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 Y our Problems Is it okay to speak to the IRS when I owe taxes? No. What if they ask your bank and account numbers? Tell them - and they may levy your account. You will look silly, however, if you say, "Duh, I don't know." When they ask me, I can say, "I'll ask the client and get back to you (not)." Bottom line - You need a professional who is not intimidated and who knows what to say, what not to say and how to negotiate for you. The law firm of nay, Gross, Steinway and Bennett has been solving its clients' business, tax and financial problems for 29 years. Call today for a free private consultation or email kengross@thavgross.com . Next: Short Sales. 0 THAV GROSS 888.235.4357 (HELP) or 248.645.1700 For information, visit us online at fctalkcentencom • stoptaxdebt.com stopereditorcalls.com 30150 Telegraph, Suite 444. Bingham Farms, MI 48025 1616780 October 28 • 2010 5