FEBRUARY 16 • 2023 | 35
adapt and reimagine themselves.
Raised on a sheep farm in
Michigan’s Upper Peninsula,
Starr earned an undergradu-
ate degree in education and
Judaic studies, a
master’s in social
work and a cer-
tificate in Jewish
communal service
from University
of Michigan. She
spent many sum-
mers on the staff of Camp
Ramah in Canada. Starr and
her husband, Rabbi Aaron
Starr of Congregation Shaarey
Zedek, live in Southfield and
have two sons.
“We are in a moment of
real challenge and opportu-
nity in the North American
Jewish community,” she said.
“The changing demograph-
ics, reduced affiliations and
the rise of individualism all
require a new approach to
communal planning, educa-
tion and organization.
“This is not a time to throw
up our hands and reminisce
about how things used to be. It
is a time to be creative and to
reimagine a Jewish life that can
be robust, supportive and acces-
sible with multiple entry points.
“Our tents need to be more
open, and our institutions will
need to find more creative ways
to work together and share
resources,
” she said, adding that
community leaders, educators
and clergy will need support to
share resources and try new ini-
tiatives without fear.
“We all need to recognize that
our community in 50 years will
look different, but we have the
opportunity now to anticipate
and plan for a bright future.
”
FINDING NEW WAYS
TO ENGAGE
Many institutions and organi-
zations are already finding new
ways to engage families and
young adults.
With programs scattered
throughout the country, Repair
the World encourages people
to “do Jewish” through service.
Repair the World has had 230
young adults working full time
through its two-year fellowship
program and another 740 who
have completed a three-month
Jewish service-learning pro-
gram. Since 2009, Repair has
partnered with approximately
2,800 service organizations.
In Detroit, The Well, founded
in 2015, reaches beyond tradi-
tional congregational and orga-
nizational structures to build
networks and relationships in
Metropolitan Detroit. The Well’s
official vision is that those who
encounter it “will so love being
part of Jewish community that
they actively and wholehearted-
ly help cultivate community for
and with others.
”
Founding director Dan
Horwitz is now
a rabbi at Adat
Shalom Synagogue.
Rabbi Jeff
Stombaugh took
over as director in
2020. The Well is
funded by the Lori
Talsky Zekelman
Fund at Temple Israel.
The Well sponsors varied
activities, including monthly
musical Shabbat dinners, inno-
vative holiday gatherings, week-
end retreats and travel trips,
and “CSI” sessions, in which
participants enjoy coffee while
they study and interpret Jewish
source material.
“Our mission is to create
and foster accessible, inclusive,
relationship-driven commu-
nity for young adults and
young families that uses Jewish
wisdom and ritual to help
community members flourish
as human beings,” Stombaugh
said.
“One of the greatest mea-
sures of our success in this
regard is that we regularly and
consistently engage new peo-
ple every month from a diver-
sity of Jewish backgrounds,
while continuing to engage the
same people across all differ-
ent life stages over many years,
from being single, partnered,
into the first four or five years
of starting a family.”
Stombaugh has no worries
about the Jewish identity of
our children and grandchil-
dren. “The question that I
think about is: What are the
ways that I can foster curiosity
about Judaism?” he said. “How
can I empower and impassion
the next generation of Jewish
leaders to feel, believe and
know the depth and value that
this beautiful tradition has to
offer?”
Hazon, founded in 2000,
aims to “create new vision”
in the Jewish community
through outdoor and environ-
mental education. And Detroit
Jews for Justice, started by
Congregation T’chiyah in Troy,
is “committed to being a social
justice organization owned by
the entire Jewish community
of Metro Detroit.”
Several Orthodox organi-
zations, including Chabad,
Partners in Torah and Aish
HaTorah, have attracted unaf-
filiated young adults and fam-
ilies by sponsoring bar nights,
retreats, seminars and trips to
Israel. The Feb. 2 issue of the
Detroit Jewish News had an arti-
cle about a summer day camp
planned for Chabad’s Troy
center next summer. “Camp has
a tremendous ability to shape
a child’s Jewish identity,
” said
Rabbi Menachem Caytak.
Temple Kol Ami is at 5085
Walnut Lake Road, West
Bloomfield. The Feb. 26 pro-
gram is free and open to the
community. However, pre-reg-
istration is requested; email
CSpektor@kolami.org or call
(248) 661-0040.
Rabbi Jeff
Stombaugh
Rebecca
Starr