JEWISH OUTREACH Strategies and Opportunities

Steven M. Cohen

The American Jewish Committee and The Nathan Cummings Foundation JEWISH OUTREACH Strategies and Opportunities Formerly a professor of sociology at Queens College of the City University of New York, Steven M. Cohen now teaches Jewish sociology at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. His books include American Modernity and Jewish Identity (1983) and American Assimilation or Jewish Revival? (1988).

Copyright © 1993 Steven M. Cohen All rights reserved TAB L E O F CONTENTS

Foreword V

Summary 1

Why Outreach? 3

A Working Definition 4

Outreach vs Inreach 6

The Outreach Critique 10

Some Outreach Programs 12

Who Are the Underinvolved? 14

Recruitment, Initiation, Enrichment 19

Learning, Worship, SocialJustice 21

Programs & Practitioners 24

A Philanthropic Strategy 30

Conclusion 35

Sources 36 group whose daily lives are governed by traditional Jewish norms? This question highlights the differences FOREWORD between advocates of "outreach," who seek to enlarge communal numbers by reaching out, and advocates of "in- reach," who feel priority should be given to creating a Jewish community (O^or American Jews, "continuity" has so attractive that others will wish to t_x become the watchword of the day. join it. The findings of the National Jewish Related to this policy question is the Population Survey have identified question of principle and ideology: Jewish assimilation, illiteracy, and How can the Jewish community declining Judaic commitments as the preserve norms concerning in-marriage critical threats to the American Jewish and conversion and effectively target future. As a result, Jewish communities outreach to mixed-married couples and across North America are struggling to their children? Outreach proponents find ways to strengthen Jewish identity fear that rhetoric that encourages Jews and are placing issues of affiliation and to marry other Jews or advocates Jewish education at the very top of conversion to Judaism will be off- communal agendas. The Council of putting to mixed-marrieds for whom Jewish Federations recently established conversion is not an immediate pros­ a broadly based Commission on Jewish pect. In-reach advocates fear creating a Continuity and task forces on intermar­ climate in which mixed-marriage riage and on college students. Such becomes simply one option among initiatives symbolize the high priority others, and Jewish communal prefer­ Jewish continuity is receiving on the ences for in-marriage and conversion Jewish communal agenda. become "politically incorrect." To be Unfortunately, Jewish continuity is sure, considerable agreement exists somewhat akin to the weather—every­ here over the desirability of in-mar­ one talks about it; few know what to do riage, conversion, and continued about it. To facilitate meaningful action outreach to mixed-married homes, but by the community to enhance continuity, the community must find ways to four questions in particular must be balance these differing imperatives that addressed. First is the question of target are often in tension with one another. group: Should we focus primarily on Thirdly, the Jewish continuity those who are completely unaffiliated in agenda is larger than any one sector or the hope of drawing them in, or is there set of institutions within the commu­ more to be gained by targeting the nity. Ways must be found to build new "middles" of Jewish life, those who have coalitions across the lines of the expressed interest in leading a Jewish respective religious movements and life but have not yet joined the core between the various communal institu- tions—-federations, synagogues, schools, munal leaders and policy makers will and community centers—all of which find it helpful in addressing these critical have critical interests in addressing Jewish and often divisive issues of identity and continuity. No one set of Jewish institu­ affiliation. tions can do the job alone. Rather, we Steven Bayme, Ph.D. must find ways to enable the different National Director, movements and institutions within the Jewish Communal Affairs, American Jewish Committee community to work together in new and creative ways toward shared goals and objectives. Rabbi Rachel Cowan Director, Life Affairs, Finally, to formulate a continuity Nathan Cummings Foundation agenda, the community needs to know which programs are actually working and which are not. The communal landscape is dotted with programs that claim success. Rarely if ever is a program deemed to have failed. Every program can marshal eloquent defenders and advocates who claim that their activities are ensuring Jewish continuity. Any serious communal policy will have to overcome our collec­ tive reluctance to acknowledge failure, learn from past mistakes, and be willing to engage in critical evaluation of what have in fact been successful programs to determine their replicability. The Nathan Cummings Foundation originally commissioned the following paper by Steven M. Cohen to help formu­ late a philanthropic strategy for funding outreach initiatives. The paper addresses many of the key policy issues that form the core of these communal debates. We present it here as a joint publication of the Nathan Cummings Foundation and the American Jewish Committee to advance communal thinking about how best to pursue a Jewish continuity agenda within the community. It is our hope that com­ /

are likely to join) synagogues and other Jewish agencies but who are not much involved in Jewish life. Al­ SUMMARY though these differences are not crucial for understanding how outreach operates, they lie at the heart of a divisive and potentially counterproduc­ tive debate within the field. he surging incidence of Jewish- Those who want to target interfaith Gentile intermarriage has been a prime families argue that this population is factor in promoting the Jewish outreach growing enormously and that, as a phenomenon. Jewish outreach refers to a result, hundreds of thousands of wide variety of efforts aimed at enriching grandchildren of today's American the Jewish lives of "unaffiliated" or Jews will not identify as Jews. They "underinvolved" Jews. also note that many such families, In contrast with prevailing attitudes owing to their internal religious among most conventional Jewish institu­ differences, are open to interaction tions, the outreach approach embodies a with outreach professionals, though readiness to welcome the mixed-married possibly only for the next five to ten and others who are remote from Jewish years. They accuse those who want to life. It is also marked by a more aggres­ focus primarily on the affiliated as, in sive promotion of Judaism amid the wider effect, writing off the huge number of American marketplace of competing mixed-married young parents. cultural currents and affiliations. Those who want to focus primarily This report aims to help both potential on the moderately affiliated believe philanthropists and the outreach field to that this group is easier to identify and understand this relatively new phenom­ reach, and that it is more open to enon in American Jewish life. The report elevating their involvement in Jewish describes how outreach works, highlights life. Moreover, the more traditional major controversies within the field, members of this camp believe that examines why many Jews feel remote most of the outreach efforts to the from prevailing currents of American mixed-married have the undesirable Judaism, and suggests some areas where effect of legitimating intermarriage, philanthropic intervention can be most undermining the traditional Jewish effective. ideal of in-marriage, and raising the intermarriage rate even higher. Outreach specialists are at odds over Outreach workers from both camps which groups to target. Some focus their level a trenchant critique against their work primarily upon interfaith couples. colleagues in the established Jewish Others engage in a form of "inreach." community. They claim that many They try to upgrade the involvement, rabbis, educators, social workers, and enthusiasm, and education of the "moder­ lay leaders lack the interest or motiva­ ately affiliated," those who belong to (or tion to search out and welcome less 2

involved Jews. They also claim that most They also tend to focus on some higher of their colleagues lack the requisite Jewish purpose such as Jewish learning, "people skills." Last, they criticize the prayer, or social-justice activities. Other Jewish community's inability to present features of successful outreach programs Judaism in ways that address and professionals include: low entry underinvolved Jews' most keenly felt barriers; a suspension of judgment; spiritual and personal problems. empathetic, exuberant, and engaged Outreach programs vary widely. They teachers; a Judaic ideology coupled with include courses in basic Judaism, work­ a qualified pluralism; a presentation of shops for interfaith couples, beginners' Judaism as relevant to existential per­ worship services, Jewish family activi­ sonal problems; a commitment to "... they criticize ties, how-to holiday instructional ses­ egalitarian treatment of men and women; sions, and, most broadly, whole commu­ and empowerment of lay people (not just the Jewish nities that make special efforts to recruit volunteers) to undertake Jewish activi­ community's and welcome underinvolved Jews. The ties. These features, both singly and in inability to present major "players" in outreach efforts combination, distinguish outreach include: Lubavitcher Hasidim, the Union programs from their conventional Judaism in ways of American Hebrew Congregations (of counterparts. that address Reform Judaism), Jewish Community underinvolved Centers, scores of extraordinary congre­ The research points to four areas of gations from all denominations, special­ philanthropic opportunity: Jews' most keenly ized services that are marketed to syna­ 1. Address the debate between advo­ felt problems." gogues and JCCs, feminist communities, cates of outreach to the intermarried and spiritually oriented communities, the of inreach to the moderately affiliated. havurah movement, and, from a philan­ The report suggests a consultation thropic perspective, the Avi-Hai Founda­ process of key advocates. tion of New York. 2. Build the outreach field as a The major targets of outreach efforts recognized and cohesive professional are parents of preschool children, inter­ community. A national conference with faith families, and unmarried younger provision for follow-up is recommended. adults. Why and how are these (and 3. Attempt to reshape the ethos of others) remote from Jewish life? The mainstream Judaism by teaching and answers include the following: simple applying the outreach critique. Recom­ indifference to being Jewish; disappoint­ mended here is the designation of four or ment with the spiritual quality of most five existing centers of Jewish outreach congregations; anxiety of feeling incom­ excellence that could influence key petent in Jewish settings; fear of reproach constituencies in Jewish life. for not "measuring up" Jewishly; fear of 4. Selectively encourage alternative rejection; political remoteness; financial Judaic movements; that is, support pilot concerns; and assorted unhappy personal projects and replication capabilities for circumstances. selected projects of Jewish feminists, environmentalists, and spiritually Good outreach programs are noted for oriented communities. their warm and caring communities. here is not to identify specific projects for possible funding. Rather, the goal is WHY to provide the knowledge base essential to the intelligent formulation of philan­ OUTREACH V thropic policy to enhance Jewish out­ reach efforts in the United States. The outreach subspecialty is just now beginning to emerge as a distinct arena (^y/he outreach approach is driven by a of professional endeavor. Few outreach «_x heightened concern among communal professionals are aware of one another, professionals and lay leaders over the let alone maintain regular collegial very survival of organized American relations. By assembling the professional Jewry. In contrast with the prevailing lore and wisdom and by highlighting posture heretofore, the outreach ethos areas of need, this report aims to help embodies a readiness among Jewish crystallize the outreach specialty and leaders and institutions to promote help advance the outreach specialists' Jewish involvement aggressively in the efforts to gain recognition and tangible wider American marketplace of compet­ support. ing cultural currents and communal The research undertaken for this affiliations. report relied primarily upon extensive Some outreach programs serve, in conversations with outreach-oriented effect, as recruitment mechanisms for professionals in the New York, Philadel­ synagogues, Jewish Community Centers phia, Chicago, and Los Angeles metro­ (JCCs), and other mainstream institu­ politan areas. These included pulpit tions. Others, in contrast, sharply differ­ rabbis, Jewish Community Center entiate themselves from conventional workers, educators, social scientists, Jewish life so as to especially appeal to seminarians, social workers, agency those who find established Jewish executives, and volunteers (see Sources). institutions unattractive. But whatever I also examined the research literature, their relationship with mainstream grant proposals, meeting minutes, Jewish institutions, outreach programs in promotional materials, and training their entirety exhibit something new and manuals. distinctive in Jewish communal life, a The report begins by developing a significant departure from the standard working definition of Jewish outreach. It operating procedures of organized then describes the major obstacles to Jewish life. Jewish involvement experienced by This study aims to help shape philan­ "underinvolved" Jews (be they in- thropic policy in the area of Jewish married, out-married, or unmarried). The outreach. It also seeks to contribute more report proceeds to identify the key broadly to a better understanding of this characteristics, objectives, and tech­ area of Jewish communal endeavor. niques that distinguish good outreach To be clear at the outset, our objective programs. Last, it lays out questions and //

