the jewish people policy institute (established by the jewish agency for israel)

AM04:42:24 AM 04:42:24 אפריל 23אפריל 23

Dr. Dov Maimon

Alternative Futures for the Jewish People

THE JEWISH PEOPLE POLICY INSTITUTE(ESTABLISHED BY THE JEWISH AGENCY FOR ISRAEL)

THE JEWISH PEOPLE

BETWEEN THRIVING AND DECLINE

The future of the Jewish people is not assured, though there are

great opportunities for thriving.…

Serious threats Massive resourcesStrategy

Strategy

RequiredRequired

MAJOR CHALLENGES

•Triangular Relationship Israel-Washington-World Jewry

• Global Actors’ Shift – from USA to Asia

• New Modes of Jewish Engagement

• Israel-Diaspora Distancing

• Networking of Small Communities

Threats ResourcesStrategy

Strategy

Planning for the Jewish People?

SimulationsScenarios

ANALYSIS

IMAGINATIO

N

STRATEGY

SWOTTrendsIndicators

RecommendationsConsensus building

1.Historical perspective

2. Alternative futures methodology

3.The 21st century identity challenges

4.Findings from field research

5.What could be done?


Historical Perspective


Jews

Poles

Germans

Russians

Pre-national identities

Ethnicity is the primary belonging

Pre-National State

Individual

The ethno-religious community is the primary frame of reference

Modern National State

State citizenship is the primary frame of reference

Individual

• The community lost its prerogatives/coercion power

• The State replaces the Religious Community as the primary frame of reference

The Enclave Reaction

1. Cultural fortress

2. Social segregation

Individual

• Low coercion power

• Personal choice

Alternative Futures

Methodology

Defending Thriving

External conditions

Jewish “Momentum”

Dying Drifting

Diaspora ScenariosDiaspora Scenarios

Acceptance

Self-IsolationSelf-Isolation

AssimilatioAssimilationn

Open JudaismOpen Judaism

DEFENDING

NIGHTMARE DRIFTING

Extern

al Co

nd

ition

s po

sitive

Jewish Momentum low

Jewish Momentum high

THRIVING

Orthodox

France

Iran

USA

ISRAEL

Shaping StrategyHigh Profile in Jewish and Israel advocacy issues

High Profile in general population concerns (local hunger, illiteracy, Tikkun Olam)

Hedging StrategyHigh Profile in Jewish and Israel advocacy issues

Low Profile in general population concerns

Low profile

StrategyLow Profile in Jewish and Israel advocacy issues

Low Profile in general population concerns

Assimilation

StrategyLow Profile in Jewish and Israel advocacy issues

High Profile in general population concerns

Communal positioning

Jewish Identity Challenges


42%42% 9%9%3%3%

3%3%

42%42%

FSU

USA-CANADA

LATIN AMERICA

EUROPE

ISRAEL

OTHERS

2%

95%95% of Jews live in the wealthiest countriesof Jews live in the wealthiest countries 52%52% of Jews live in five urban areasof Jews live in five urban areas

Israel as the largest communityIsrael as the largest communitySmall communities disappearSmall communities disappear

Jewish DemographyJewish Demography

Non-Jews with Jewish Roots

Enlarging the Jewish circle

Core community

Enlarged Community

Major Trends Numerical decline

Internal Demographic Shifts Haredi and Israeli high birth rates

Multiple identities: “Studying Talmud and eating lobster on Friday night”

Believing without belonging

Modular Family models

Polarity: Ghetto and Assimilation

Four Major I dentity Options

Geographical space Family Country

Political entity Socioeconomic Religio-ethnic group group

Jewish Peoplehood

Belonging

Tikkun Olam

Meaning

Religious

Secular

Culture

Israel

CommunityMeaning creation

Rituals

Historical/Parental

Memory

Modern Jewish identity

Exclusive clubMutual caringCommon purposeAction driven

Authentic experience

Bring together similarly minded I&D Jews

Kabbala/ TalmudHuman relationsFamily education

Culture dissemination

Expertise sharing

Hebrew

Emotion driveCharismatic leadersRedefined GodIn-world purposes

What sorts of things turn People away?

