Phone Your Mother
by Faith Kaplan, Executive Director (07-08)
Published in the Shaarey Zedek Shofar in March 2008
It’s almost Spring
and new beginnings are tantalizingly just around the corner. As the
weather begins to lift, and the snow finally starts to melt, we all
look forward to the possibilities. Maybe it’s because Purim and
Pesach remind us of the obstacles we’ve overcome as a people, and
encourage us to be hopeful about the future.
This is the time of year
when I take stock and plan what’s next. This year, that same level
of planning is underway at the community level. Shaarey Zedek and
the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg are both in strategic planning
mode to answer the age-old, fundamental question: Will we be a
community of Jews, or a Jewish community?
Federation has been researching demographic trends, and as a
community we will need to address:
• defining our Jewish identity in a society free of religious
discrimination
• the high cost of living a Jewish life
• movement away from belonging to institutions and toward individual
expression of spirituality
• intermarriage rates exceeding 60% in the under 30 demographic (and
that statistic excludes conversions)
• declining levels of Jewish literacy and fewer alternatives in
Jewish education for all age groups
• weaker commitment to Jewish philanthropy by younger Jews
• geographic dispersion of Jewish families across the city
In facing these challenges, I encourage you to consider what defines
us as a Jewish community. What kind of community do you want to live
in? What about your children’s children? What about your parents?
What can you do to ensure a vibrant and dynamic Jewish community in
Winnipeg? What is the synagogue’s role in Winnipeg’s Jewish
community? What role does your synagogue play in your life? What
role do you play in synagogue life? How will you contribute your
vision and insight to our community and synagogue leadership?
There is much we can do to improve the quality of Jewish life in
Winnipeg, and to improve the lives of others. The privilege of my
role as Executive Director was getting to know some wonderful
volunteers. Join them. Get involved. Swell the ranks. Build
community. It’s as easy as being generous with small kindnesses.
Invite someone who’s new to Winnipeg or someone who’s alone to
Shabbat dinner or to your Seder. Smile and make small talk with a
stranger at shul or at the grocery store. Call up a community
organization and offer your time. Donate to Jewish and non Jewish
causes. Phone your mother.
Thank you for the opportunity to play a role in moving our community
forward. Chag Sameach. |
