An agenda for ageing well within the Jewish Community in the 21st century Contents 01 An Introduction 03 Executive Summary 05 A Blessing: A Jewish Perspective 06 Putting the Agenda in context 08 1. Spritual and Emotional Wellbeing 10 2. Intellectual and Life-long Learning 12 3. Active Participation & Connection 14 4. Independence and Healthy Living 16 5. Care 18 Next Steps 19 Acknowledgements 20 Action Plan 21 Glossary of Terms An Introduction The Torah considers growing The Background old a blessing; ‘zakein’ (old) is synonymous with wise. • The Jewish community has twice the number of people over 60 Our heroes and heroines compared to the general UK population. Yet most of our resources – were not young – Abraham, energy and money – are directed towards young people. • The Jewish community does welfare well. Sarah, Moses. It would • But growing old is not just about welfare. benefit us all if the Jewish • This report consulted with over 500 people representing a cross community began to section of the Jewish community. challenge youth obsessed • This report is not about being old; it’s about ageing – which we are all doing. culture. The Key Recommendations • The Jewish community should ensure that, as we age, we are enabled and encouraged to flourish and participate to the best of our physical and mental abilities. • The emphasis should change from welfare to inclusion. • Communal organisations should change to ensure they actively include older people. • The community needs to focus on this important and growing area. • The community needs to listen to what people are saying rather than deciding what they want and need. The Next Steps • We need funding to create a post which will do further systematic research and help organisations implement changes. • We need to create and inspire champions in each synagogue What will it look like? • People of all ages will feel connected to the Jewish community – both spiritually and socially. • People will be valued as individuals and not pre-judged by their age. • People will have a more positive experience of ageing – which is proven to delay physical and cognitive deterioration. If we do this… • People will stay connected and involved with the Jewish community – whatever their personal circumstances and religious affiliation. • The community will benefit from the wisdom of all of its members. • This will greatly enhance Jewish continuity • and make Jewish values a reality. 1 Executive Summary Purpose The report highlights some major Thus, the first step we took was The Jewish community has twice themes for us to consider: to take the report to as many the number of people aged over • How can we ensure that people communal leaders as possible 60 compared to the general in the Jewish community feel to ensure they understand its population and yet the majority of connected both spiritually and importance and to gain their our creative energy and resources socially at all stages of their life? feedback and buy-in to the is directed towards young people. • How can we create a sense of recommendations. The number of As life expectancy continues to worth and engagement for all organisations who have endorsed increase every year, it becomes people whatever their age and this report is a testament, we feel, crucial to assess how ready the personal circumstance? to the value of the subject matter. Jewish community is to cope with • How do we ensure that people this ever-increasing cohort, how can access all the community has The launch of the findings and best it can maximise this potential to offer by ensuring that we are recommendations at a major resource and how it can best serve open to, as well as thoughtful of, event will, we hope, ensure we people as they age within it. people’s financial and physical have recognition for its importance situations? not only within the Jewish world The purpose of this report is to • What can we learn from outside but in the wider society. investigate what it is like for people organisations and the growing as they age within the Jewish international ‘grey movement’? Our biggest challenge will be to community and, taking account of • If synagogues are the main receive the appropriate funding to our comprehensive consultation contact that older people may carry out further research to more with over 450 people, make have with the community, fully understand some key areas: recommendations for the how can we ensure they work • What prevents people from way forward. collaboratively with other participating in current local providers for older people? communities and services. We hope that this report will be • How can we maximise the huge • Women – this is a key area as taken seriously by community success of initiatives that are women live longer than men leaders and policy makers and both cross-communal and/or and face particular challenges of that the recommendations will intergenerational? isolation, especially those who ensure that as we age within • Given the resources of the are or become single as they age. the community, we will remain community, how can we ensure • What activities older people connected and feel that we that services and support to are choosing outside the Jewish are always viewed as valued older people receive the same community and how we can community members. stature and status as the current learn good practice from investment in the community for initiatives from those activities? Outcomes younger people? • Work with Jewish communal The consultation has highlighted organisations to help embed the that, whilst we have an exceptional Next steps principles of the report into their reputation for providing care for There are clearly identifiable next strategic planning. those who are most in need of it, steps that need to be put in place we often do this in an old-fashioned to ensure the positive suggestions Finally, the question of ageing and paternalistic manner. We often in this report become a reality. presents the opportunity for cross- ignore the growing number of There are many recommendations communal activity that is not people within our community who and it is important to acknowledge hindered by the politics that exist are ageing well and thus contribute that carrying them out involves within the various denominations to their increasing isolation. the engagement of a much wider of Judaism. Ageing is not a group of people and organisations theological theory; it is a fact of life than have so far been involved in that binds us all together and it is the drafting of this report. hoped that this will be recognised by 2 Executive Summary (Continued) all who work within the community • Lead scientific evidence, nef created a and embraced as a concept that • League of Jewish Women set of five simple actions which can needs addressing and one that will • Liberal Judaism improve well-being in everyday life. unify us all. • London School of Jewish Studies What is so fascinating is that these • Movement for Reform Judaism steps we can take which improve Methodology • Nightingale well-being and delay physical and We have been researching this • United Synagogue mental deterioration have their direct report for over 18 months. We have counterpart in Judaism. For example undertaken a very wide consultation Our findings have come out of it is scientifically proven that lifelong process involving over 450 people. these meetings and have been learning, volunteering, community These people include those who comprehensively explored in both ties and being mindful have work with older people, those who group and individual settings. dramatic and very positive impacts represent different sectors of the on ageing – in other words Torah, community, leaders – both lay and Our mission Tzedekah, Kehillah, Tefillah and rabbinic – and, most importantly, To ensure that, as we age within Brachot. We have woven these Jewish many people both members of a our community, we are enabled interpretations of secular concepts community and the unaffiliated who and encouraged to flourish and through our report. are ageing. participate to the best of our physical and mental ability as valued and We have divided the document into Groups and representatives from respected members within both the five areas: groups include: Jewish and wider community. • spiritual and emotional well-being, • United synagogue Chesed groups • life-long learning, • Participants at Limmud An age agenda for the Jewish • active participation and • Members of community connection, – Alyth Gardens This document is the result of a • independence and healthy living, – Cross communal Women’s Group comprehensive consultation process. • care. – Finchley Progressive Synagogue We have been researching for a – Finchley Reform Synagogue, period of over 18 months. During This is broadly in line with the – JCC that time we have consulted a UN’s Principles for Older Persons – Jewish Care large number of groups, experts, (Resolution 46/91) which in – London Jewish Cultural Centre organisations and, most importantly, preparation for the International Year – North London Rosh Chodesh older people themselves. Our findings of Older Persons in 1999 gave Group have come out of these meetings and a commitment to 5 areas: – North West Surrey Reform have been comprehensively explored Synagogue in both group and individual settings. Independence: access to sustenance, – Richmond Synagogue health care, work and other – South Hampstead Synagogue In 2008 the UK Government income-generating opportunities, – South London Jewish Forum commissioned a huge study into education, training, and a life in safe – South Western Reform well-being. The Government’s environments. Synagogue Foresight Project on Mental Capital • Assembly of Masorti synagogues and Well-being asked nef (the new Participation: integration into • Board of Deputies economics foundation) to review community life and active • CEO forum (see main body of the inter-disciplinary work of over participation in the formulation of report for members) 400 scientists from across the world.