A few weeks ago I read an interesting article about the apparent lack of innovation in synagogue culture. In particular, the article highlighted the challenge of reaching out to young Jewish adults in the ever-lengthening life-stage between college graduation and the time of parenting school-aged children. The article began by discussing the most recent release of the Slingshot Resource Guide for Jewish Innovation.
The Slingshot Guide highlights 60 innovative organizations – in the words of eJewishphilanthropy.com – ‘that work to ensure that Jewish life isn’t left behind as the world moves forward’… Among the Slingshot Guide’s many notable features, one in particular stands out: the near-total absence of any mention of the synagogue.
The synagogue has long been – and remains today – the central institution of Jewish life in North America. The community has billions of dollars invested in synagogues; they are not going to go away anytime soon. Synagogues, and the Jewish communal life that is centered in them, will continue to define much of North American Jewish life for the foreseeable future.
The Slingshot Guide’s omission of the synagogue is hardly surprising…. Indeed, the disconnect between this rising generation of young Jewish adults and the synagogue is arguably the most important challenge to the future vitality of the Jewish community.
Yet encouraging evidence exists that young Jewish adults and synagogues can be connected…. Next Dor (a project of Synagogue 3000) has piloted successful engagement in six communities which bring young Jewish adults into relationship with synagogues in selected urban communities which have natural concentrations of young Jewish adults…. Successful pilot sites include Washington, Miami, San Francisco, St. Louis and Atlanta, in addition to New York….
I encourage you read the entire article and e-mail me with your reactions. How can we, at Congregation Torat El, work to reach out to these younger Jewish adults? What ideas do you have, and what successful models have you seen in other synagogue communities?
Most importantly, if you have a local “young Jewish adult” in your family, please put them in touch with me. I would love to meet them and begin working to connect them to one another and to our community!