Foster freedoms

Editorial

Valley Jews are blessed with freedom to join - or not to join - the Jewish community.

For previous generations of Jews who came to America - settling in the East, the Midwest and the South - participating in Jewish community was a given. While individuals had freedom of religion, most did not feel free not to join the Jewish community in some capacity; social, cultural and religious pressures pushed them to affiliate and participate.

The rapidly growing Valley Jewish community lacks similar pressures. The result is a disconnection between most Jews and the organized community. According to the 2002 Greater Phoenix Jewish Community Study, only 29 percent affiliate with a congregation; less than 40 percent participate with any Jewish organization.

There's a further disconnection between established Jewish organizational leaders and the younger generation of potential leaders. Cases in point are the recent dissolution of the local chapter of Future Leadership of the Jewish National Fund and the New Leadership Division of Israel Bonds.

Meanwhile, the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix continues to refine its Young Leadership Division with social, educational and leadership-training events. And AIPAC has brought its young professional Leadership 2000 into the parent organization, reportedly so they could work together to pursue the goal of strengthening the U.S.-Israel relationship.

To prevent the leadership disconnection from widening, local Jewish organizations would be well advised to market themselves to young adults, discovering and addressing their interests, concerns and passions.

If American Judaism is to thrive, both national and local organizations must invest resources to attract and train young adults - accommodating their often limited capacities to give money and time, and arranging joint programming with synagogues and preschools where young adults may be involved in a leadership capacity with their families.

And the younger generation would be well advised to heed a lesson from Mishna "Pirke Avot": Do not separate yourself from the community. Every Jew has a responsibility to connect with fellow Jews. This includes budgeting time and finding an organization doing work compatible with personal interests.

As individuals and as a community, we must plan creatively and imaginatively to seamlessly join today's leaders with those of tomorrow. Failure to do so is an abuse of the freedom of choice we enjoy in the Valley of the Sun.

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