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Property Holding, Charitable Purposes and Dissolution

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Property Holding, Charitable Purposes and Dissolution EDITOR’S INTRODUCTION TO 2013 VOLUME t is an honour and a privilege to be the editor of this, the 55th volume of the Jewish Journal of Sociology. Since 1959 the journal has I published a wide range of papers and reviews that offer a – broadly conceived - social scientific perspective on contemporary Jewry. This volume is no exception, with six papers that cover a diversity of issues, drawing on a diversity of methodologies and theoretical backgrounds. Two of the papers deal with what are sometimes seen as ‘cutting edge’ trends in Jewish life. Michelle Shain and her co-authors investigate the prevalence of American ‘Do-It-Yourself’ Judaism, defined as ‘alternative forms of Jewish engagement that bypass the established infrastructure of American Jewish life.’ Based on an analysis of data collected from young adult applicants to Taglit-Birthright Israel trips, the authors show that whilst individualist DIY Judaism may be gaining ground amongst Jewish ‘Millenials’, those with less of a background or involvement in Jewish community and practice are less likely to be exploring these alternative modes of being Jewish. Shirah Hecht’s paper on independent minyanim in America also looks at forms of Jewish involvement that are sometimes seen as alternatives to established modes of Jewish community and practice. Hecht defines, explores and differentiates the two ‘waves’ of minyan formation, the first peaking in the early 1980s and the second building in the 2010s. Drawing on a range of qualitative and quantitative sources and data, the paper identifies the various factors that have contributed to the rise of the independent minyan and analyses their wider relevance as a focus for Jewish practice. DIY Judaism and independent minyanim have sometimes been seen as powerful ways of ‘renewing’ Jewish community so as to ensure Jewish continuity amongst new generations of Diaspora Jews. David Mittelberg’s paper evaluates related attempts to nurture ‘Jewish peoplehood’ amongst young Jews in Australia. Drawing on a multivariate secondary analysis of a national survey of Australian Jewry, the paper evaluates the impact of Jewish schooling, informal Jewish education and Israel visits on various dimensions of Jewish peoplehood. Mittelberg finds that while Jewish day schools do enhance some forms of Jewish practice, it is youth movement participation and visits to Israel that do most to enhance Jewish commitment and belonging. The Jewish Journal of Sociology, vol 55, nos, 1 and 2, 2013 1 The issue also contains two papers dealing with historical aspects of British Jewry. Benjamin Elton’s paper discusses a crucial factor in the distinctive development of British Jewry. Britain’s status as an island, close to but not part of the European ‘mainland’, has had far-reaching consequences on the ways that Jewish life on the island has developed. Elton argues that British Jewry has been ‘doubly disadvantaged’ through being too close to Europe to be fully independent but too far to play a full part in European Jewish life. Petra Laidlaw’s paper builds on an earlier paper published in volume 53 of this journal, exploring the Anglo-Jewish Database of Jews living in Britain in 1851. In the paper for this volume, Laidlaw concentrates on the occupations of the 1851 Jewish population. Just as Elton shows the importance of geography for a full understanding of Jewish history, so Laidlaw shows how statistical analysis can reveal new aspects of Jewish history. While the other five papers in this volume focus on British, American and Australian Jewry, Liat Kulik’s paper looks at how varieties of Jewishness impact on one aspect of life in Israel. Her study examines the impact of secular and ultra-orthodox backgrounds on the experience of stress and distress amongst participants in Israeli gay and lesbian support groups. While it is not entirely surprising that the ultra-orthodox sample suffered more acutely, Kulik’s paper offers a valuable psycho-social perspective on one of the far-reaching consequences of this particular form of Jewish life. This volume also includes book reviews and the ‘Chronicle’ section. A regular feature of the journal, the Chronicle section has long been a space in which the latest developments in research on Jewish life could be noted and tracked. In this issue, the Chronicle section has been compiled by Professor Steven M Cohen and his team at the Berman Jewish Policy Archive in New York. It offers succinct summaries of the most noteworthy research reports on contemporary Jewry to have been published in 2012. We hope that this collaboration with BJPA will continue in future volumes. Finally, I would like to draw readers’ attention to the call for papers that