issues that can help shape philanthropic policy designed to strengthen efforts to enhance the Jewish involvement of large numbers of underinvolved American A WORKING Jews. In short, this report asks and answers four questions: (1) What is DEFINITION outreach? (2) What is the nature of the problems it addresses? (3) How does outreach work? (4) How can philan­ thropic agencies help? A note on terminology: Practitioners ^r ewish outreach is a vague and evol- in the world of Jewish outreach refer to s-^/ ving term that takes on somewhat the targets of their efforts in a variety of different meanings in different contexts. ways, calling them "unaffiliated," To the Reform movement, outreach "peripheral," or "marginal" Jews. This refers primarily to efforts to involve terminology derives from a conception of interfaith families (both Jewish and American Jewry as divided between a Gentile spouses) in temple activities and core community of active Jews and a to engage them in Jewish life more periphery of unaffiliated Jews. Most broadly. In contrast, for several Ortho­ activists believe that their peripheral dox outreach agencies, the key objective counterparts ought to be more involved is to bring about the "return" to Judaism in conventional Jewish life both for their of bona fide Jews who are seen as own good and for that of organized alienated from traditional Jewish life. To Jewry. No convenient terminology many synagogue leaders, outreach avoids these presumptive images and connotes efforts to recruit new syna­ norms. For want of a more neutral and gogue members, or to activate and retain felicitous term, then, this report refers to current members. To leaders of philan­ those constituting the principal target thropic campaigns, outreach means audience of outreach efforts as seeking out new donors. To some Jewish "underinvolved" Jews, perhaps only educators, outreach refers to efforts to slightly more neutral than "unaffiliated," upgrade the Judaic knowledge, liturgical "peripheral," or "marginal." The term skills, or leadership capabilities of those "underinvolved" will be used in this who are already somewhat committed to report to embrace two key subpopula- conventional Jewish involvement. tions: the mixed-married (or interfaith To make matters more complicated, families) and the marginally affiliated outreach need not be explicitly labeled (Jews who are not mixed-married but are as such. The Jewish Community Center regarded as maintaining only perfunctory field sees itself as constituting a vast affiliation with the Jewish community, if outreach vehicle. JCCs believe they any at all). provide accessible and nonthreatening ports of entry to Jewish life for many who would not readily affiliate with 5

synagogues and other more demanding includes what some call "inreach," that institutions. Jewish feminists and envi­ is, enrichment efforts aimed at inactive ronmentalists, as well as those in certain but affiliated Jews. spiritually oriented Jewish communities, The debate over which population to also lay claim to the outreach mantle. target—the mixed-married or otherwise These movements see themselves as underinvolved Jews—is crucial to providing distinctive alternatives to policy-makers, and it is a topic that we conventional Jewish life for those who explore immediately below in some "The debate over find Jewish mainstream institutions detail. But, at least for purposes of unappealing for whatever reason. much of the research presented subse­ which population to Outreach, in the broadest of terms, quently, we need not distinguish be­ target—the mixed- can even be said to characterize most tween outreach programs aimed at the married or synagogues, schools, Jewish organiza­ mixed-married and those aimed at other otherwise under- tions, and charitable drives. To assure underinvolved Jews. their continuity, all Jewish institutions involved Jews—is must at some time and in some way crucial to policy­ recruit new members or supporters, and makers ..." invigorate them with commitment to Judaism and the institution. However they go about doing so could, theoreti­ cally, be termed outreach. To be sure, this usage may take us too far afield. Most outreach professionals would reject a definition of outreach so broad as to encompass the normal recruitment operations of conventional Jewish agencies. Instead, they would argue, outreach should refer exclusively to programs and activities that target those who would not otherwise be active in Jewish life. For purposes of this report, then, "outreach" will encompass all efforts to recruit, educate, and activate underinvolved Jews, regardless of whether they are intermarried, but excluding the normal recruitment and mobilization activities of conventional Jewish organizations. This definition goes beyond the Reform movement's usage, which focuses on activities directed at the intermarried. Rather, it 6'.

verge of leaving the Jewish people or are creating "dual-identity" households marked by both Jewish and Christian OUTREACH customs and ceremonies (Medding et al. 1992). Outreach efforts may have the v s effect of retaining their connection to IN REACH Jewishness or even of winning over Gentile-born newcomers through conversion. Thus outreach to the mixed- married pertains both to the quality of Jewish involvement and to the sheer utreach professionals are divided number of identifying Jews. over the efficacy of targeting two Outreach advocates contend that not major Jewish population groups— only is reaching the mixed-married mixed-married families or Jews who are urgent; it is also quite feasible. Some only "moderately affiliated" with interfaith marriages provoke a height­ conventional Jewish life (for analysis of ened interest in exploring the partners' the "moderately affiliated," see Cohen religious identities and patterns of 1986 and 1991b). family relationships (Cowan and Cowan Those who advocate investing 1987; Mayer 1985a). Perhaps paradoxi­ heavily in reaching Jews who have cally, intermarriage may open a window married non-Jews (as well as their of opportunity for intervention by children and Gentile spouses) note that outreach workers. the number of mixed-married Jews is Finally, time is of the essence. The large and growing. Almost half of Jews tens of thousands of mixed-married who have married recently have mar­ Jewish couples who have wed only in ried Gentiles who have not converted to the last five or ten years may not be Judaism, and that rate figures to grow. accessible to organized Jewry at all in Forcefully advocating in-marriage, just a few more years. according to this camp, will do little to The counterargument that stresses lower the intermarriage rate: working primarily with the moderately The dramatic rise in the rate of Jewish affiliated starts with the supposition that intermarriage raised with new urgency this group is so much easier (and the question of what should the commu­ nity do about it. The conventional cheaper) to identify and reach than are response of most Jewish parents, rabbis, the mixed-married. About 80 percent of and other community leaders of admon­ Jews eventually join a synagogue (if ishing young Jews not to marry Gen­ only to provide bar/bat mitzvah lessons tiles, and castigating them when they for their children). It follows that a very did so, had clearly not prevented large number of Jews are now (or have intermarriage rates from rising to unprecedented heights. (Mayer been) affiliated, but most of these have 1991:44) done so without much passion, enthusi­ Many mixed-married Jews are on the asm, involvement, or knowledge. It is 7

fair to say that the moderately affiliated context to meet and marry fellow make up the bulk of members of Conser­ Jews, and that only an attractive vative and Reform synagogues. community stands a good chance of Richard Israel (1985) writes: prompting the born-Gentile spouses of Outreach is only one aspect of a two- mixed-married Jews to consider sided problem, inreach being the other. converting. In many respects one of the very best In short, both sides claim that their places for us to fish is right in our target population is large and pivotal; private ponds, among our own member­ both claim that their respective popu­ ships. Right now, we already have more lation is accessible and malleable; and people than we know how to utilize well, people whose energies we have not both claim that outreach efforts with figured out how to engage. If these their segment will have ramifications people are truly enriched by their Jewish beyond the specific group in question. institutional experiences, they will inevitably convey a powerful recruiting The debate between the two camps message for others who will also want extends beyond the narrow question of similarly to enrich their own lives. how best to allocate scarce resources. One of the curious features of an The advocates of reaching interfaith energetic outreach program is that it families believe that members of the works in several directions. The best opposing camp want to totally aban­ way to do outreach is to build up an don the mixed-married as unworthy of inner community and one of the best ways to build up an inner community is communal efforts. Advocates of to do outreach. reaching the moderately affiliated, in turn, think that their counterparts are In stark contrast with the moderately undermining the historic Jewish affiliated, mixed-married Jews encounter prohibition against intermarriage by a major obstacle to increasing their dissolving the heretofore clearly Jewish involvement or that of their defined boundary between Jews and children. By definition, they are married Gentiles. to non- Jews, many of whom maintain their own religious or ethnic commit­ This camp opposes what they ments. The Gentile partners, especially regard as overly accommodating the those with strong ties to other religions, mixed-married if only because, in their may well resist introducing Jewish view, some outreach activities under­ customs and ceremonies into their mine the traditional prohibition against homes. intermarriage. Steven Bayme of the Moreover, advocates of focusing upon American Jewish Committee has the moderately affiliated claim, stronger argued: Jewish communities will indirectly help We cannot afford a climate in which curtail the mixed-marriage rate and rabbis and communal leaders—to say nothing of parents—are incapable of encourage conversion. The thinking here articulating a preference for in- is that more attractive Jewish communi­ marriage lest they offend those already ties will give Jews a reason and a intermarried. There is a natural tension 8

between outreach and efforts at inter­ rabbis, Jewish communal professionals, marriage prevention. (1992a:5) lay leaders—whose Jewish lives have Elsewhere he writes: always been highly public. Admirable though they are, the example of these Does outreach [to mixed-marrieds], Jewish leaders is likely to set standards where successful, make it difficult to so high that large numbers of the poten­ '... abandoning discourage interfaith dating and mar­ tial target prospects will be prevented the historic norm riage? Can Jewish professionals em­ from participating. . . . [Mixed-married] brace interfaith couples and simulta­ couples need low risk opportunities for against marrying neously urge teenagers to date only Jewish involvement: opportunities that non-Jews violates Jews? May rabbis advocate in-marriage hold out the promise of warmth, connect­ when so many congregants are them­ edness and affirmation of self-worth a dearly held selves intermarried? (1992b:8) without the immediate specter of over­ principle of Whether, in fact, welcoming the whelming obligations like saving the Jewish people, defending Israel against mixed-married undermines the en­ Jewish life... " her enemies and becoming holy. (Mayer dogamy norm and whether, in fact, this 1992:40) norm actually discourages intermarriage remain open questions. But, it should be Deeply held moral convictions clearly noted, the competing camps ultimately are operating on both sides. The most base their positions on considerations of vigorous advocates in each camp think moral principle rather than on consider­ their approach is ethically necessary ations of potential effectiveness in even if the factual predictions of their stemming intermarriage or reaching the opponents prove accurate. Advocates of intermarried. For the traditionally inreach would resist many forms of minded, abandoning (or undermining) outreach to the intermarried even if the historic norm against marrying non- thousands of mixed-married families Jews violates a dearly held principle of would come to participate in Jewish life. Jewish life that is a critical precondition The infiltration into the Jewish popula­ for a healthy Jewish community. For the tion of what they regard as Gentiles less traditionally minded, disapproving posing as Jews is a frightening prospect of intermarriage in clear and loud terms for the more traditional opponents of presents an insurmountable obstacle to outreach to the mixed-married. Similarly, their efforts to reach the mixed-married advocates of outreach to interfaith and preserve their connections with families would hold fast to their position their Jewish families and the Jewish even if they were convinced that their people. In fact, maintaining high "stan­ activities helped erode the endogamy dards" is, in their view, part of the norm and elevated the intermarriage rate. problem that will inhibit the success of For them, the large number of Jews outreach efforts: married to Gentiles demands a welcom­ ing response on the part of the Jewish Now that the Jewish community is community. going public to stave off the corrosive effects of assimilation through outreach, Ultimately, the dispute derives from a danger arises that the terms for conflicting visions of Judaism. The participation will be set by Jews— inreach camp speaks of tradition, stan- .9

