Kingston Jewish Community Grow Kingston Survey - October 2017

Community PresentationJune 3, 2018

Survey Presentation Agenda

• Demographics

• Reach

• Education

• Operations

• Community Needs

• Kashruth

• Recommendations

Kingston Demographics

2011 Canadian Census

1185 – Identified as being Jewish

0 - 14 15 - 24 25 - 44 45 - 64 65+

165 260 240 280 240

13.9% 21.9% 20.3% 23.6% 20.3%

760Affiliated Total

Members 120 45 165

Adults 180 65 245

50% of Identified Jews are unaffiliated

General Rule of Thumb 380

64.5% - Affiliated Reach

Survey Reach

115 responses 40.8% Response

Surveys E-Mail Physical Total

Members 242 40 282

69

60%

29

25%

2

2%

15

13% 15 - Neither

68.9% - 31 / 4559.2% - 71 / 120

Survey Breakdown

Full Response115

Community Education73

1 or More Detailed Segment

36

Education

• Most people who responded said that Jewish Education

should be available at an affordable price to all who need it.

Talmud Torah principals are using the detailed feedback to determine what direction is needed with regards to Jewish Education in Kingston

Q29: What is your opinion on Jewish Education in Kingston

Q9: Which of the following Kingston Jewish Community organizations are you connected with? Page 5

ResponsesAvailable to all who

need it

Available at an

affordable price

Available only to

Children of

Congregational

Members

Available at no

Charge

Overall 64 73.44% (47/64) 56.25% (36/64) 20.31% (13/64) 16.90% (12/64)

Beth Israel 43 69.77% (30/43) 60.47% (26/43) 23.26% (10/43) 11.62% (5/43)

Iyr Hamelech 14 78.57% (11/14) 50.00% (7/14) 21.42% (3/14) 28.57% (4/14)

Both 2 100.00% (2/2) 100.00% (2/2)

Neither 5 80.00% (4/5) 60.00% (3/5) 20.00% (1/5)

Operations

One Community .. One Campus Facility .. Two Congregations

Q9: Which of the following Kingston Jewish Community organizations are you connected with?Q9: Which of the following Kingston Jewish Community organizations are you connected with?

Q16: Which of the following ideas do you think the community should explore further?

Page 2

Responses

Common

Facility for all

Religious and

Secular

Activities

Activities;

Jewish

Community

Centre

Religious

Service;

Concurrent;

Common

Facility, End

with

Community

Gathering

Religious

Service;

Alternating

Times;

Common

Facility

Religious

Service; Status

Quo

Activities;

Status Quo

Overall 106 56.60% (60) 50.00% (53) 37.74% (40) 30.19% (32) 16.98% (18) 9.43% (10)

Beth Israel 64 54.69% (35) 54.69% (35) 40.63% (26) 26.56% (17) 17.19% (11) 6.25% (4)

Iyr Hamelech 27 59.26% (16) 37.04% (10) 33.33% (9) 40.74% (11) 22.22% (6) 18.52% (5)

Both 2 100.00% (2) 100.00% (2) 50.00% (1)

Neither 13 53.85% (7) 46.15% (6) 38.46% (5) 23.08% (3) 7.69% (1) 7.69% (1)

No to Status Quo

Operations – How to make it happen

An overall community consensus needs to be developed

Q9: Which of the following Kingston Jewish Community organizations are you connected with?Q9: Which of the following Kingston Jewish Community organizations are you connected with?

Q17: With regards to religious services in the future what would be most favourable to you for the future and to attracts and grow the community?Page 2

Responses

Accommodate each

stream, in the same

building, at their own

specific time, in the

same space

Accommodate each

stream, in the same

building,

simultaneously,

within a separate

space

Unite the streams into

a single religious

activity, and run in the

single building

Make no changes

(status quo)

Overall 106 39.62% (42) 37.74% (40) 34.91% (37) 14.15% (15)

Beth Israel 64 32.81% (21) 40.63% (26) 35.94% (23) 15.63% (10)

Iyr Hamelech 27 55.56% (15) 37.04% (10) 33.33% (9) 18.52% (5)

Both 2 50.00% (1) 50.00% (1) 50.00% (1)

Neither 13 38.46% (5) 23.08% (3) 30.77 (4)

Direction: No to Status Quo

Operations

Thoughts on How to Use the Common Facility Usage

Page 4Q9: Which of the following Kingston Jewish Community organizations are you connected with?Q9: Which of the following Kingston Jewish Community organizations are you connected with?

