Building a brighter Jewish future: Harnessing the power of imagination - opinion

In times of crisis, it is natural to focus on the immediacy of the moment. After all, there are still critical needs that must be met. Our brothers and sisters in Israel face the constant threat of multifront attacks, as they continue to grapple with profound grief. Antisemitism in the Diaspora poses a very real threat and shows no signs of abating. In essence, world Jewry has experienced a collective trauma. 

Trauma has a way of throwing us out of kilter because it upends the world as we know it. Often the response to trauma is to attempt to return life to what it was like before the traumatic event took place. It is also an attempt to regain agency.

While there is no doubt there are tremendous needs that face the organized Jewish community today, it is our duty and ability to continue to look forward to dreaming of a brighter Jewish future, and to take steps today to secure this reality 

What if this was a turning point?

Imagine if this could be the turning point? That we look back 25 years from now and saw that this was the moment where global Jewry reversed the tidal trends:

Imagine if instead of low affiliation and involvement, institutions were bursting with enrollment and engagement.

Imagine if affiliation and connection across Jewish community centers, synagogues, and Jewish communal organizations soared.

Imagine if we saw a revival and revitalization of Israel-Diaspora relations.

Imagine if we saw denominational differences as a feature and not an impediment of the communal Jewish experience.

And imagine if instead of only a minority of Jewish children attending Jewish schools and camps (10 and 12%, respectively) we had most children experiencing the life-changing impact of Jewish education, community, and immersive Jewish life.

Surely this would be a brighter Jewish future. 

TO GET THERE, we need a significant investment in sustainable Jewish communal infrastructure. We have watched grassroots organizations in Israel and across the Diaspora spring up overnight to meet Israel’s war needs. We also have seen the traditional legacy eco-system activate its donor base and capacity. The aftermath of the October 7, 2023 Hamas invasion and their atrocities demonstrated the power and potential of world Jewry.

Now we should turn to young Jews. An obvious outcome of this past year is the need to build and support the next generation of Jewish leadership, both in North America and Israel. This next generation of leaders will need to navigate a complex mosaic of interests. 

They will need to be able to forge alliances both within the community and across national and religious borders. They will need to have a strong and clear sense of their own identity and narrative to face forces that opposed the Jewish people. They will need to forge strategic partnerships with those whom they have common cause.

We should be committed to exploring and providing creative solutions to this challenge. We need to prepare a cadre of young leaders better equipped to represent our people – who feel more confident, connected, and empowered when reaching campus and other multicultural spaces we engage in as adults. The pursuit of allies can start in youth, at safe spaces such as Jewish camps. 

Imagine if our response to the trauma of the past year was not to try and restore the conditions of October 6. Rather, let us bring together philanthropists, movements, communal representatives, program providers, and stakeholders from across the Jewish world and launch a new framework, “Kehilla 2050” – a drive to build the next generation of Jewish leadership and communal institutions. 

Let us create Jewish leaders who are not only literate in our own tradition but also fluent in the history and culture of those with whom we have a shared destiny. 

Perhaps today, four years after the signing of the Abraham Accords, we can better appreciate their importance in providing a framework for emboldening tolerance and collaboration. The power of imagination can become reality when we invest in this outward-looking pathway. 

The generation of Jews who have emerged out of the literal ashes of Kfar Aza, Nahal Oz, and Be’eri can rise to forge a future in which Jewish communal life is vibrant, accessible, and ubiquitous. To accomplish this, the philanthropic community needs to prioritize access to Jewish summer camps and day schools.

As Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, of blessed memory, shared in Lessons in Leadership: “Never be afraid to let your imagination soar... [Give yourself] the time and space and imagination to dream. In dreams we discover our passion, and following our passion is the best way to live a rewarding life.”

With a little imagination, anything is possible. Our challenge is to stop dreaming and start doing – now. 

Michael Schlank is CEO, and Will Eastman is chief development officer, of NJY Camps.