dards, and authenticity. The outreach Putting aside the question of which camp talks of adaptation, compassion, scenario is more likely, which of these and inclusiveness. The two schools have sorts of changes is more important, very different ideas of who is a Jew, who valuable, or consequential? Is it more can become a Jew (and how), and what important to preserve a very fragile constitutes a worthwhile Jewish commu­ connection to the Jewish people from "Deeply held moral nity. unraveling altogether, or is it more The debate is further clouded by our important to elevate the level of involve­ convictions clearly collective ignorance of several crucial ment of affiliated but inactive Jews? The are operating on pieces of information. We have had no answer to this question rests ultimately both sides. The most rigorous assessments of the effectiveness upon Jewish values rather than social- vigorous advocates of outreach programs. We know neither scientific evidence. the number of individuals who are For many policy-makers the decision in each camp think affected by outreach programs nor the as to which population to serve (the their approach is extent to which they are influenced to mixed-married or the moderately ethically necessary enhance their Jewish involvement. We affiliated) is heavily influenced by even if the factual have only a vague idea of how many personal inclinations and family circum­ dollars it costs to affect one individual. stances. No matter what the research predictions of their And even if this information were at our would tell them, it would be hard to opponents prove disposal, how are we to assess the imagine Orthodox supporters of out­ accurate." relative value of different kinds of reach suddenly investing heavily in impact? working with interfaith couples; and it Suppose, for example, that a particular would be equally hard to imagine outreach program succeeds with a Reform temple leadership choosing to particular mixed-married family. This virtually ignore interfaith families in family—who otherwise would have favor of a near-exclusive focus on the departed entirely from the Jewish people marginally affiliated members of —decides to start celebrating several Reform congregations. Jewish holidays and to send their chil­ At this point, we can only suppose dren to Jewish supplementary schools, that both outreach efforts directed at the actions they would not have taken in the mixed-married and those aimed at the absence of outreach efforts. Now, moderately affiliated have some merit. suppose that another program succeeds We lack the information necessary to with yet another hypothetical family. make a sound rational judgment as to This family, headed by an in-married which is more effective, and even were Jewish couple, had been situated on the such information available, most policy­ inactive periphery of a congregation. As makers in the field would ignore the so- a result of the successful inreach pro­ called "hard evidence" and rely on their gram, this family becomes highly active own values and inclinations. in prayer, study, and volunteer activities, and decides to send their children to Jewish day school. H)

But outreach professionals are not just gravely concerned about the American Jewish future; they are also deeply THE disappointed in the response of main­ stream organized Jewry to the looming ou TREA C H crisis in American Jewish identity. CRITIQUE Almost universally, outreach workers assign some, if not much, of the blame for the breadth of Jewish alienation to the general run of Jewish educators, rabbis, social workers, and lay leaders. To elaborate, outreach workers often //Q)utreach practitioners—whether feel that many of their colleagues lack the \S2' those who work with interfaith sheer interest to reach out to underinvol- couples or those who work with the ved Jews, many of whom seem hope­ moderately affiliated—are a varied lot. lessly alienated from Jewish life. Main­ They differ in terms of ideology, region, stream Jewish professionals, it is alleged, target audience, and institutional setting. often find little fulfillment in working They may be congregational rabbis, with Jews who seem to know little and Jewish Community Center workers, care little about being Jewish. Some in Hillel directors, adult educators, family- the outreach field go so far as to accuse service workers, or volunteers. But their counterparts of "bias" in their despite ideological, geographic, and dealings with interfaith couples, a major professional diversity, outreach practi­ segment of the underinvolved population. tioners agree on a set of propositions that together constitute what may be Beyond questioning the motivations of called the outreach critique. their conventional colleagues, outreach workers also claim that many Jewish Fundamental to this perspective is a professionals, especially congregational great sense of urgency about the pros­ rabbis, are deficient in "people skills." pect of the Jewish population losing The claim here is that pulpit rabbis' hundreds of thousands if not millions of training and personalities may make them members in the not too distant future. well-suited for the roles of formal educa­ The following remarks by Jerry tor or administrator or public figure, to Witkowsky of the JCC of Chicago take just three of the many demands illustrate this sentiment: placed upon the American congregational I believe we have a window of oppor­ rabbi. But, the critique alleges, many tunity of only 30-40 years in which to rabbis are neither predisposed nor exten­ deal with the Jewish identity issues of sively trained in how to touch, reach, and Jewish Americans. I fear, along with motivate the underinvolved to become some scholars in the field, that if we more Jewishly active. don't address these issues, the only Jews left in America will be the Outreach professionals cite one further Orthodox. alleged shortcoming among their col- leagues: the lack of a conceptualization with similar goals in mind. The Jewish of Judaism and Jewish identity that is Community Center movement has been appropriate for engaging the placing a higher premium on skills in underinvolved. With respect to social Judaic programming and has sought to workers, the outreach professionals enrich the Jewish background of its claim that they often lack sufficient workers. The very behavior of these and grounding in a normative Jewish way of other mainstream institutions suggests life, and as a corollary, they lack the that they themselves concur at least in skills and background to make Jewish part with the outreach critique outlined life appealing to the Jews with whom above. they work. The complaint against the Outreach workers believe that they rabbis and the educators takes on a succeed where others have failed—or different coloration. Here, many out­ not even tried. Outreach professionals reach professionals argue, these poten­ are convinced that many underinvolved tial Judaic role models fail to address Jews can be "reached" with the proper spiritual concerns and questions. More­ message and techniques. At the same over, the critique claims, rabbis and time, they readily acknowledge that their educators overlook opportunities to approaches are more appropriate for the relate the virtues of Judaism to the many underinvolved Jews than for the private emotional needs of individuals as already active minority. The classes, they encounter some of life's more workshops, retreats, rabbis, educators, difficult moments. and synagogues that are most attractive This report cannot gauge precisely the to those most remote from Jewish life validity of this critique. It cannot deter­ are often, at the same time, decidedly mine the extent to which Jewish profes­ uninteresting to those already very sionals lack interest in the underinvol­ involved in the Jewish community. ved, or skills in relating to people, or the Those who are Judaically knowledge­ ability to address Judaism to people's able, committed to Jewish values, and most urgent existential problems. active in Jewish institutions are, almost Suffice it to say that even professional by definition, more satisfied with the training institutions, professional societ­ available options for Jewish involvement ies, and organizations of lay leaders and often view outreach programs as too have at least rhetorically recognized elementary, "glitzy," or "touchy-feely." these issues. Some of the rabbinical In short, outreach is not meant for seminaries have instituted changes in the everybody; but in an age where the curriculum to enhance the future rabbis' underinvolved are sharply increasing, sensitivity to spiritual issues, to help the outreach field is arguing that con­ them contend with the problematics of ventional institutions need to rethink the frequent intermarriage, and to strengthen way they relate to the huge number of their skills as pastors and educators. inactive Jews, be they formally affiliated Some rabbinical associations have (or not) or out-married (or not). undertaken in-service training sessions /J

(Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, and Reconstructionist); the entire campus Hillel movement (which must be seen as s 0 ME primarily a massive outreach enterprise); outreach "wholesalers" such as the OUT REACH Orthodox-oriented National Jewish Outreach Project, which supplies congre­ PROGRAMS gations with ready-made instructions for outreach programming, or the Florence Melton Mini-School, which provides a similar service for sponsors of elementary ?ow have outreach professionals Jewish adult learning; and the variety of responded to the large number of alternative Jewish movements that underinvolved Jews? The answer defies especially appeal to Jews who are "turned simple categories. It includes such off to mainstream Jewish institutions. programs as courses in basic Judaism, Included under this latter rubric are workshops for interfaith couples, begin­ various Jewish feminist endeavors, ners' worship services, Jewish family spiritually oriented communities and activities, how-to holiday instructional teachers, the nascent Jewish environmen­ sessions, and whole communities that talist movement, and the phenomenon of make special efforts to recruit the havurot, the intimate prayer-and-study underinvolved. These and related communities found in many non-Ortho­ programs, policies, and activities consti­ dox synagogues. tute the emerging field of Jewish out­ To date, the major single philanthropic reach (see Mayer 1991; Mayer and force in this field has been the Avi-Hai Dragonne 1992). Foundation. The New York-based Among the more significant "players" philanthropy lists three top priorities in in this field are the Lubavitcher Hasidim its brochure: networking of outreach with their network of Habad houses, professionals; training programs for public-relations campaigns, mitzvah outreach professionals; and outreach to mobiles, and itinerant seminarians; the parents of children in Jewish schools. Jewish Community Centers with their Consistent with these aims, the Foun­ growing number of Judaic culture dation recently provided several hundred specialists, basic Judaism courses, thousand dollars to the Association for family events, and holiday workshops; Jewish Outreach Professionals, a network and the Union of American Hebrew of Orthodox educators established in Congregations, the congregational arm 1988. In addition, the Foundation sup­ of Reform Judaism that has been vigor­ ports programs at the major Reform and ously urging its congregations to address Orthodox rabbinical seminaries in interfaith couples and their children. outreach training. Most recently, the In addition, one must also note the Foundation made grants totaling efforts of several widely scattered rabbis $1,370,000 to "24 Conservative, Ortho­ and congregations of all denominations dox and Reform organizations, primarily synagogues and day schools to help designed to improve the skills, interests, "make both outreach to the unaffiliated and connections among outreach person­ and inreach to the affiliated high priori­ nel. Programs run by the rabbinical ties of their institutional missions." Most seminaries and professional societies of the twenty-four projects focus on some qualify under this rubric. Last, we can version of adult education, and most are think of endeavors that aim broadly at directed at groups described as "younger changing the public perception of Jewish adult" and at "unaffiliated" populations. involvement. Publicity campaigns by the Just a few target the mixed-married congregational movements and the efforts explicitly. by the Lubavitcher Hasidim fall under this The diversity of the outreach field rubric. makes it difficult for the lay policy-maker Most outreach programs specialize in a to make sense of the huge variety of specific audience. The primary target endeavors. To help in the construction of groups are interfaith couples; unaffiliated a "mental map" of the outreach field, Jews (regardless of marital status); the each program can be characterized by inactive affiliated (efforts to reach this four key dimensions: group are often called "inreach"); single 1. Distance from the client: To what adults; younger adults; feminists; the extent does this program deal directly spiritually oriented; Soviet Jewish immi­ with the underinvolved rather than grants; gays; the disabled; and college provide backup or preparatory service? students. 2. Audience: Who are the Next, we need to consider the issue of underinvolved Jews to whom this pro­ auspice or location. The choices here gram is directed? include: synagogues (of all denomina­ 3. Auspice: Who sponsors the program tions), JCCs, Jewish schools, or some and where does it take place? alternative location (e.g., a havurah, a 4. Activity: What does the program do? Jewish feminist center, or a private home). Last, we need to be aware of the range With respect to distance from the of activities. Most activities concentrate client, we observe several possibilities. on building well-functioning communities The most frequent is direct service, or social settings whose principal stated wherein outreach workers deal directly raison d'etre entails some combination of with the underinvolved. One step re­ learning, worship, and social action. moved from the front line are the "whole­ The four dimensions of distance, sale programs" (e.g., the National Jewish audience, auspice, and activity produce a Outreach Project or the Florence Melton huge number of possible configurations of Adult Mini-School). As noted, these outreach programs. Fortunately for the programs have been fully designed by philanthropist (and, perhaps unfortunately some central agency and are, in effect, for the field), not every theoretical possi­ "franchised" to local purveyors such as bility is represented. synagogues and Jewish Community Centers. Next, we can think of various sorts of leadership training programs u