Q27: For the 4 Activity types – Where should these activities take place?

Religious

Activity

Food

Related

Activity

Skills

Activity

Private Home

Stronger Support Weaker Support

Adult

Education

Public Facility

#2 BI

#3 IHM

#2 IHM

#3 BI

#1 IHM #1 BI

Needs of the Community

The Community Has Clarified Their Needs

Community Mikveh

× Eruv

Religious Events

Community Events

Q9: Which of the following Kingston Jewish Community organizations are you connected with?Q21: Are childcare services needed at the following? Pages 2-4

Community Needs Compared BI / 71 CN / 115 IHM / 31

High Holiday Services 87.32% 82.61% 90.32%

Sukkot / Pesach / Shavuot 66.20% 59.13% 61.29%

Kiddish after Shabbat morning services 63.38% 59.13% 67.74%

Shabbat Morning Services 64.79% 56.52% 54.84%

Communal Shabbat / Friday Night Dinner 67.61% 54.78% 41.94%

Chanukah / Purim 59.15% 54.78% 64.52%

Jewish Film Festival 52.11% 53.04% 45.16%

Interfaith Dinner 46.48% 52.17% 64.52%

Communal Passover Seder 42.25% 47.83% 64.52%

Language Skills (eg Hebrew) 42.25% 38.26% 41.94%

Q22

Religious /

Ethnic

Q23

Food

Related

Q24

Adult

Education

Q25

Skills

Development

Q20: Is it important for the community that the following are available?

Kashruth – Kosher Tolerance & Inclusivity Methodology

Opinions

Q14

What level of Kosher preparation observance

do you find acceptable to yourself at

community events?

166

Q15When Kosher food is served at community

events, what level is acceptable for yourself?154

Q18Is a Kosher Certified Community Kitchen

Facility important to you?115

Pages 2, 4

/115 Participants

Kashruth – Kosher Tolerance & Inclusivity Methodology

OpinionsAt Least 1 Opinion on

Kashruth

No Opinion / No

Concern

Q14

What level of Kosher

preparation observance do

you find acceptable to

yourself at community

events?

16645.22%

(52/103)

54.78%

(63)

Q15

When Kosher food is served

at community events, what

level is acceptable for

yourself?

15446.09%

(53/92)

53.91%

(62)

Q18

Is a Kosher Certified

Community Kitchen Facility

important to you?

11551.30%

(59/59)

48.70%

(56)

Pages 2, 4

/115 Participants

These opinions need

to be used to establish

Kosher Tolerance &

Inclusivity

Kosher Tolerance &

Inclusivity by default

includes these people

already

Kashruth

Focus on opinions of people who indicated that some level

of Kashruth observance is needed

Answer

Q14 What level of Kosher preparation observance

do you find acceptable to yourself at

community events?Kashruth is

not a

concern

39.44% (28) /

60.56% (43)

83.87% (26) /

16.13% (5)

Q15 When Kosher food is served at community

events, what level is acceptable for yourself?80.65% (25) /

19.35% (6)

Q18 Is a Kosher Certified Community Kitchen

Facility important to you?No / No

Opinion

30.99% (22) /

69.01% (49)

83.37% (26) /

16.13% (5)

Pages 2,4

Personal Kashruth importance varies significantly by synagogue affiliation.

This becomes a critical consideration when merging into a common facility

and at the same time, agreeing on a “Kosher Tolerance & Inclusiveness” policy.

/71 /31

Kashruth

Pages 2,4

A significant number of community members feel that Kashruth is not a concern for them personally.

