6 March 7 • 2019
jn
The Jewish News aspires to communicate news and opinion that’
s useful, engaging, enjoyable and unique. It strives to refl
ect the full range of diverse viewpoints while also advocating
positions that strengthen Jewish unity and continuity. We desire to create and maintain a challenging, caring, enjoyable work environment that encourages creativity and innovation. We
acknowledge our role as a responsible, responsive member of the community. Being competitive, we must always strive to be the most respected, outstanding Jewish community publication
in the nation. Our rewards are informed, educated readers, very satisfi
ed advertisers, contented employees and profi
table growth.
To make a donation to the
DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
FOUNDATION
go to the website
www.djnfoundation.org
The Detroit Jewish News (USPS 275-520) is
published every Thursday at 29200 Northwestern
Highway, #110, Southfield, Michigan. Periodical
postage paid at Southfield, Michigan, and
additional mailing offices. Postmaster: send
changes to: Detroit Jewish News,
29200 Northwestern Hwy., #110,
Southfield, MI 48034.
OUR JN
MISSION
1942 - 2019
Covering and Connecting
Jewish Detroit Every Week
jn
Arthur M. Horwitz
Executive Editor/Publisher
ahorwitz@renmedia.us
F. Kevin Browett
Chief Operating Officer
kbrowett@renmedia.us
| Editorial
Managing Editor: Jackie Headapohl
jheadapohl@renmedia.us
Story Development Editor:
Keri Guten Cohen
kcohen@renmedia.us
Digital Editor: Allison Jacobs
ajacobs@renmedia.us
Social Media Coordinator:
Chelsie Dzbanski
cdzbanski@renmedia.us
Director of Sponsored Content:
Cassie Kunze
ckunze@renmedia.us
Editorial Assistant: Sy Manello
smanello@renmedia.us
Senior Columnist: Danny Raskin
dannyraskin2132@gmail.com
Contributing Editor: Robert Sklar
rsklar@renmedia.us
Contributing Arts Editor: Gail Zimmerman
gzimmerman@renmedia.us
Contributing Writers:
Ruthan Brodsky, Rochel Burstyn, Suzanne
Chessler, Annabel Cohen, Don Cohen,
Shari S. Cohen, Julie Edgar, Shelli Liebman
Dorfman, Adam Finkel, Stacy Gittleman,
Stacy Goldberg, Judy Greenwald, Ronelle
Grier, Lauren Hoffman, Esther Allweiss
Ingber, Allison Jacobs, Barbara Lewis,
Jennifer Lovy, Rabbi Jason Miller, Alan
Muskovitz, Daniel Rosenbaum, David
Sachs, Karen Schwartz, Robin Schwartz,
Steve Stein, Joyce Wiswell
| Advertising Sales
Vice President of Sales: Keith Farber
kfarber@renmedia.us
Account Executives:
Martin Chumiecki, Annette Kizy
Sales Support:
Courtney Shea, Ashlee Szabo
| Business Offices
Billing Coordinator: Pamela Turner
| Production By
FARAGO & ASSOCIATES
Manager: Scott Drzewiecki
Designers: Jessica Joannides,
Kelly Kosek, Michelle Sheridan,
Susan Walker
| Detroit Jewish News
Partner:
Arthur M. Horwitz
ahorwitz@renmedia.us
Partner:
F. Kevin Browett
kbrowett@renmedia.us
Partner:
Michael H. Steinhardt
Operations Manager:
Andrea Gusho
agusho@renmedia.us
| Departments
General Offi
ces: 248-354-6060
Advertising: 248-351-5107
Advertising Fax: 248-304-0049
Circulation: subscriptions@renmedia.us
Classifi
ed Ads: 248-351-5116
Advertising Deadline: Friday, 12 p.m.
Editorial Fax: 248-304-8885
Deadline: All public and social
announcements must be typewritten
and received by noon Tuesday,
nine days prior to desired date of
publication.
Subscriptions:
1 year. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $85
2 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$153
3 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$204
1 year out-of-state . . . . . . . . . . .$125
2 years out-of-state . . . . . . . . . .$225
Per year foreign
. . . . . . . . . . . . .$300
Detroit Jewish News
29200 Northwestern Highway,
Suite 110
Southfi
eld, MI 48034
©copyright 2019 Detroit Jewish News
views
T
he Jewish community is con-
stantly trying to figure out how
to engage the next generation
in terms of their Jewish identity, Israel,
in-marrying, donating to communal
institutions, raising
Jewish families and con-
necting to community.