appears elsewhere in this volume for a special issue for publication in the journal next year on ‘The Relevance of the Jewish Question in the 21st Century’, to be edited by myself and Ilan Baron of Durham University. Dr Keith Kahn-Harris 2 ―DIY‖ JUDAISM: HOW CONTEMPORARY JEWISH YOUNG ADULTS EXPRESS THEIR JEWISH IDENTITY Michelle Shain, Shira Fishman, Graham Wright, Shahar Hecht, and Leonard Saxe Abstract ontemporary American Jewish young adults, like their non-Jewish peers, are believed to eschew traditional religious and communal C institutions. The term ―Do-It-Yourself‖ (DIY) Judaism has emerged to characterize alternative forms of Jewish engagement that bypass the established infrastructure of American Jewish life. Little is known about the extent or prevalence of DIY Judaism. The current study uses data collected from a large sample of applicants to Taglit-Birthright Israel (Taglit), which has engaged tens of thousands of young adults from across the spectrum of American Jewish life, to explore both the character of young adults‘ involvement in Jewish life and the factors associated with involvement. Consistent with the individualistic ethos of the Millennial generation, results indicate that home-based or self-organized ritual practice and small, niche initiatives are popular among Jewish young adults. At the same time, Jewish engagement is strongly predicted by respondents‘ background and intervening Jewish experiences, such as participation in Taglit. Those with stronger Jewish backgrounds are significantly more likely to celebrate Shabbat and holidays and participate in Jewish-sponsored events. Single young adults with minimal Jewish background remain an especially disconnected segment of the Jewish population, and practices of DIY Judaism have yet to capture this group. It The authors gratefully acknowledge the assistance of Monica Pevzner in collecting and coding data; Joshua Tobias in coding data; and Joshua Davidson and Deborah Grant in preparing the manuscript for publication. Support for this research was provided by Taglit-Birthright Israel and by donors to the Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies. The Jewish Journal of Sociology, vol 55, nos, 1 and 2, 2013 3 MICHELLE SHAIN, SHIRA FISHMAN, GRAHAM WRIGHT, SHAHAR HECHT, AND LEONARD SAXE remains to be seen whether new programs can facilitate their engagement with Jewish life. Keywords: Judaism, Identity, Young Adults, Religion, Community, Individualism Introduction The engagement of young adults in Jewish religious and communal life has become a central concern, and numerous programs have emerged to bolster Jewish identity and engagement among the next generation of adults. These initiatives that exist outside the dominant infrastructure of American Jewish life1 have been labeled ―Do-It-Yourself‖ (DIY) Judaism. The common thread linking DIY projects is that they empower participants, allowing them to define their own Jewish identities and create their own forms of Jewish expression. Led primarily by young adults, DIY Judaism is consistent with many of the values espoused by the Millennial generation—individualism, meaningfulness, authenticity, and active participation rather than passive consumerism. DIY Judaism exists on a small scale, often serving niche constituencies and relying on the expertise of social and cultural entrepreneurs with high levels of Jewish education and socialization. Some of the best-known initiatives of DIY Judaism are independent minyanim and other ―emergent‖ Jewish groups that create prayer communities outside of conventional synagogue settings.2 Cohen and Kelman documented three other initiatives of DIY Judaism: Storahtelling, a company that promotes Jewish cultural literacy through theatrical performances, founded in 1998; the now-defunct JDub Records, a Jewish record label, founded in 2002; and the Salon, a discussion group for young, culturally savvy Jews in Toronto, Canada, founded in 2003.3 Other programs and activities that fall under the umbrella of DIY Judaism include formal concerts, holiday celebrations, and comic presentations,4 as well as informal Jewish book clubs, study groups, and Shabbat meal programs.5 Scholars have described the contours of DIY Judaism. Wertheimer, for example, distinguishes between the ―establishment‖ sector, which encompasses longstanding American Jewish institutions such as Jewish Federations, synagogues, and JCCs, and the ―nonestablishment‖ sector, which encompasses newer, smaller programs and initiatives, or ―start- ups‖.6 This ―nonestablishment‖ sector is analogous to DIY Judaism and encompasses six categories based on programmatic focus: independent minyanim, cultural activities, collectives offering Jewish programming, 4 ―DIY‖ JUDAISM: YOUNG ADULTS AND JEWISH IDENTITY social action, Israel-oriented programs, and philanthropic efforts.7 Similarly, Cohen
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