Going forward, the challenge will be to arrive at an understanding of what level of Kashrut will be acceptable to

the overall community in a “Kosher Tolerance & Inclusiveness” policy in the context of a “Common Building”

and “Community Sponsored Events”

Find the

Balance

Kashruth – Question 14

To get “Buy-in” to the “Kosher Tolerance & Inclusiveness” policy, the

compromise position needs to take all of these thoughts into account

No

Importance

Kosher Certified Ingredients,

Following Kosher Cooking

Practices, Without Supervision

Local Rabbinic

Supervision

Ready to serve

Kosher Marked

Product

Prepared in a

Kosher Home

Certified

Supervision

Page 2

Find the

Balance

Kashruth – Question 14

To get “Buy-in” to the “Kosher Tolerance & Inclusiveness” policy, the

compromise position needs to take all of these thoughts into account

Responses

Kosher Certified

Ingredients,

Following Kosher

Cooking

Practices,

Without

Supervision

Local Rabbinic

Supervision

Ready to serve

Kosher Marked

Product

Certified

Supervision

Prepared in a

Kosher Home

/ 71 BI / 31 IHM

people who gave

one or more

opinions

38.03% (27)

12.90% (4)

29.58% (21)

0.00% (0)

23.94% (17)

6.45% (2)

22.54% (16)

3.23% (1)

11.27% (8)

3.23% (1)

/ 89 BI / 8 IHM

opinions

(Sum = 100%)

30.34%

50.00%

23.60%

0.00%

19.10%

25.00%

17.98%

12.50%

8.99%

12.50%

Page 2

What level of Kosher preparation observance do you find acceptable

to yourself at community events?39.44% (28) / 60.56% (43) 83.87% (26) / 16.13% (5)

Kashruth – Question 15

To get “Buy-in” to the “Kosher Tolerance & Inclusiveness” policy, the

compromise position needs to take all of these thoughts into account

Responses

Dishes & Utensils as the Food

Type Requires (Meat / Milk)

Disposable Dishes / Cutlery

/ 71 BI /31 IHM people who gave

one or more opinions59.15% (42) / 16.13% (5) 52.11% (37) / 12.90% (4)

/ 79 BI / 9 IHM opinions

(Sum = 100%)53.16% / 55.56% 46.84% / 44.44%

Page 2

When Kosher food is served at community events,

what level is acceptable for yourself?39.44% (28) / 60.56% (43) 80.65% (25) / 19.35% (6)

Kashruth – Question 18

To get “Buy-in” to the “Kosher Tolerance & Inclusiveness” policy, the

compromise position needs to take all of these thoughts into account

Responses

Yes - Used under the

supervision of a Local

Rabbi who takes

responsibility for the

Kashrut

Yes - Used without

preparation

supervision, as long as

all Kosher

Certified ingredients

are used, and Kashrut

cooking and serving

rules are followed

Yes - Only used under

the supervision of a

certified Mashgiach

/ 71 BI / 31 IHM people who

gave one or more opinions35.21% (25) / 6.45% (2) 26.76% (19) / 9.68% (3) 7.04% (5) / 0.00% (0)

/ 49 BI / 5 IHM opinions

(Sum = 100%)51.02% / 40.00% 38.78% / 60.00% 10.20% / 0.00%

Page 4

Is a Kosher Certified Community Kitchen Facility

important to you?30.99% (22) / 69.01% (49) 83.37% (26) / 16.13% (5)

Recommendations

Chairs All 3

Working Groups

Working Group 1

(4 Members)

-

Talmud Torah

Consolidation

Approve motion to set up 3 working groups

Working Group 2

(10 Members)

-

Centralized Community

Building Operations

+ 1 Joint member

+ Unaffiliated

+ Representatives

from all Kingston

Jewish Organizations

Kashruth – Some Thoughts

The community should develop a “Kashruth Tolerance and Inclusiveness”

policy for a common facility and all sanctioned events.

The policy should be a part of a marketing effort to generate additional

revenue steams from both inside and outside the community.

Possible new revenue sources; • Unaffiliated community members

• New community members moving to Kingston for economic reasons

• Non-Kingston Jewish Organizations looking for an out of town retreat venue, which have a

need of a community facility, and Kosher Food

• Transient students from Queens University, St. Lawrence College, the Royal Military

College and the parents who financially support them

The survey response gives the Kingston Jewish Community a way forward to

develop and implement a “Kosher Tolerance & Inclusiveness” policy.

