mitment that can overcome com- placency," Kahn said. Moving Forward Ben-Ami acknowledged the prob- lem created by an increasingly polarized Jewish community; with the locus of pro-Israel activism shifting to the right even as atti- tudes about Israel in the big, amor- phous middle stay mostly the same. "You've identified an impor- tant question, and I don't have an answer," he said. "It's a challenge to the community as a whole; we have to find ways to keep bridges open between different parts of our com- munity with different views." He said J Street will gain energy as well as supporters from an emerging movement of young Jews seeking new ways to relate to Judaism and the Jewish state. Daniel Sokatch, the incom- ing CEO of the New Israel Fund and founder of the innovative Progressive Jewish Alliance in California, agreed. "AIPAC's power doesn't come from millions of American Jews; it comes from a very smart organiza- tion that has put together a small core of very devoted and dedicated followers for whom one kind of support for Israel is gospel: he said. J Street can do the same by tap- ping "the rising number of younger Jews who are involved in emergent enterprises. Many of them are look- ing for ways to connect with Israel. [J Street] has to find ways to light that fire." Many of those younger Jews won't reconnect to Israel through the established organizations, he said. But J Street, working in parallel with groups like NIF, might do it. But how to channel that diffuse energy into lobbying and political clout is an open question with few clear answers. Political scientist Gilbert Kahn has his doubts. The group's biggest problem isn't the continuing attacks from major Jewish leaders but "the compla- cency and passivity of the majority of the community;' he said. "Absent a major crisis, ifs going to be hard to get the American Jewish com- munity as a whole to mobilize on issues like the peace process. That's going to be a big challenge for J Street." $ 25,000 in Prizes Ptofiie Including a t Kitchen! (Nub, qouV csa the chancy, to m.e.et jucvieb, urned diet TO ENTER: Go to www.manischewitz.com for details. SubmitYour Delicious, Original Kosher Recipe that Utilizes Manischewitz Ready To Serve Broth by Dec. 31, 2009. Five Finalists will be Chosen to Compete LIVE at The Annual Man O Manischewitz! Cook Off in New York City on March 18, 2010. - - Travel to New York City Compliments of Manischcwitz! Also Find Us On Recipes MUST utilize one of these products open leg.it I eSitiOntl'; Visit w■vvy immis‘.1tovit facebook L ,11 1),C RI Wild who foi official 1.010.Spowork:(1 by 1 I if MANIS(..111.0117, COtsll'ANY Of this SO United SlAte% October 22 2009 19