dates for outreach programs. Last, unmarried younger adults are seen as at WHO ARE risk of intermarrying and are often said to feel unwelcome in Jewish institutions. THE UNDER- This concern underlies a large number of singles-oriented programs in synagogues INVOLVED? and JCCs. (Although these programs were not included in this research, they do constitute a form of outreach none­ theless.) To be sure, several outreach programs /VV'Qjio are the "underinvolved" Jews, target other constituencies: e.g., college /\y and why are they underinvol­ students, gays and lesbians, the physi­ ved? Not surprisingly, members of this cally disabled, and recent immigrants critical population group are fairly from the Soviet Union. However, the diverse, both in terms of their social bulk of outreach efforts focus upon the background and in their attitudes toward three groups noted above. Jewish involvement: Why do younger parents, the mixed- If we ought to have learned anything married, single adults, and others exhibit from the marketing people, it is to relatively low levels of Jewish involve­ recognize that our Jewish outreach ment? Part of the answer is found in the market is segmented and that we cannot sorts of beliefs and attitudes that dimin­ assume that all people are equally ish interest and obstruct participation in promising prospects every moment of their lives. They are not. (Israel 1985) Jewish life. Together, these views constitute a psychographic profile of the Most outreach institutions focus on underinvolved young-adult Jewish three population segments, either singly population, the most prominent elements or in combination: parents of preschool of which follow. children, interfaith families, and unmar­ ried younger adults. The parents of Apparent Indifference to Judaism preschool children are often rethinking Many underinvolved Jews certainly their Jewish involvement as a conse­ recognize their Jewish ancestry and quence of having children. As one identity, but for them their Jewishness— outreach worker put it in a recent study: such as it is—holds little emotional "You get to the mothers because of the import, positive or negative, and little children, and you get to the fathers substantive meaning. They see few, if because of the mothers" (Heilman any, ways in which Judaism can enrich 1991:9). The interfaith families are seen their lives or address their most deeply as especially at risk of severing all felt existential questions. In short, they connections to the Jewish people. can appear as Jewish as President Nixon Moreover, for some, interfaith marriage was a Quaker. provokes a ferment, curiosity, and Egon Mayer (1985b:6) offers the openness that make them ideal candi­ following portrait of Jews who may be 15

regarded by some as indifferent or nearly such. Rather, like many Americans and so: West Europeans, this view may derive In fact, we all know them very well. from an aversion to organized religion, They are our cousins whom we have not particularly synagogues, rabbis, and seen since our Bar Mitzvah. They are our observant Jews. Outreach professionals brothers and sisters who have not set foot argue that those who say they are not inside the synagogue since theirs. Or they religious include many who harbor may be an aunt, uncle or brother-in-law who married a Christian and now finds it spiritual concerns and interests. uncomfortable to join the rest of the Spiritually Disappointed family in celebrating the Jewish holi­ days .... Jews with strong spiritual interests who * They see few, if Upon direct scrutiny, none of these are disappointed with conventional any, ways in which people may feel particularly "alienated" synagogues, rabbis, and congregants may Judaism can from or "alien" to the Jewish community. turn to religious, cultural, and political Indeed, most will say, "Look, nearly all movements outside of Jewish life. This enrich their lives or my friends are Jewish. We think Jewish phenomenon underlies the overrepre- address their most thoughts, we laugh at Jewish jokes, and we certainly eat Jewish foods — we even sentation of Jews in Eastern religious deeply felt like the same Chinese restaurants. We're movements, New Age groups, meditative existential just not religious. But we are probably in communities, and others. As one such the majority among American Jews. Jew is quoted as saying: questions. In short, We're not alienated. We feel perfectly at Non-Jews are more stimulating and / like they can appear as home among all the others." to share my religious convictions with Jewish as A recent study of these sorts of Jews them. They are often so spiritual. My suggests that they are not totally indiffer­ Jewish friends will say things like, "How President Nixon ent to their Jewish background. Rather, many boxes of matzohs did you buy?" was a Quaker. " (Padva 1991:22-23; emphasis added). their Jewishness is recalled in certain social contexts. Jewish identity for the The paucity of spiritually oriented unaffiliated or underinvolved may be Jewish communities is a frequently situational, as it is for others. However, voiced theme among outreach profes­ for the unaffiliated, Jewishly meaningful sionals: situations are more episodic, less fre­ There is a strong need for a community quent than they are for more Jewishly in which it is the norm and not the involved or active individuals: exception to raise and to discuss both personal and more general religious Most of the unaffiliated were aware of issues; people want to be able to talk being Jewish [only] when they were with about their doubts, their progress or their other Jews (family, holidays, life-cycle lack of it, their ability or inability to events) and felt positively connected, or pray, to express their angers, and to when they were with non-Jews and felt receive both support and reproof from different. (Padva I99l:2l) their fellows. Such a community, of The claim by many underinvolved which many examples exist outside the Jews that "we're just not religious," as Jewish world today, enhances one's ability to become a religious person. . . . suggested by Mayer above, may well The Jewish community is experienced by signify not an antagonism to Judaism as many as primarily social, and not Fear of Reproach religious in its nature. (Omer-Man 1984:15) Some Jews are reluctant to engage in Jewish life in part because they believe The Anxiety of Incompetence they will be subject to repeated re­ American Jews—one of this society's proach ("guilt-tripping") by rabbis, most highly educated and highly active lay leaders, parents, and others professionalized ethnic groups—are for not measuring up to communal particularly unaccustomed to dealing expectations. In an article on the with incompetence in any sphere of "moderately affiliated," I once ob­ life. Owing in part to their high level of served: achievement, the customary sense of One of the common experiences of anxiety associated with not knowing affiliated American Jews is the encoun­ what to do in social situations may well ter with official Jews speaking the language of reproach, evaluation, and be magnified for American Jews. ultimately accusation. Rabbis chastise Indeed, underinvolved Jews commonly their congregants for failing to attend report that they are reluctant to venture services, to observe ritual practices, to into synagogue services (or other send their children to Jewish schools, arenas of Jewish activity) for fear of or to marry within the faith. violating some obscure norm, or simply Fundraisers exhort the real and meta- phoric survivors of the Holocaust to for fear of feeling lost in an unfamiliar contribute to needy, endangered or activity amid a group of strangers, all embattled Jews in Israel and elsewhere. of whom seem to know each other. . . . The language of Jewish life is As Rabbi Harvey Fields of Los overwhelmingly a language of demand Angeles writes: and chastisement. Such chastisement This target population is uncomfort­ makes the listener—who more often able, uneasy in a synagogue or other than not fails to meet the expectations Jewish settings where they may be implicit in the remarks—feel as if he or called upon to participate. Having she is being called a "bad Jew." seldom or never been exposed to the In point of fact, the vast majority of etiquette, or cues, or language of Jews—even those who intermarry and Jewish institutional life, they fear in other ways fall short of some of the embarrassment. . . and ridicule. Better expectations enunciated above—feel to stay away from synagogue . . . than they are "good Jews," and resent being to have their illiteracy exposed. labeled otherwise. (Cohen 1985:254-5) Entering synagogues and other The key difficulty with replacing a Jewish institutions, then, can provoke language of reproach with a language anxieties—or worse—among those of resource is that Judaism, especially who think that their lack of familiarity for the more traditionally oriented, is a and lack of competence will be matters normative system. The corpus of of public display. ancient Jewish law is replete with numerous detailed demands, in the areas of both ritual behavior and ethical 47

conduct. All the major denominations of Fields writes: Judaism have to some extent adopted The intermarried . . . carry the presump­ the modern principle that individual tion that no rabbi or synagogue will ever Jews are free to make their own deci­ welcome them, that they and their sions as to how to live their Jewish children are pariahs. From their point of lives. But even those with the strongest view, other Jews, including segments of their families, view them as traitors, and emphasis on autonomy and individual­ rather than face the hostility they believe ism maintain some notions of Jewish waits for them at the door of the syna­ standards, that is, ideas as to what gogue they stay away — far away. "Jews are values and behavior are appropriate Converts, for their part, are well aware from a Jewish point of view. And all— dramatically of the strong tribal bonds that character­ even the most liberal denominations— overrepresented ize the Jewish people. Accordingly, they maintain a normative opposition to are sensitive to any slight, real or imag­ as activists and intermarriage and at least discourage their rabbis from officiating at weddings ined, that would signify their rejection by supporters of between Jews and Gentiles. born-Jews as ethnically unworthy of full liberal social- inclusion in the Jewish community. To In other words, no Western religion, varying degrees, similar perceptions are justice causes." including American Judaism, can held by gays and lesbians, single moth­ authentically see itself as presenting a ers, and the less affluent. cultural resource that can be voluntarily adopted, abandoned, or ignored by its Political Remoteness adherents. In fact, actual or potential Jews remain the most politically liberal adherents of a religious faith are at­ ethnic group in the United States (Cohen tracted to religious involvement pre­ 1989). The rank-and-file maintain liberal cisely because the community and views on major public issues. Jews are philosophy provide a set of values, dramatically overrepresented as activists standards, and challenges to the conduct and supporters of liberal social-justice of their everyday life. causes. The outreach-minded Jewish profes­ To liberal Jews, Jewish institutions sional, then, is confronted with a often appear hopelessly conservative. difficult task of balancing the traditional Some significant number of disaffected, language of standards and reproach with social-justice-oriented Jews regard the the modern language of benefits and conventional Jewish community as out of resource. touch with the major social issues of the Fear of Rejection day. As such, these underinvolved Jews see few, if any, opportunities for ex­ The growing rates of intermarriage and pressing their social-justice commitments conversion have markedly increased the in a Jewish institutional context. number of Jews who feel they are unwelcome in Jewish life. Mixed- The Financial Barrier married Jews understand that they have Although, in the aggregate, American violated a passionately held traditional Jews constitute the most affluent major norm of Jewish life. Rabbi Harvey ethnic group in the United States, large been deeply disappointed by a rabbi or numbers of Jews perceive Jewish involve­ other official representative of Judaism; ment as overly costly (Meir and Hostein they may have bitter memories of their 1992). One reason for this perception is Hebrew school experience; they may have that some simply see little benefit in been hurt in a romantic relationship or joining Jewish institutions. If synagogues, marriage in which their Jewish identity or Jewish schools, JCCs, and other organiza­ that of their partner figured prominently; tions are unappealing, then one can they may have suffered anti-Semitic slurs hardly expect that individuals will be or discrimination; or they may have ill eager to support them at any price. But feelings toward their parents for trying to even for those for whom Jewish institu­ impose a type of Jewish involvement that tions do hold some attraction, the sheer they rejected. The sorts of hurtful inci­ cost of involvement in the full panoply of dents are too numerous and idiosyncratic organized Jewish life (synagogue, Jewish to allow for a neat categorization. Suffice school for one's children, charitable it to say that some earlier deep, personal giving, JCC membership, and occasional anguish connected with being Jewish is trips to Israel, to name just the most sometimes at the root of estrangement common features of Jewish communal from Jewish life. affiliation) outstrips the available dispos­ able income of many Jewish families. As one Reform rabbi writes: What factors discouraged these Jews from joining or remaining in a synagogue? Many cited the expense: "$1,000 plus $1,500 building fund plus Hebrew school fees. They charge you for everything. It's a business, not a religion." For others, the costs were secondary to a fundamental lack of interest: "I have other priorities in my life. My spare money goes to vacations. I'm still Jewish whether I belong to a synagogue or not." (Salkin 1991:5) In point of fact, most Jewish institu­ tions typically make provision for people with limited incomes. Nevertheless, the process of applying for scholarships or fee reductions make many would-be members uncomfortable. Open Wounds Some underinvolved Jews bear deep hurts associated with Judaism. They may have 4$