FINDINGS FROM FIELD RESEARCH

What sorts of things turn People away?

Negative connotations and stereotypes • Burden

associated with coercion, emotional blackmail, collective duty. Duty to marry Jewish, to support Israel, to contribute...

• Communal managementMega-donors saga, ego driven power struggles, old boys club, parochialism, Internal Jewish divisions, lack of unity.

• Bad image of Israel ('not in my name").

Negative connotations and stereotypes

• Communal institutionsInsular and unwelcoming. Lack of entry points to feel Jewish without conforming to the existing norms.

• Ethnic in-group ties perceived as “politically incorrect". Being particularistic is perceived as chauvinistic and outdated.

• Don't want to be separatedWill to be away from the ghetto, insularity and self righteousness defense attitudes.

• Judaism is a religion and young people are disgust with religion

Are these findings relevant in my JCC?

What could be done at the local level?

Local initiatives

Emergent New Communities

How do they overcome the negative stereotypes?

CREDO, PRACTICES AND CONTENT

Inclusive, egalitarian, and non exclusively Jewish

Religious traditionalism and social progressivism (LGBT)

Acting Jewishly for non-Jewish causes (Tikkun Olam)

CREDO, PRACTICES AND CONTENT

Not obsessed by Shoah memory, Israel advocacy and Jewish survival

Exodus liberation and covenant of Sinai narratives

Universal (non-tribal) shared memories

A positive content driven Judaism

Strong social ties and mutual caring community

High personal investment and frequent attendance

Significant weeklong and shared activities

Warm communities with a common credo

GROUP DYNAMICS

LEADER PROFILE

1.Jewishly well-educated

2.Highly affiliated upbringing

3.Strong Israel experience

4. Strong networks

5.Transnational experience

6.Hebrew familiarity

What could be done at the global level?

Israel-Diaspora initiatives

First insight: Old forms of belonging are not relevant anymore to the majority of young Jews

Implication: We need to enlarge and diversify the offerings of Jewish engagement


Second insight: Most breakthrough Jewish ways of engagement were created by outsiders

Implication: We need to encourage new initiatives and overcome Jewish establishment resistance


Third insight: We do not know what will be the meaningful ways of belonging tomorrow

Implication: We need to provide space to allow young people to pursue their own personal journeys to Judaism


Fourth insight: Lack of relevant positive content

Implication: Israel-Diaspora partnership to develop a common and shared core of meaning and behaviors (such as Hebrew, J. Literacy and world service)


Cultural shifts and the JCC

Jewish Exclusively Jewish? Israel or Peoplehood? Jewish content?

CommunityCommunity building and ethnic ties being perceived as “politically

incorrect“, should C stand for “Cultural” instead of ‘Community”? Pick and mix or membership?

CenterJCC without walls. Do we need specific premises? Efforts should be

invested in activities not in real estate.

Responding to JCC’s Challenges

Responding to population relocationConsider a financial engineering toolbox to allow real estate

relocation

Responding to JCC’s Challenges

JCC competitive advantage:

A politically and religiously neutral groundImplications:• Non-denominational weekly Torah study lessons, with lecturers from

orthodox, reform, conservative and secular backgrounds.• Brainstorming sessions for communal debates• Space for young adults breakthrough initiatives• Non-denominational services• Post BirthRigth-Taglit programs

To be followed…

• I will hopefully provide you with additional insights at our concluding session. Please share with me your perspectives.

• And of course…• Comprehensive strategic analysis and concrete

recommendations will request an in-depth JPPI study.

Just remember

“Religion declined not because it was refuted but because it became irrelevant, dull, oppressive and insipid.The synagogue must be the place where we confront the most profound questions of existence”

Abraham Josuah Heschel

the jewish people policy institute (established by the jewish agency for israel)

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