Editor's Letter
Ask
Financial Crisis
Attorney
Ken Gross
about...
Priming Our Jewish Future
y
oung, engaged Jews walk in different circles when it organizations or shapes Jewish culture, professionally or as
comes to communal involvement and leadership. A a volunteer. It assumed such leaders are on a trajectory to be
new national study underscores that. The Avi Chai
notably influential within the organized Jewish community
Foundation report isn't a rallying cry, but it is chock full of
over the next several decades.
provocative findings.
For example: Jewish 20- and
What The Study Found
30-somethings who have leadership
Jack Wertheimer, one of Jewish America's most-respected
potential and are more upwardly
trend trackers, is the Joseph and Martha Mendelson
mobile seem to affiliate with tra-
Professor of American Jewish History at the Jewish
ditional, mainstream Zionist and
Theological Seminary in New York. He worked with five
Jewish organizations, while young
other well-known Jewish sociologists in preparing the
Jewish leaders with less earning
report: Sarah Bunin Benor, Steven Cohen, Sylvia Barack
power tend to gravitate toward non-
Fishman, Ari Kelman and Shaul Kelner. Their long-antici-
establishment organizations with a
pated
report surveyed more than 3,000 Jews, ages 22 to 40,
‘11 11116..
younger,
more
edgy
appeal
such
as
who
identify
as Jewish leaders. Interviews were conducted
Robert Sklar
Jewish
incubator-funded
groups.
with
another
250
Jews in the same demographic.
Editor
At play are both established and
Respondents represent the range of American Jewry;
novel ways for this age group to reach they affiliate with all sorts of Jewish organizations and their
peers. Nearly 40 percent of the players have dual leadership
views on Israel, assimilation and anti-Semitism tend to vary
roles — "as insiders working for established agencies and as in relation to their organizational affiliation. It's important
innovators of new programs!' In either role, once-sacrosanct to note the growing number of young Jews, including many
ways of thinking and organizing no longer dominate.
in Metro Detroit, joining traditional organizations and help-
So confirms the Avi Chai report, titled "Generation Of
ing them develop a young adult component.
Change: How Leaders In Their Twenties And Thirties Are
The study confirmed longstanding data that the deeper
Reshaping American Jewish Life."
a Jewish upbringing, the deeper an interest in commu-
There were few ah-ha moments in the 45-page report.
nal life: 39 percent of all respondents attended Jewish day
But every older leader of a mainstream Jewish organization
schools; 71 percent attended Jewish camps; 89 percent have
should read it for valuable insight into sizing up the next
two Jewish parents; 54 percent have spent time in Israel.
generation of national Jewish leadership.
Also, Conservative Jews tend to be more
"Institutions that had been in the fore-
involved than less religiously observant Jews.
front since the middle decades of the 20th
Wertheimer cited all this as proof that con-
century are declining in membership and
scious efforts to bolster Jewish identity works.
now play a far smaller role than in the
Let's not forget the Jews who don't fit into
recent past;' reads the Executive Summary.
these percentages, but still make their way to
"Even more important, the guiding
the top of communal life by the force of their
assumptions of the community about its
dedication to being Jewish and to bolster-
proper relationship to Israel, the responsi-
ing bonds between and among Jews. I would
bilities Jews have to one another, the opti-
never want Jewish teens to be discouraged
mal means to mobilize Jews, and the prop-
because their background doesn't fit the mold.
er priorities of American Jewish life are
under severe scrutiny and often subjected
Drilling Deeper
to scathing criticism. Simultaneously, many
Delving further into the numbers, young
new initiatives have been launched to reach
Jews associated with mainstream organiza-
into every corner of the community so as
JTS' Jack Wertheimer
tions feel that Israel is central to who they
to ensure that every Jew may find a place."
are as Jews, feel more of an emotional attach-
ment to Israel, have greater concern about threats to Israel's
The Survey's Framework
security and are more worried about intermarriage.
I was intrigued by how the report divided respondents
As for remembering the Holocaust, establishment sup-
into two groups. One group is involved in "establishment"
porters had a stronger propensity than startup proponents.
organizations that focus on the more traditional agenda of
I would speculate that establishment supporters have been
Jewish America — Jewish federations, the American Israel
exposed more profoundly to the horror of Hitler's attempted
Public Affairs Committee, the American Jewish Committee,
conquest of European Jewry. Not for a second do I believe
Friends of the Israel Defense Forces, the Anti-Defamation
young Jews outside the communal margins think the
League. The other group is tied to "non-establishment" orga- Holocaust was anything less than the name implies.
nizations such as Jewish startups JCorps, JDub and Moishe
The study identifies an explosion of interest in Jewish cul-
House; social service agencies; and recreational alliances
ture — from food and languages to music, books and film.
that have a Jewish connection.
And more young Jewish leaders are looking for religious
But when push came to shove, members of both groups
expression outside the synagogue — in places like minyanim,
embraced their Jewish identity and sense of belonging to
chavurot and online congregations.
the Jewish people although intensity levels differed.
Young Jewish leaders also have created a swath of oppor-
The survey defined leaders as anyone who leads a Jewish
tunities for their peers to study Torah, explore spirituality
organization, pilots a Jewish project, is active in Jewish
and mull the meaning of Jewish life.
Priming on page 6
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October 28 • 2010
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