Novices are those who have a con­ firmed interest in Jewish involvement, albeit possibly hesitant or transitory. This RECRUITMENT, group includes possible candidates for conversion as well as parents who feel INITIATION, ignorant of the fundamentals of Judaism. ENRICHMENT For this group, programs that combine Jewish experience (e.g., holiday celebra­ tions) with formal learning are among the most appropriate. Apprentices are those who are com­ ^^ jtfs should be clear, not all the mitted to Jewish involvement, know what \^/*t) obstacles noted above are equally might be considered the fundamentals of characteristic of all underinvolved Jews. Judaism, but now are interested in More pointedly, not all the underin­ expanding their involvement or improv­ volved are equally underinvolved, ing their Judaic skills. The programs here unaffiliated, or in other ways remote are more advanced than those offered to from Jewish life. The principal targets of novices, yet they are not so advanced as outreach efforts can be usefully seg­ to constitute advanced Jewish learning mented into at least three stages of for the experienced member of the development: outsiders, novices, and congregation or community. apprentices (my terminology). It is Herein lies the fuzzy outer boundary noteworthy that most outreach programs of Jewish outreach. After all, courses in specialize, drawing primarily upon Basic Judaism for what I call apprentices individuals in just one of these stages of may be seen as the normal functioning of Judaic development. a synagogue community. The very same courses conducted by the Melton Mini- Outsiders, Novices, Apprentices School, or in some other context that Outsiders are those who are not even sure promises to make newcomers feel about whether they have any interest at welcome and comfortable, lie just within all in Jewish involvement. They may be the definition of outreach used in this members of mixed-married couples who study. What qualifies a Melton course or are wary of any delicate or potentially a JCC program for young parents or a provocative issue, or they may be indi­ synagogue social event for singles as an viduals who are simply very remote from outreach program? The answer may lie in Jewish life. The appropriate outreach the ethos of these activities. As con­ encounter for these people will address trasted with a standard congregational their hesitations, anxieties, and concerns course in basic Jewish skills, the out­ about whether they want to even enter­ reach-oriented program will be character­ tain some involvement in Judaism. ized by openness, questioning, personal Workshops with interfaith couples are engagement, personal struggle, attention typical of such a program. to relationships, and other attributes of the good outreach program described levels of involvement. To be concrete, more fully in the next section of this we may take the case of the JCCs and report. synagogues. JCCs pride themselves at Stagnation or Transition? reaching those less involved in Jewish life, at engaging in what this report has As may well be most appropriate and called recruitment and initiation. In effective, many outreach programs contrast, synagogues tend to appeal to a specialize in just one of these stages: they more Jewishly involved population may primarily recruit, or they initiate, or segment. (Jewish population studies they enrich. Few seem to encompass all demonstrate convincingly that, as "Newcomers to three stages. Although the targeting of compared with JCC members, syna­ active Jewish life particular audiences may make eminent gogue members observe more ritual ( sense from an educational point of view, practices, have more ties to other Jewish follow a career the practice does raise the problem of organizations, contribute more to Jewish path' to increased transition. To illustrate, in the words of philanthropic causes, have more Jewish Jewish involve­ one outreach professional, programs for friends, and are more often in-married.) ment, moving from converts often "leave them dripping at Ideally, JCCs and synagogues can the mikvah." Apparently, programs of complement one another, yet in few one stage to the preconversion study and intense interac­ locales do these mutually suspicious next." tion with rabbis terminate at the moment institutions work together effectively. of conversion. Indeed, the factors underlying the Newcomers to active Jewish life tensions between JCCs and synagogues follow a "career path" to increased are paradigmatic of the sorts of barriers Jewish involvement, moving from one that inhibit interagency or interdenomi­ stage to the next. Currently, synagogues national cooperation. One reason for the and JCCs are not well equipped to attend friction is that the two see themselves in closely to individuals at all phases of competition, not only over money but development. It is no small challenge to over leadership, an even more precious build a Jewish community that simulta­ resource. In addition, synagogues neously serves the needs of outsiders, believe that the JCCs want to host novices, apprentices, and the active weddings and bar/bat mitzvahs, an leadership core. A few extraordinary eventuality that will undercut the con­ outreach communities do manage to keep gregations' revenue; JCCs, for their part, newcomers moving along to higher levels see the synagogues' objections to Jewish of involvement even as they sustain the programming at the JCCs as a matter of highly knowledgeable and active mem­ protecting the congregations' historic bers of the community. But, to say the "turf." least, these are rare communities indeed. Currently, the normal operation of Institutions that are capable of special­ most JCCs, synagogues, and adult- izing in only one stage need to recognize education programs neglect to include their limitations and work with institu­ planning for transition. Few rabbis, tions that focus on individuals at adjacent educators, JCC workers, or outreach professionals make it their business to guide the individuals and families whom they serve to search out other institutions appropriate to their changing Jewish LEARNING, needs and interests. The institutional and WORSHIP, ideological impediments to transition- planning are understandable. After all, SOCIAL helping a member decide what syna­ gogue or school to patronize next does JUSTICE little if anything to augment the budget of the current institution; and one can hardly expect an Orthodox (or Conserva­ tive or Reform) outreach practitioner to generate much enthusiasm for directing f CyV/otwithstanding the considerable underinvolved Jews to a local Reform (or ^S I diversity in both the underinvolved Orthodox or Conservative) supplemen­ and the activities designed to reach them, tary school. Nevertheless, effective outreach programs are characterized by outreach efforts certainly demand atten­ certain thematic uniformities. Under­ tion to introducing individuals to the standing these uniformities is important variety of opportunities for involvement to understanding how outreach programs and affiliation. succeed—or fail. The most fundamental characteristic recalls these ancient rabbinic adages: Don't separate yourself from the [Jewish] community. On three things the world stands: on Torah [study], on worship, and on deeds of loving-kindness. (Ethics of the Fa­ thers) Community-Building and More As is clear to any observer of these programs, community-building is central and essential to good outreach. All successful programs exhibit elements of warm, supportive, and well-functioning communities. The successful programs serve to provide individuals in need of companionship, family-like relations, romance, and friendship with a place where they can address their social needs. As one observer writes: Community is a critical ingredient in ity types that correspond to the Rabbis' successful outreach, enabling the return­ three categories noted above: those who ees to join a warm and welcoming are primarily oriented to intellectual community of like-minded Jews, who encourage further behavior modification growth, those committed to social through subtly (and sometimes not so action, and those open to spiritual subtly) expressed communal norms and search. standards. (Bayme 1992b:4) The more successful outreach com­ The outreach process seeks to con­ munities seem to be able to offer attrac­ vince the outreach target of the virtue and tive possibilities in all three spheres. For value of attachment to other Jews and example, a study of five outreach other Jewish communities in other places communities concludes with the obser­ and in other times (both past and future). vation that community was central, but Successful outreach programs improve not the only key ingredient: the image of Jewish community life. To Before [the formerly uninvolved joined the underinvolved, they convey the these communities], the sense that message that fuller immersion in Jewish worship or religious practice was "not life can address some of the most deeply for me" had characterized their alien­ ation. Being able to enjoy their partici­ felt human needs for companionship and pation in religious services was a major that Jewish communities are the one symbolic breakthrough, as was their place where one can express emerging involvement in a Jewish group, a Jewish Jewish interests and skills. community. For those who had no family ties, this was particularly signifi­ Moreover, participation in outreach cant, but the others, too, relished their communities specifically and Jewish life newfound communal bond. (American generally conveys the sense that one is Jewish Committee 1982: 21). connected across time and space to Jews The report then goes on to explain how of different places, or of previous times, spirituality and learning are intertwined or of future generations. When Jewish with community: educators speak of "transcendent mean­ ing" of Jewish involvement, they are On a practical level, the place of wor­ ship imparted to the participants a often referring to this sense of connection Jewish knowledge they had lacked — with Jews in other eras or locations. the ability to read Hebrew, a familiarity Although outreach programs clearly with the structure and content of the recognize the centrality of providing prayer service, and for some, a profi­ community, few make this objective their ciency in intricate questions of Halakha principal goal. Rather, outreach programs [Jewish law]. avow a commitment to some higher The worship groups also provided their purpose, generally some combination of members with a social ambience made study, worship, and social-justice activi­ up of individuals very much like them­ selves, with whom they could identify ties. Recognizing the major areas of and who at the same time served as interest on the part of the underinvolved, models of Jewish involvement. (Ameri­ some outreach practitioners divide the can Jewish Committee 1982: 21) underinvolved into three major personal­ In the communities the researchers observed, the formerly uninvolved came than to newcomers. ostensibly to pray, but also in search of In brief, truly successful outreach surrogate family members. There they efforts manage to address individuals at made new friends and, in time, acquired different stages of development. They new Judaic skills and concepts. provide communities that satisfy the Jewish and human needs of newcomers After Outreach — Radiant Centers beyond their period of initiation to Outreach makes little sense (and may Jewish life and the community. "Outreach makes even prove counterproductive) if the little sense (and Jewish community has little to offer on may even prove an ongoing basis to those who have been reached. Outreach-oriented congrega­ counterproductive) tions that succeed in recruiting newcom­ if the Jewish ers eventually need to develop the sorts community has of activities and relationships that little to offer on an characterize more stable and more conventional communities. In fact, many ongoing basis to congregations that were once outreach- those who have oriented arrive at a point where they been reached." must turn inward to maintain their vitality. Increasingly they move to address their now veteran members' needs as involved Jews rather than devote so much effort to welcoming, teaching, and including newcomers. Congregations, like all communities, evolve; even those marked in their early stages by an essential commitment to lowering barriers and reaching out to the underinvolved undergo enormous pressure to raise the barriers that fence active members in, even as they fence potential newcomers out. The congregations that manage to grow and hold the newcomers tend to develop subcommunities of specialized activity, what some have called "radiant centers." This concept refers to vital networks of congregants who focus on such activities as study, prayer, and social action. Typically radiant networks appeal to those who have become deeply committed to the congregation rather

