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How Jews Connect

Expert to explore recent trends at Shaarey Zedek talk.

Keri Guten Cohen | Contributing Editor

I

n today’s world, Jewish identities are
more fluid, says Dr. Steven Cohen,
research professor of Jewish social
policy at Hebrew Union College-Jewish
Institute of Religion and director of the
Berman Jewish Policy Archive at New
York University.
To learn what that means, attend a spe-
cial Berman Night of Learning at 7 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 25, in the Berman Center
for Jewish Education at Congregation
Shaarey Zedek in Southfield.
Cohen’s topic will be “No More Norms
and No More Boundaries? Jewish Identity,
From One Generation to the Next.”
In 1989, Cohen and Jacob Ukeles
conducted a population study of Jewish
Detroit that delved into issues of Jewish
identification, engagement, service needs
and Jewish organizations.
The JN caught up with Cohen to ask
him a few questions in advance of his talk
at Shaarey Zedek.
Compare the old norms and boundar-
ies to the latest trends emerging, and
how does our community fit in?
Over the last two decades and more,
we’ve seen changes and challenges to long-
prevailing ideas of Jewish norms (what
people should do) and boundaries (how
Jews are separated from others).
As Arnold Eisen (now Jewish
Theological Seminary chancellor) and I
explored in The Jew Within: Self, Family
and Community in America in 2000, Jews
feel less compelled to abide by inherited
norms and feel more compelled to under-
take Jewish engagement in ways that
provide them with personal meaning in
personal ways.
As for boundaries, more Jews have
non-Jewish social networks (neighbors,
co-workers, friends, family, spouses and
children). As a result — and as a result of
a culture that questions social boundaries
— Jewish identities are more fluid. People
flow in and out of being Jewish; they feel
that both Jews and non-Jews can and
should participate in Jewish life in both
the home and the community. How all
this plays out in the Detroit area remains
to be seen.
What appears to be working currently
to strengthen Jewish identity in this and
future generations?
The overall answer is anything that
builds Jewish social networks (brings Jews
together) in a Jewishly meaningful con-
text. So, at the top of my personal favorite

18 August 18 • 2016

Steven Cohen

list (in age order): Jewish preschools (great
for involving the parents), Jewish day
schools, Jewish day and overnight camps,
Jewish youth groups, travel to and study in
Israel, Hillel and Chabad and other orga-
nizations on campus, academic Jewish
studies programs, young adult communi-
ties (Moishe Houses, Base Hillel — a new
innovation), independent minyanim,
social justice activities (even those that
challenge ideas and institutions most of us
cherish) and, at times, social media, jour-
nalism, cultural activities and educational
travel abroad and in the U.S.
In short, no magic bullets, but lots of
magic social-plus-educational experiences
scattered throughout the life cycle. Jewish
educational experiences now need to be
launched for the exploding number of
vital Jewish seniors — people in their 70s,
80s and 90s who are indeed leading active
lives as citizens, community members,
parents and grandparents.
Is there a future for non-Orthodox
Jewish prayer/synagogues given that
most millennials describe themselves as
“spiritual but not religious” and are not
“believers” in an interactive God/cov-
enant/commandments/Torah to Moses at
Sinai theology?
Of course, there’s a future for
non-Orthodox religious communi-
ties — be they Conservative, Reform,
Reconstructionist, secular humanist,
traditional egalitarian, independent, tradi-
tional, Sephardi or any other “brand.” The
challenging issue is not the SBNRs (spir-

itual-but-not-religious). The issue is that
so few Jews are raising Jewish children
and, as I’ve said many times, Jews join
synagogues just as soon as they give birth
to a 7-year-old Jewish child. We’re doing
as well as ever — if not better — among
in-married Jewish parents of school-age
children. The challenge is that so many
Jews are found in other demographic
categories, and our community needs to
continue to educate and engage people in
those alternative family situations.
What impact has intermarriage had
on Federation fundraising campaigns?
How might it impact Detroit? What
messaging/branding might Federations
utilize to engage interfaith couples? Are
any doing it well?
First, let me note that the term “inter-
faith” couples fails to embrace (or distorts
our image) of the vast number and vast
variety of couples where one person is
Jewish and the other does not identify as
Jewish. Most of these couples score fairly
low on faith measures. As much or even
more than Jews nationally, the Jewish
member of such couples sees being Jewish
as a matter of ancestry or culture and not
as a religion or faith.
That said, the obstacle to reaching the
intermarried is primarily a matter of
social ties rather than “messaging/brand-
ing,” as your question implies. We need to
ask not how should we speak differently,
but how should we connect differently?
How do we build relationships? How do
we help Jewish family members sustain
and strengthen good relationships with
their non-Jewish family members?
Is there a future for American Jewish
communities outside of larger, major cit-
ies? If so, what does it look like?
Of course, there’s a future for somewhat
smaller Jewish communities. One needs
to distinguish so-called smaller communi-
ties in areas of historic residence (where
the institutional and personal resources
are great) from areas with the same or
greater numbers of Jews who have arrived
in the last generation or two (where the
social ties and human resources are rela-
tively undeveloped). Let’s not forget that
during the Golden Age of Spanish Jewry,
just 50,000 Jews produced a fabulous and
influential Jewish culture.

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Cohen will speak at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 25, at
Shaarey Zedek in Southfield. Come early for sips and
sweets before the learning begins. Free. For details,
contact Wren Beaulieu Hack at wren@shaareyzedek.
org or call (248) 357-5544 Ext. 26.

Milt’s Barbecue for the Perplexed

KOSHER BBQ TRUCK
AT MINI STREET FAIR

Young Israel of Oak Park is having a
mini street fair in its parking lot 5-8
p.m. Sunday, Sept. 11. It will feature
local vendors plus Milt’s Barbecue
kosher food truck from Chicago and
family entertainer Music Man Dave.
Entrance fee is $5 for up to five
people. Food will be available for pur-
chase. RSVPs are required, either on
Eventbrite.com or by calling the shul
office at (248) 967-3655. Park at the
former JCC parking lot.

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JCRC/AJC President Dr. Richard Krugel,
Secretary Mary Ellen Gurewitz and
Executive Director David Kurzmann flank
U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, following a
briefing for community leaders hosted by
JCRC/AJC

JCRC/AJC CONFERS WITH
SEN. STABENOW

JCRC/AJC convened a meeting on Aug.
8 with 30 Jewish organizational lead-
ers, rabbis, executives and presidents of
Jewish social service agencies with U.S.
Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich.
Stabenow reported on her recent visit
to Vienna, Austria, where she met with
officials who are monitoring the Iran
nuclear deal, and described legislation
she is working on to make sure Iran is
complying with the deal. She also dis-
cussed her recent meeting with Israeli
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
and spoke about Israeli innovation, its
strong economy and what Michigan can
learn from that.
The meeting was part of JCRC/AJC’s
effort to share Jewish communal priori-
ties with Michigan’s elected representa-
tives.

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