to Yad
Ezra to help feed vulnerable families.

EZRA

ratify lie Jewish' friwpf

Checks should be made out to and mailed to:
Yad Ezra/Moies Chetim Appeal
2850 W.11 Mile Road • Berkle , Ml 48072

Name:

I Address:

I City:
I

State:

Phone (

Zip

)

I

I Email:

Or, you may charge your contribution to your VISA/MasterCard or Discover.
(Suggested minimum donation for charges - $18.00)

I Card number:
I
I Exp. date :
I
I Signature:

I

I
I
I

3 digit code:

I Name on card:

I
I

(please print)

You can donate online too — check out www.yadezra.org

A26

March 26 4, 2009

early 160,000 young Jews
from North America
have taken part in Taglit-
Birthright Israel, a 10-day free Israel
trip aimed at reving up their Jewish
identities.
Of those no longer in college, only
half have attended any Jewish event
since their return.
That's one of the findings of
"Tourists, Travelers and Citizens:' a
new report by the Cohen Center of
Modern Jewish Studies at Brandeis
University. The report is based on
interviews and online surveys of 1,534
Birthright alumni in New York, Los
Angeles, San Francisco and Toronto,
the four largest Jewish communities in
North America.
"It means we have
a lot of work to do','
says Daniel Brenner,
executive director of
Birthright Israel NEXT,
a national organization
that tries to steer alum-
ni toward greater Jewish
involvement in their
home communities.
The Birthright pro-
gram was instituted
in 2000 by mega-philanthropists
concerned about what they perceived
as the younger generation's lack of
Jewish involvement. Numerous for-
mal and informal evaluations show
participants' connection to Israel and
the Jewish community are enhanced
by their trip, but that does not trans-
late into ongoing Jewish involvement
according to the new report.
"Years after their trip, Taglit alumni
continue to look more like 'tourists'
than 'citizens' in the Jewish commu-
nity world:' the report's authors write.
"Although they value their Jewish
identities, most have only limited par-
ticipation in Jewish communal life."
The report shows that 44 percent
of Birthright alumni who are no lon-
ger in college have not attended any
Jewish program since their return
from Israel. A further 39 percent have

attended just one or two programs.
Only 4 percent have taken part in
more than four programs.
Toronto shows the greatest success
at keeping this population somewhat
engaged, with 63 percent of returnees
participating in at least one Jewish
event. Report co-author Fern Chertok
attributes that to the close-knit nature
of Toronto's Jewish community, which
keeps Birthright returnees apprised
of a well-planned schedule of Jewish
programs.
In New York, where 43 percent
of returnees have not attended any
Jewish program since their Israel trip,
researchers found an array of Jewish
offerings but little effort to commu-
nicate that information to Birthright
alumni. Asked whether they had even
heard of a dozen Jewish organizations
offering programs for their age, the
largest number — 67 percent — said
they knew of the JCC
Manhattan and the
YMHAs at 92nd Street
and 14th Street, but
just 20 percent had
attended events there.
Other Jewish programs
showed even less par-
ticipation and were
lesser known.
Los Angeles showed
the greatest number of
completely disengaged
alumni, with 53 percent saying they
had attended no Jewish programs
since Israel. San Francisco had higher
numbers of alumni taking part in one
to four activities — 43 percent vs. 10
percent for L.A. — but just 1 percent
who said they attended five or more.
Both California cities are hampered
by a lack of good programs, say the
report's authors. Those that exist,
particularly "Friday Night Live in L.A."
and the "Bay Area Tribe" and "Late
Shabbat" in San Francisco, are high
profile and do draw crowds.
The alumni surveyed in all four
cities said they would like to be more
involved than they are. Most preferred
small gatherings to large, anonymous,
meat market" Jewish events.
"They're happy to eat free food and

The alumni
said they would
like to be more
involved than
they are.

A Seder Package for a family of five...$65.00

❑

Me
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o

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Birthright on page A28