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recruited to join the synagogues and organizations in their respective communities. Rather, the goal was to assist unaffiliated and marginally- PROGRAMS affiliated Jews in relating to their Jewish identity in their own homes, at & their own pace and in accordance with their own perceptions and needs. (Kurz PRACTITIONERS and Ukeles 1992:7) Newcomers to Jewish life, who are otherwise wary of joining Jewish communities, feel they can enter, "O/^16 attributes of programs and experiment, and grow, as this study \~y personnel that are most critical for reports: successful outreach are outlined below. More importantly, H. feels it [the Most of these may be seen as direct Harvard worship and study service] is a responses to the obstacles to Jewish comfortable setting for "people [like involvement described earlier. In addi­ me] with pathetic or non-existent Jewish background ... to get their feet tion, most cannot be said to typify the wet." It does not push people to take stance of conventional synagogues, positions they are not yet comfortable Jewish Community Centers, and other with, or to confront theological issues Jewish organizations. Part of what for which they are not yet ready. outreach is the conventional Jewish (American Jewish Committee 1982:4) community is not. Outreach workers try not to obscure their programs' expectations. Rather, Low Entry Barriers their understanding with the potential Good outreach programs work to lower newcomers is that these expectations the entry barriers, real or perceived, to will be held in abeyance until (and if) participation in Jewish life. As noted the newcomer decides to accept them. earlier, would-be participants in Jewish Suspension of Judgment communities are often put off by the perception that they are expected to Underinvolved Jews are keenly sensi­ demonstrate, up front, adherence to a tive to the possibility that they will be normative Jewish lifestyle or Judaic judged unworthy by their more active competence or financial support for the counterparts. Good outreach workers community. Good outreach programs and communities strive to avoid the make participants feel that these expecta­ aura of judgment and reproach that tions are relaxed, if not suspended seems to characterize many conven­ entirely. One study reports: tional Jewish settings: Central to the outreach program's The general ambience of the places of philosophy was the concept that no worship [that appeal to the demands or expectations be placed on the underinvolved] was usually described participants. They were not being as "open," "tolerant" and "understand- 25

ing." The meaning of such references Shaw and David Szonyi (1984:12) put varied. [In one case] . . . such terms matters aptly when they observe: imply an absence of fixed standards of An effective outreach worker will "proper" Jewish behavior, ... a place combine some of the qualities of a good where one did not have to pretend to teacher, personal counselor and referral know more than one did or be more service. He or she should: . . . under­ certain than one was. ... [In another stand others' Jewish dilemmas in part case] they interpreted "open" to mean because of the outreach worker's own lack of pressure to mask their doubts and Jewish struggles and ambivalence, and simulate a Jewishness they did not truly be willing to share insights from his or feel. (American Jewish Committee her own Jewish quest. 1982:22) Another highly desirable characteris­ The claim to a "nonjudgmental" tic in the outreach practitioner is posture appears explicitly and repeatedly unflagging enthusiasm for the task and in promotional and training materials. a tangible excitement about the out­ Writing to potential Orthodox outreach reach program or activity: workers, the manual of Aish HaTorah offers this strongly worded advice: An outreach worker must be a lively, enthusiastic, interesting person — Believing that Orthodox Judaism is an someone people like being around. The infinitely superior ideology does not sort of folks who are wonderful once qualify one to judge individuals who are you get to know them, won't do. In not observant. Always remember that outreach, you seldom get a second human beings can only judge specific chance. Either a relationship starts right actions or opinions, not people. A away or it never happens. (Israel person who has no knowledge of 1984:13) Judaism could possibly be a better person in G-d's eyes than an observant Total Personal Engagement Jew. (Aish HaTorah 1992:12) Good outreach work depends ultimately Empathy and Exuberance upon the outreach worker, that is, the Good outreach workers are distinguished rabbi, educator, teacher, Hillel director, by a genuine empathy for the Judaic or concerned lay person. When they newcomer. For committed Jews, warm function best, these outreach workers feelings for the uninvolved and the broaden the relationship with outreach uninitiated are not always easy to come targets beyond the narrow confines of by. If one believes that there is some­ the immediate activity at hand. Writing thing intellectually, spiritually, and about the Florence Melton Adult Mini- morally superior about a committed School, Betsy Katz, its North American Jewish life, then one is bound to harbor coordinator, makes observations that some sort of negative feelings about would be echoed by educators in other Jews who lack Judaic commitment and outreach programs: knowledge. Committed Jews who work The teachers ... do more than with the underinvolved often need to convey information. Extracurricular suppress the tendency to patronize or activities, emphasis on interpersonal disparage the underinvolved. Steven relationships, the sharing of respon- sibilities with students, and constant as ideal may, in their terms, entail too concern with each individual's much of a "stretch" for the constituency reactions to the program are among they encounter. My conversation with the factors that make the Mini-School one Orthodox outreach worker is infor­ unique. (Katz 1991:31-2) mative on this point: Judaically Centered Q: "So what's wrong with Lubavitch?" Outreach workers need a strong ground­ A: "They demand too much." ing in Judaism to clearly project a Q: "And what's wrong with non- "... outreach work version of Jewish authenticity, and also Orthodox outreach programs?" to be able to maintain their morale. A is not appropiate A: "They demand too little." for the Jewishly strong Jewish belief system is essential for the worker to sustain periods of (To be clear, outreach workers with faint of heart. successive failure: other ideological commitments—e.g., Ambiguity, Lubavitch, Reform, Conservative— Outreach workers must have the . . . would undoubtedly have their own ideas patience between sales if they are to challenges, and as to who demands too much and who sustain themselves. It is very hard. ... It frustration make a helps if they are religious. The ones with demands too little.) strong sense of strong belief systems don't watch the Effective outreach professionals clocks. Their survival is contingent upon maintain an internal set of standards of personal Jewish the depth of their commitment to their success which include attainable goals. gravity a sine qua work. (Israel 1984:13) They are satisfied if the outreach partici­ non..." Clearly, outreach work, with all its pants relate to their programs in a rewards and sources of fulfillment, is not serious fashion, genuinely reflect in new appropriate for the Jewishly faint of ways on the meaning of Judaism, and heart. Ambiguity, challenges, and frus­ undertake some sorts of changes in tration make a strong sense of personal behavior and attitude that represent a Jewish gravity a sine qua non for work­ deepening of Jewish commitment—in ing with the Jewishly underinvolved. any of a variety of ways. Pluralism — Sort Of Participants in outreach programs, for their part, tend to be wary of heavy- All outreach professionals have a handed attempts to push them in one personal commitment to a particular direction or another. To be effective (as ideology. In their heart of hearts, most well as realistic), outreach professionals would want the participants in their need to be prepared to behave in at least programs to adopt their own Jewish a somewhat pluralistic fashion, to commitments and pattern of involve­ project acceptance for several alternative ment. Yet they also recognize that such expressions of Jewish identity, be they a goal would be unrealistic. It is unlikely religious or secular, Orthodox, Conser­ that any part-time program will have an vative, Reform, or Reconstructionist. enduring transformative impact on most Outreach professionals do claim to participants. The outreach professionals sincerely support Jewish intensification themselves recognize that the type of along any of several lines, even those Jewish involvement they are advocating which may differ from their own ideo- logical preference. At the same time, community illustrates this bargain in there is no denying the fact that most action: regard movement toward their own brand He describes Lincoln Square [Syna­ of Judaism as the most desirable for the gogue] as a place which not only participant and most personally reward­ emphasizes learning, but in which ing for the outreach worker. there is an openness about learning. In most of the Orthodox shuls to The "Contract" — A Commitment to which M. had been exposed, the tone Process, Not to an End and content of public discussion The outreach program and the potential presumed that everyone was obser­ "While the new­ newcomer negotiate a "contract" that vant and knew how to be observant. comer makes no governs their relationship. Sometimes ... As a result, people who had questions — and they were far from commitment to this agreement is conveyed in writing being a small group — were made to arrive at an such as in a brochure. It may be laid out feel like outsiders. At Lincoln Square explicit Judaic in the first session of the class or work­ Synagogue, questions are not only shop. It can be reaffirmed by the rabbi, expected, but encouraged and treated commitment, teacher, social worker, or group leader in as evidence of a desire to learn. outreach programs periodic sessions. And sometimes it is (American Jewish Committee 1982:7) established in a one-on-one interview do require prior to the newcomer's decision to join Relevance to Existential Questions participants to the class, prayer group, workshop, or Rabbi Harold Schulweis urges organized take the learning community. Jewry to address individuals' private and initiation The "soft" portion of the contract agendas before expecting that they will process seriously." allays the anticipated anxieties of the become involved in the community's newcomer. He or she will not be ex­ public agenda. Successful outreach pected to immediately adopt the norma­ programs manage to demonstrate how tive structure of Judaism that the teacher the particular community and how or community represent. Judaism in general have something The contract's "hard" segment makes valuable to offer the individual. Jonathan an explicit demand. While the newcomer Omer-Man (1984:15) observes: makes no commitment to arrive at an Religion should have something to say explicit Judaic destination, outreach about our lives outside the formal side programs do require participants to take of religion and community. It is strange the learning and initiation process that Judaism . . . should come to be seriously. These programs offer tolerance regarded as having no relationship to of the potential newcomer (and his or her day-to-day life . . . [Those] with whom I freely chosen eventual Jewish destina­ worked felt strongly that Judaism seemed to focus all its attention on tion) in exchange for the newcomer's communal and national issues, and left openness to seriously considering the little for the individual. . . . One must message embodied in the outreach . ask "What does it mean to be a Jew?" program or community. The experience and "What is the meaning of Jewish of a newcomer to an Orthodox outreach existence?" But the answers to these questions may mean little if we do not something of a common ground with relate to another: "What is the meaning alienated American Jews, those who find of my life?" much to be desired in most synagogues, In sum, if outreach communities work schools, Jewish Community Centers, well, they ought to live up to the ideals membership organizations, and philan­ professed by this Manhattan congrega­ thropic activities. tion: Egalitarianism Congregation B'nai Jeshurun believes that a community synagogue which Outreach communities are almost responds to the authentic questions of always characterized by egalitarian life, death, love, anxiety, longing, and treatment of men and women, and, in the search for meaning can, once again, many instances, by explicit invitations to attract Jews — families and individuals such socially marginal groups as singles, — if it is willing to grapple with the great issues of life and not limit itself to gays, lesbians, mixed-marrieds, and the liturgical experience alone. ("A converts. The egalitarian principle is so Philosophy for the New Community of powerful that even Orthodox outreach B'nai Jeshurun") groups feel compelled to come to grips with the feminist critique of traditional Critical Distance Judaism. Underinvolved Jews, almost by defini­ This discussion of the egalitarian tion, regard most Jewish institutions as norm raises an intriguing question: If the unattractive, to say the least. Outreach- norm is indeed so powerful, how is it oriented institutions tend to differentiate that several Orthodox movements have themselves from most other institutions been able to attract large numbers of as the following promotional piece formerly nontraditional newcomers, both illustrates: male and female? Notably, the Orthodox The synagogue itself has, unfortunately, succeed in doing so despite their com­ not been that successful in maintaining mitment to preserving distinctive roles Jews within its ranks and, according to for men and women, a stance many non- many critics, is frequently irrelevant, Orthodox feminists regard as inherently boring, unaesthetic, and often fosters a type of "religious behaviorism." ("A oppressive (see Davidman 1991; Philosophy for the New Community of Kaufman 1991). B'nai Jeshurun") In her ethnographic study of Israeli As noted earlier, outreach profession­ yeshivas that transform newcomers to als harbor a very profound critique of Judaism, Janet Aviad may provide an their conventional colleagues. Their answer to our question. She concludes grave disappointment with much of that the nonegalitarian position of the organized Jewish life is part of what Orthodox is not inherently attractive to gives outreach workers access to the newcomers. Rather the traditional underinvolved Jews. Their critical definition of male and female roles in distance from conventional Jewish Judaism is accepted as part of the total professionals and institutions establishes package of intensified commitment to traditional Judaism: The commitment is total. It is a commit­ social workers, and other professionals to ment to a tradition, not to selected parts reach out to every underinvolved Jew. In of it. . . . The structure is not something various ways, outreach-oriented rabbis that can be unpacked and reassembled stress the importance of training and by the individual. Rather, it is a full spiritual, ethical, and ritual system recruiting lay people to perform such totally interwoven with a community. quasi-rabbinic functions as leading . . . Those who make the choice [of services, delivering sermons, teaching Orthodoxy] would not destroy their classes, visiting the sick, comforting the relationship to the total system because bereaved, and counseling troubled "Outreach that they find parts of the whole disturbing families. Such involvement not only or unpleasant. (Aviad 1983:124) remains principally expands the ability of the congregation to in the hands of paid At best, the nonegalitarian stance of serve its members beyond the limited Orthodoxy is emblematic of a faithful­ resources of the rabbi; it also provides professionals... ness to tradition that connotes authen­ congregants who perform these duties serves as a visible ticity (certainly a selling point to the with an additional investment in their indictment of the underinvolved). At worst, as Aviad community. As Rabbi Schulweis, who seems to suggest, it represents an has pioneered the concept of "para- quality of Jewish obstacle that Orthodox outreach profes­ rabbis," remarked, "If the rabbi does all life." sionals sometimes manage to overcome. the mitzvot, then none are left for the Aside from the Orthodox world, laity." Jewish feminism seems to lend support On a broader scale, the principle of to the outreach movement on several involving lay people in outreach work is levels. Jewishly underinvolved women crucial to its success. Outreach that (and some men) may be drawn to remains principally in the hands of paid outreach communities precisely because professionals must of financial necessity they are seeking an egalitarian or remain very constricted in scope. It also feminist Jewish experience. More serves as a visible indictment of the broadly, the Jewish feminist movement quality of Jewish life. For if the only has contributed to a questioning stance people who work on recruiting other toward prevailing understandings of Jews to Jewish community life are the Judaism and of the nature of Jewish ones who are paid to do so, then how can communal life. This critical and skepti­ that life be seen as genuinely invigorat­ cal stance constitutes an important ing and attractive? Fortunately, there are intellectual underpinning to the out­ models of lay involvement in outreach reach enterprise. work in the Jewish community and other Empowering the Laity religious communities as well. The ancient imperative of hachnasat orchim Outreach professionals emphasize the (welcoming guests) wherein Jews throw importance of mobilizing and empower­ open their homes to travelers and new­ ing the laity to engage in outreach comers (especially on the Sabbath and activities. One reason to do so is simply holidays) is, in its own way, a very a matter of logistics. There are simply powerful outreach activity. It is not at all not enough rabbis, Jewish educators, surprising that many outreach profes­ sionals regularly invite their students to their homes to dine, study, or celebrate the holidays together. It is fair to say that among American Jews today, only PHILANTHROPIC a small number customarily welcome newcomers to their homes. Of those STRATEGY who do, probably most are Orthodox or Jewish communal professionals. One task of outreach work, therefore, might include expanding the practice of hachnasat orchim to the less traditional s-^ r^f philanthropic strategy to enhance Jewish communities, where it may well V_J/MD Jewish outreach efforts will need prove to be an effective instrument of to take into account several consider­ outreach conducted by the laity. ations. First, funds are limited. Second, the outreach field offers many genuine areas of need. Third, any donor—be it an individual or a foundation—would do well to carve out a particular focus of intervention or "market niche" in the domain of philanthropic assistance. Fourth, the mission, values, ethos, and institutional history of the donor all should be brought to bear upon the selection of that niche and of specific projects. In each of the instances below, I present a problem area and then offer a plausible solution. Since, as these things go, the statement of the problem may be more compelling than the proposed solution, I urge readers not to ignore the problem even if the solution is less than ideal. Address the Debate over Whom to Target The debate between advocates of out­ reach to interfaith couples and of inreach to the moderately affiliated highlights a problem whose negative ramifications may extend beyond the realm of intellec­ tual conflict and wounded egos. The 34