Rightfully so. This
group is our future. If we
want to ensure a strong
Jewish community 10,
20, or 30 years down the
road, we need to make
sure the next generation
— whether they are teens or in their 20s
or 30s — are connected in some man-
ner to their Jewish community. Many
realize this group will not engage with
traditional Jewish institutions. They have
multiple identities and being Jewish may
be only one of many and a lot of think-
ing is going into trying to meet the next
generation where they are.
A lot of energy, focus and funding is
directed to the young adult population,
offering low cost or minimal participa-
tion fees from participants. Everyone
is searching for the magic formula to
engage Millennials, Generation Y-ers
and Generation Z-ers.
Maybe it is connecting young adults to
Israel/Jewish identity with a free trip to
Israel. There is a free 10-day trip through
Birthright Israel for those age 18-26 and
more recently for those age 27-32. There
is Honeymoon Israel, a nine-day trip
for young couples 25-40, or highly sub-
sidized trips to Israel through Onward
Israel for college-aged students, just to
name a few.
Maybe it is a cheap place to live and
have gatherings for your friends and
social network. There is Moishe House
for young adults in their 20s offering
subsidized housing for putting together
peer programing or One Table for folks
in their 20s and 30s to either host or
experience Shabbat dinners where they
can “step back, connect with others, have
moments of mindfulness and enjoy great
meals on a Friday night.
”
Maybe it is involving young adults
through service opportunities. There is
Repair the World which, “makes mean-
ingful service a defining element of
American Jewish life.
”
These are all wonderful and important
programs. Each has a goal and seems to
be successful. Many are helping young
Jews explore and develop a Jewish iden-
tity, meet others their own age and find a
sense of community.
These are just a few national and
international programs. In addition, a lot
is being done in individual communities
trying to target the next generation of
young adults, whether it is through a
federation, JCC, synagogue or other local
program.
What is interesting is that so much
effort is focused on the next generation,
that those age 45+ seem to be a forgotten
constituency.
According to the American Jewish
Population Project, 63 percent of
American Jews are over the age of 45.
There isn’
t a whole lot of investment in
this older group. While those over age 45
may have younger kids, many have kids
that are finishing high school or are off
at college or are empty nesters. It seems
this is a missed opportunity on many
levels. Many in this population may
have no more bar/bat mitzvah lessons,
no more frequent synagogue attendance
in preparation for a life-cycle event, no
family Shabbat dinners because the kids
are out of the house.
It seems that living a Jewish life is
easier if one has children living at home.
Holiday programming and celebrations
seem to be geared to families, and more
so for those with younger children. If
one is single, divorced, widowed, one
can feel excluded. I have found that
being divorced and an empty nester
makes it much harder for me to feel part
of a larger Jewish community. I have
many friends in a similar situation; they
often ask me why don’
t synagogues have
Shabbat dinners for empty nesters? Why
doesn’
t federation have programming
for singles over 50 and only have singles
events for those under 40? Why do the
volunteer service opportunities target
families with children or young adult
professionals?
From a communal perspective, maybe
we should be paying more attention to
those asking these questions.
There are also many people who
are not affiliated with synagogues,
especially if they do not have children
living at home or never had children.
Those in this demographic are often at
a successful stage in their careers, have
a professional network, have the time to
engage and get involved with different
organizations, and may have the dispos-
able income to be investors in our com-
munities. We should be trying to engage
and connect this group with their Jewish
identity.
The average life expectancy of adults
in the U.S. is 76 years for men; 81 years
for women. Many people live well into
their 80s and 90s. Many seniors face
mental health issues, loneliness or social
isolation. Thank goodness there are
some programs like congregate meals
sites or senior programming that help
seniors retain a sense of community.
What if we try to create a sense of Jewish
community for people while they are in
their mid-life? If they develop a network,
find a way to connect and remain con-
nected to the Jewish community, maybe
they won’
t need as many services when
they age.
There is so much talk about inclusion
in the Jewish community. What about
making those over age 45 feel included?
Of course, it is difficult to meet all the
needs in a community, especially when
financial and human resources are lim-
ited for many of our Jewish communal
organizations. Ensuring the future of the
Jewish community is of key importance.
One way to enhance life for many in the
Jewish community would be to offer
programs geared at those that belong
to the 45+ demographic that has been
neglected since most everyone is focus-
ing on the next generation. ■
Dahlia Bendavid is the Israel and overseas direc-
tor of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation.
This essay was first published on
ejewishphilathropy.com.
commentary
Over 45 and Invisible
Dahlia
Bendavid