A Local Rabbi should be the Community Kashrut authority to;

1. Ensure all products and preparation follow the principles of kashrut

2. Document guidelines and ensure that all community members are

aware by posting;

A. Physically – in the Community Kosher Kitchen

A. Electronically – on an approved Community Website

Recommendations

Ensure that a Community Kosher Kitchen is available as part of the “Kosher Tolerance & Inclusiveness” effort

Working Group 3

(6 Members)

-

Kosher

Inclusiveness

Religious Activities

• Find alternate ways of participating in services that do

not involve attending a traditional service

• Reduce length of services

• Offer some different concurrent programing

Child Care

• Offer childcare or children’s programming during

services and events

Recommendations

Have the appropriate working groups identify ways to address community needs

RecommendationRead the Details for Additional Insights

Working Group 1

Talmud Torah

Consolidation

Working Group 2

Consolidated

Community Building

Operations

Working Group 3

Kosher Tolerance

& Inclusiveness

All Working Groups

http://bit.ly/Grow_Kingston_Survey_Results

Website

Read and Refer to

PLEASE NOTE

All ICONS on this page are linked to their

supporting data on the KJC Website

RecommendationSubmit a joint proposal to Queens School of BusinessShould be approved by KJC, BI, IHM

Details on MBAS 891

Organization Commitments

• Be available for periodic phone

calls and e-mails from students

• Have a first initial meeting with

the student group to discuss the

work they will be doing

• Provide any relevant data the

students need to complete the

project

• Assign a dedicated contact

person to provide information,

answer questions throughout the

project, and receive status update

• Maximum of 2-4 interactions with

the students in-person or

remotely (approximately 4-6

hours over the duration of the

project

• Recent e-mails received by the Kingston Jewish Council have shown there are coreligionists looking to relocate to Kingston.

• The affordability of the area and vibrancy of the community could be a great drawing card for Jews currently living in Jewish communities with a higher cost of living.

• In order to grow the Kingston Jewish Community, we need to ensure that more of our children return to Kingston after their post-secondary education, and that more students who come to Kingston for post-secondary education stay on.

• If we are to make a difference as a community and retain our youth and attract professionals from across Canada and the world, we need to come together to make a plan.

• Our recent Grow Kingston survey resulted in the formation of 3 working groups to build this plan

• Consolidation of Jewish Supplementary School Education – K - 8

• Centralized Community Building Operations

• Kosher Tolerance & Inclusiveness

• The 3 Major Boards in the Kingston Jewish Community, and 2 Kingston University Jewish Student Engagement organizations are looking for assistance from the Queens Business School – MBAS 891 – Individual Project Course, to be part of these working groups and to solidify our business and marketing strategy for implementation in November 2018.

• Sponsors;

DRAFT: Project Proposal Letter

• Change is needed for the Kingston Jewish Community to be viable for the immediate future.

• By taking a collaborative community approach, we have the opportunity to unlock the full potential of the historic investment made by the Kingston Jewish Community over the last 100 years.

• It is critical that the community strengthen relations with the transient student community, and the centrally/donor funded organizations which currently support student outreach.

• By creating a unified community hub for the Kingston Jewish Community, there is an opportunity to reduce costs and increase revenues.

• With the proper marketing, the Kingston Jewish Community has the potential to; • Attract;

• New young Jewish Families who find housing costs in the Greater Toronto Hamilton Area too high

• Academics / PHd candidates who are looking for a vibrant community in a respected university town

• Retirement aged Jews who have family on opposite sides of the 401/416 (Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa)

• Generate revenue by;

• becoming the “meeting place” for the Jews in the 4XX corridor (e.g. March of the Living Retreat, Shabbatons)

• being welcoming to the parents who financially support students attending Queens, RMC and St. Lawrence

• The Kingston Jewish Community must continue its outreach to the unaffiliated and be involved with the wider Kingston Community

Some final thoughts

Questions?