possibility certainly exists that the most agreement. (The use of a mediator with damaging claims of both sides in the views intermediate between the outreach debate are actually accurate. Thus it hawks and inreach hawks could be very may well be that the "hard-line" advo­ helpful here.) Following the consulta­ cates of inreach are in effect sending a tion, we would look toward the publica­ message to intermarried couples to stay tion of articles, papers, and memoranda far away from organized Jewish life; that would articulate the common ground and it may well be that the "soft-line" that unites the proponents of outreach to "Each professional, advocates of outreach are telling mar­ the mixed-married and of inreach to the each program, riageable-age Jews that out-marriage is moderately affiliated in-married. The now acceptable. publications would also provide practical each community Most inreach advocates would prefer guidelines to minimize some of the worst operates not to totally alienate the mixed-mar- plausible drawbacks of inreach and independently with outreach. rieds and most outreach advocates little awareness of would prefer that more Jews marry Build Outreach as a Distinctive Field Jews. Thus the potential for finding work being of Professional Practice something of a common ground is very undertaken in real. Moreover, the debate is not now The outreach field is a cottage industry. other places or (yet?) sharply polarized. Though vigor­ Each professional, each program, each ous proponents of extreme points of community operates independently with institutions." view are certainly outspoken and well few connections with their counterparts known, several prominent practitioners and with little awareness, if any, of and thinkers occupy a moderate middle parallel work being undertaken in other ground. places or institutions. The outreach field clearly needs to Outreach professionals have much to identify and advance areas of agreement offer one another, not the least being the so as to avoid the worst abuses each side fundamental notion that collectively they fears. Such an eventuality would constitute and advocate a distinctive strengthen relations within the field and approach to Jewish education and increase the chances that outreach work community organizing. The emergence produces the most widely desired of a defined outreach field, with a self- results: more extensive inclusion of awareness of its distinctiveness, will underinvolved Jews and their families further its ability to advocate its interests accompanied by reaffirmation of the within the Jewish community. desirability of endogamy. One simple way to advance the One way of moderating this debate is coalescence of the outreach field is a to stimulate a consultation and publica­ North American Conference of Outreach tion by advocates of both outreach and Professionals from different movements, inreach. This project would encourage institutions, disciplines, and areas members of the more extreme camps to (including Canada). As an aside, for express their views in writing and to reasons of accessibility alone, Chicago consult in an appropriate setting so as to suggests itself as an ideal site for such a identify areas of agreement and dis­ conference. The conference would focus upon velop their people skills. It urges lay and many of the observations and issues professional Jewish educators to present raised in this report: Jewish life in a way that is accessible to Why are so many Jews the uninitiated. Moreover, outreach underinvolved? practice offers a model for Jewish What are the most suitable character­ institutions, urging them to combine istics of the outreach professional, and radiant centers with effective outreach how can they be recruited, trained, programs and to empower the laity to developed, nurtured, and supervised? take control of both sorts of activities. How can the outreach message Perhaps most critically, outreach prac­ influence the ethos of conventional tice offers some hope, and some reason Jewish life? for hope, to a Jewish communal world Who are the most appropriate target frightened and depressed by what it constituencies? views as alarming rates of intermarriage What is the ideal "curriculum" for and disaffiliation. potential newcomers? Another critical objective of philan­ How can outreach programs and the thropic strategy would be to seek to community more generally effect more articulate, disseminate, and advocate the rapid and smoother transitions of Jewish outreach critique so as to transform the families and individuals from one ethos of mainstream Jewry. The out­ program or institution to another? reach message would seek to change the How can feminism, environmental- way in which rabbis, Center workers, ism, and other alternative communities Jewish educators, and lay leaders appeal to the underinvolved? approach their respective tasks. Indeed, A successful conference ought to several outreach programs have demon­ result in plans for follow-up and ongoing strated that, as a rule, Jewish profession­ communication. In this context, the als and volunteers are open to acquiring sponsoring philantropists should antici­ the skills and orientations that are pate (and encourage) requests for distinctive to the outreach field. support for a newsletter or a part-time Reshaping the ethos of the Jewish contact person or other such mecha­ leadership may not be as ambitious and nisms. unattainable as it might first appear. It would consist of the following elements: Influence the Ethos of Mainstream (1) Augmenting the training of rabbis, Judaism Jewish educators, and Center workers Outreach practice contains within it a before they enter the field. trenchant critique of conventional (2) In-service education of these American Jewish institutions. It claims Jewish professionals active in the field. that there is a better, more effective way The techniques here would include of reaching alienated Jews, be they out- mentoring relationships, field-workers, married or not. It contends that Jewish regional institutes, special sessions at communal leaders need tofurther de­ professional conferences, and videocas- sette instructional materials. and institutionally diversified. Each (3) Teaching lay leaders to open up center of Jewish outreach excellence their communities to penetration by would be given the financial resources to newcomers and to work well with their penetrate its own natural constituency in professionals. ways that are most appropriate for that Now, it turns out that the resources in center and that constituency. terms of expert and experienced person­ Selectively Encourage Alternative nel to address these objectives are Judaic Movements already extant within American Jewish life. These pockets of proven outreach Several foundations have been significant wisdom are found in certain key agen­ supporters of "alternative Judaic move­ "A wise inter­ cies of American Jewish life (some of ments," particularly feminist endeavors vention strategy the seminaries; national congregational and activities that focus on the spiritual would recognize bodies; associations of rabbis, educators, side of Judaism. Jewish environmental- and Center workers, etc.). All four ism may yet constitute a third alternative and accommodate denominational movements (Orthodoxy, under this rubric. Aside from their the ideological and Conservatism, Reform, and Reconstruc- intrinsic merit, the principal advantage of institutional tionism) have produced individuals and these movements for outreach purposes is divisions in Jewish programs noted for their records of that they offer a locus for Jewish engage­ achievement in reaching underinvolved ment to those who would otherwise never life rather than try Jews. So too have some JCCs and the be attracted to the Jewish community. To to override them." central institution that serves them. be clear, these endeavors are valuable on A wise intervention strategy would their own terms; they are simply less recognize and accommodate the ideo­ valuable in the context of a philanthropic logical and institutional divisions in emphasis on outreach per se. Jewish life rather than try to override If there is a justification for supporting them. In other words, the institutional these activities under the outreach rubric, and ideological boundaries that divide it lies in locating obvious gaps in service American Jewry need not hamper (of which there are many). One example attempts to alter the ethos of American may suffice to make the general point. Jewry with respect to outreach. There The Los Angeles-based Jewish Feminist are adequate sources of inspiration and Center has apparently reached out to expertise scattered across the institu­ scores of women (and some men) who tional and ideological map to provide an generally have no other Jewish home. appropriate teacher for almost every Obviously, its success owes much to its important constituency. The task for principal organizers; but it also demon­ sponsoring philanthropists is to match strates a clearly felt need that is surely the right teachers with the right audi­ felt elsewhere as well. There is no good ences, and in the right fashion. reason why a Feminist Center ought not The idea here would be to designate prove equally successful in New York, (and support) four or five projects that the world's largest Jewish population are geographically, denominationally, center and, arguably, the world's largest 3U

