They want to be authentically welcomed as individuals, not targeted by gimmicky, cookie-cutter marketing. A start might be showing them that Judaism has much to say about universal causes.
Rabbi Yael Splansky
Holy Blossom Temple, Toronto
Rabbi Mark Fishman
Congregation Beth Tikvah, Montreal
Rabbi Fishman: I was recently asked to give a presentation on the topic of young adult engagement in the synagogue. This is a really tough subject to address.
Today’s millennials define their Jewish identity so differently than their parents and grandparents did. I believe we have to change our entire vision of why a synagogue would want to reach out to 18-to-25-year-olds.
We can no longer believe that by engaging the young, we will replace the old. It just doesn’t work that way. We need to stop seeing young adults as a means to an end and start seeing them for who they are.
Rabbi Splansky: I believe our young people want what everyone wants, but more so. They don’t want to be judged for what they don’t yet know, for what they do or don’t do, for what they earn or where they live, for whom they choose to love. They want meaningful opportunities to discover, to contribute, to lead.
They do not want to be “marketed to” – they can sniff out the gimmicks a mile away. Most of all, they want authentic relationships, to be sincerely welcomed, noticed, appreciated and cared about. And our desperation to draw them in is a turn-off.
Our best shot to capture the imagination of “the next generation” is to acknowledge them as individuals and approach them one by one. A phone call, an invitation to dinner or coffee, an introduction to a potential job opportunity or even a bashert can open the door to something much greater. It’s a slow approach, but our cookie-cutter days are long gone.
Rabbi Fishman: Today, a typical university-aged Canadian Jew will express their desire to make a difference in the world by turning outward to universal causes. As paradoxical as it sounds to some, a typical millennial might look to volunteer in Africa or Thailand as a way of expressing their Jewish identity.
We need to meet young adults where they are and tailor programming to their interests. With that in mind, we created the Acharai Fellowship at Beth Tikvah. It’s a program that meets inside the synagogue to study Jewish texts that speak about poverty, slavery, teenage prostitution, pornography and human trafficking.
These are tough and gritty topics that Judaism has much to say about. By making our texts hyper-contemporary, we have been able to show that Judaism is relevant to today’s world.
Rabbi Splansky: Jewish history professor Jonathan Sarna offers a glimmer of hope in the wake of the dreadful Pew Report. Sarna notes that religious recessions in America are followed by a wave of religious revival. Canadian Jews are highly secularized today, but things may change.
I believe teachers, rabbis, and synagogues have an essential role to play in ushering in the next wave of spiritual development. Social justice is an accessible and exciting path. Sacred study and prayer are usually less accessible and less satisfying for newcomers, but some are searching for these parallel pursuits of the sacred as well.
Rabbi Fishman: Impacting a young adult can sometimes be achieved by allowing them to feed the hungry, clothe the naked or make space for those society rejects. We neglect experiential education at our peril.
When we learn about the heroic stance our tradition takes on human dignity, how can we ignore those who need our help the most? Social action missions have opened up the hearts as well as souls of many of our young adults. That, as an end in itself, is something of great worth.
Rabbi Splansky: I absolutely agree that many Jewish people across all stages of life find great Jewish expression through social activism, in the spirit of the Prophets. The problem is that you don’t need a synagogue to do good in the world. In just a few clicks you can book yourself a trip to lay pipelines in Guatemala or help to build the first high school for girls in Kenya, as my congregation did.
The question which needs to be asked is: “Do you feel yourself commanded to do this act? By whom or what? Is this a sacred mission? Does God have anything to do with it? Do you fulfil this act of justice or righteousness as a Jew, or “simply” as a good person?