center of active feminists. Donors in likelihood that the agency will be able other major metropolitan areas of to integrate it in its on-going budget if it Jewish settlement may well be tempted is successful. Shared thinking by to support local Feminist Centers. foundations would facilitate the devel­ In sum, philanthropists could con­ opment of this field. sider expanded support for feminist, Any wise philanthropic policy needs environmentalist, and spiritually to look for ways to produce systemic oriented Judaic programs, but—recog­ change in American Jewish communal nizing the limited resources available life, rather than rely on a regular flow —only in ways that are compelling and of sizable grants to innovative pro­ urgent. (To reiterate, this conclusion grams. In short, a thoughtful approach assumes that the central goal of this demands recognition of a semiperma­ particular philanthropic strategy is the nent condition of austerity in Jewish expansion of outreach. Jewish femi­ life. Supporting five, ten, or even nism, environmentalism, and spiritual­ dozens of individual outreach programs ity may be inherently valuable ethical makes little sense for a foundation with imperatives, but supporting these limited resources. The only exceptions movements is probably not the most to this generalization are the very rare efficient way of achieving the goals of demonstration programs that are apt to the Jewish outreach movement.) produce deep-seated systemic changes in the very nature of Jewish communal Think Strategically life. Supporting outreach programming that will have a significant impact on Jewish life in any given community is a philanthropic challenge. Foundations need to think strategically, in ways that will enable their dollars to create change, as well as to support worth­ while activities. As in other areas, one must decide if the particular program has the potential for developing impor­ tant ideas, if it can be replicated else­ where, if a vehicle exists for facilitating replication, if fees for service, or other funders or community agencies will be able to meet the costs of the program after an initial period of incubation. Likewise, if a new program is being developed by a community agency, it is important to consider the support it enjoys within the institution, and the CONCLUSION

f /ewish outreach responds to genu- ^X inely felt individual and communal needs. Its apparently successful distinc­ tive approaches and techniques consti­ tute a challenging critique of conven­ tional Jewish leaders and institutions. It is a field characterized by provocative internal debates, in particular, the question of how (or even whether) to reach out to interfaith couples. It is a field just beyond its infancy but not yet fully established, accepted, and sup­ ported by established institutions. For all these reasons and more, the field of Jewish outreach represents an excellent philanthropic opportunity for forward- thinking potential donors. 36'.

Fradya Rembaum, Jewish Federation Council of Greater Los Angeles Lenny Rubin, Jewish Community Centers Association SOURCES Susan Saxe, P'nai Or Religious Fellowship, Philadelphia Havi Scheindlin, Americans for Peace Now, Los Angeles Rabbi Harold Schulweis, Valley Beth Shalom, Interviews Encino, California Rabbi Steven Shaw, Jewish Theological Seminary Rabbi Rennie Altaian, Union of American of America Hebrew Congregations Dr. Jacob Staub, Reconstructionist Rabbinical Dr. Steven Bayme, American Jewish Committee College, Philadelphia Harriet Blumberg, JCCs of Chicago Dr. David Teutsch, Reconstructionist Rabbinical Rabbi Nachum Braverman, Aish Hatorah, Los College, Philadelphia Angeles Dr. Jacob Ukeles, UAI, Inc., N.Y. Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald, National Jewish Rivka Walton, National Havurah Committee, Outreach Project Philadelphia Rabbi Lavey Derby, Council on Jewish Life, Los Sally Weber, Jewish Family Service, Los Angeles Angeles Jerry Witkowsky, JCCs of Chicago Dr. David Elcott, CLAL Dr. Ron Wolfson, University of Judaism, Los Rabbi Sue Levi Elwell, Jewish Feminist Center, Angeles Los Angeles Rabbi David Woznica, 92nd Street Y, New York Rabbi Harvey Fields, Wilshire Boulevard Temple, Los Angeles References Rabbi Laura Geller, American Jewish Congress, Los Angeles Aish HaTorah. 1992. Untitled manual on Jewish outreach. Judith Ginsburg, Covenant Foundation American Jewish Committee. 1992. New Pockets Rabbi Julie Greenberg, Jewish Renewal Center, of Jewish Energy: A Study of Adults Who Philadelphia Found Their Way Back to Judaism. New York: Prof. Samuel Heilman, Queens College, CUNY American Jewish Committee. Dr. Betsy Dolgin Katz, Florence Melton Adult Aviad, Janet. 1983. Return to Judaism. Chicago: Mini-School, Chicago University of Chicago Press. Rabbi Daniel Landes, Los Angeles Bayme, Steven. 1992a. To Condone or Not To Prof. Herbert Levine, National Havurah Commit­ Condone — Is That the Question. Los Angeles: tee, Philadelphia Wilstein Institute of Jewish Policy Studies. Dr. Fran Markowitz, Chicago Bayme, Steven. 1992b. Outreach to the Unaffiliated. New York: American Jewish Prof. Egon Mayer, Brooklyn College, CUNY Committee. Rabbi Rolando Matalon, Congregation B'nai Cohen, Steven M. 1985. "Outreach to the Jeshurun, New York Moderately Affiliated." Journal of Jewish Rabbi Jonathan Omer-Man, Los Angeles Communal Service, Winter, pp. 147-157. Jane Perman, Jewish Community Centers Cohen, Steven M. 1989. The Dimensions of Association American Jewish Liberalism. New York: Rabbi Yehiel Poupko, JCCs of Chicago American Jewish Committee. 37

Cohen, Steven M. 1991a. Soviet Jews in the USSR Mayer, Egon, and Luann Dragonne, eds. 1992. — A Community in Transition. New York: Jewish Connections for Interfaith Families: A Nathan Cummings Foundation. National Directory of Outreach Programs. New Cohen, Steven M. 1991b. Content or Continuity: York: The Jewish Outreach Institute and The Alternative Bases for Jewish Commitment. New Center for Jewish Studies—Graduate School, York: American Jewish Committee. CUNY. Cowan, Paul, and Rachel Cowan. 1987. Mixed Medding, Peter, et al. 1992. "Jewish Identity in Blessings: Marriage Between Jews and Chris­ Conversionary and Mixed Marriages." tians. New York: Doubleday. American Jewish Year Book 1992, pp. 3-76. Davidman, Lynn. 1991. Tradition in a Rootless Meir, Aryeh, and Lisa Hostein. 1992. The High World: Women Turn to Orthodox Judaism. Cost of Jewish Living. New York: American Berkeley: University of California Press. Jewish Committee. Fields, Harvey J. 1991. "Listening to the Critics." Omer-Man, Jonathan. 1984. "The Needs and Jewish Journal, April 7-13. Expectations of the Religiously Alienated Jew." Melton Journal, Summer, pp. 14-15. Heilman, Samuel C. 1990. A Tale of Two Cities. New York: Memorial Foundation for Jewish Padva, Patricia. 1991. Attitudes Toward Israel and Culture. Jewish Identity: A Focus Group Study. New York: American Jewish Committee. Israel, Richard J. 1984. "Meditations About the Art of Sympathy." Melton Journal, Summer, Salkin, Jeffrey K. 1991. "The Jews We Don't See: pp. 13-14. What To Do About the Unaffiliated." Reform Judaism, Winter. Israel, Richard. 1985. The Jewish Mission to the Jews: The Context and Practice of Outreach. Shaw, Steven, and David Szonyi. 1984. "Toward New York: Radius Institute. a New Model of Outreach in an Open Society. "Melton Journal, Summer, pp. 11-12. Katz, Betsy Dolgin. 1991. "Models of Successful Practice: The Florence Melton Adult Mini- Acknowledgments School." Jewish Education, pp. 31-32. Kaufman, Debra. 1991. Rachel's Daughters: Joan Davenny served as a research assistant and Newly Orthodox Jewish Women. New Brunswick: performed field observations. Susan Wall and Rutgers University Press. Rachel Cowan provided valuable comments on an earlier version of this manuscript. Kosmin, Barry, Sidney Goldstein, et al. 1991. Highlights of the CJF 1990 National Jewish Population Survey. New York: CJF. Kurz, Shirley A., and Jacob B. Ukeles. 1992. A Guide for Community Outreach. New York: Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture. Mayer, Egon. 1985a. Love and Tradition: Marriage Between Jews and Christians. New York: Plenum. Mayer, Egon. 1985b. "Reaching to Touch." Melton Journal, Summer, pp. 5-6. Mayer, Egon, ed. 1991. The Imperatives of Jewish Outreach. New York: The Jewish Outreach Institute and The Center for Jewish Studies — Graduate School, CUNY. Mayer, Egon. 1992. "Strategies for Taking Judaism Public." Moment, August, pp. 38-41. Cover Illustration: Mike Quon H The American Jewish Committee Institute of NeHumaw Yorkn Relation, NY 10022-274s 165 Eas6 t 56 Street

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