WASHINGTON D.C. — The organized Jewish community must help Jewish youth build a strong bond with Israel, and in the process with the wider Jewish world, says Joe Kanfer, chair of the Jewish Federations of North America’s board of trustees.
Joe Kanfer
“We must commit more fully… to connect young Jews with Israel. We can answer for these young people the question… ‘Why be Jewish?’” Kanfer said Sunday in his speech at the organization’s general assembly (GA), which was held this year in Washington, D.C.
Kanfer’s message about young people was part of his larger one about Jewish unity.
“Think of how we pray. Not alone, but in millions,” Kanfer said. “We’ve come together again and again through the years in historic moments of challenge, to rescue, build and rebuild the Jewish People.”
Phil Birnbaum, a member of Hillel in Toronto, already knows the answer to the question of “Why be Jewish?”
For Birnbaum, 18, being Jewish is about refusing to shrug off challenges facing the community. And more importantly, it’s about being aware of these challenges.
“Apathy is one of the biggest issues in the Jewish community,” he said. “[Apathy] is not knowing about the issues and just sort of shrugging it off.”
Birnbaum, a York University student, said the GA is an opportunity for Jewish youth to be heard.
“We’re here, saying, ‘Here’s what we think.’ We can come and speak up [at the GA], we’re kind of on an equal footing,” he said.
This year, about 3,500 people were expected to participate in the assembly, held Nov. 8 to 10, for three days of workshops, speakers, forums and a film festival.
While many of the forums focused on current Jewish issues such as North American philanthropy and effective Jewish leadership, others centred on Jewish students and young professionals.
Mariel Fogel, 18, a member of Hillel in Calgary, sees this as a good sign.
“One of the main things about this – the older generation, they are guests, but this is really for us,” she said of the GA.
Kelly Castiel, 45, of Montreal’s Federation CJA agrees.
“We’re exposing them to a lot of things [at the assembly],” she said. “We need youth to take over… it’s the continuity of the Jewish People.”
Howard Krosnick, also of Federation CJA in Montreal, saw the event as a way to reconnect, both with youth and with colleagues.
“To recognize what it is we have in common is just really critical,” Krosnick, 63, said. “It’s a global world, What happens in Toronto… has impacts in Montreal. We have to share information and to share our best experiences.”
For Michael Oren, Israel’s ambassador to the United States, the assembly also meant sharing his worst experiences.
“I have lost a sister-in-law to suicide bombing,” he told the crowd at the opening plenary on Sunday. “Our eldest son was wounded in battle. My family and I have lived through successive wars.”
And yet, Oren said, he still believes in God’s plan. He also believes in Israel.
“Think back to Israel in 1967, surrounded by hostile neighbours with no international allies… Look at Israel today…with a robust economy… Israel is an incomparable success story,” he said, adding that unity is vital in Jewish communities.
“It’s a fact that whenever Jews have remained united, not only in their faith, not only in their God, but most of all, in themselves as a people, we have overcome… challenges and we have flourished.”
Howard English, vice-president of marketing and communications for UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, saw the assembly as a statement.
“I think at a time when Israel is under constant threat… it’s an important statement to make for Jews to come together to demonstrate the power of collective action,” he said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was scheduled to address the GA on Monday, and U.S. President Barack Obama was to speak on Tuesday. However, Obama was forced to withdraw in order to attend a memorial service at Fort Hood, Texas, for the 13 people gunned down at the U.S. Army base there on Nov. 5, a statement Saturday night from the Jewish Federations of North America said.
Obama and Netanyahu were to meet Monday in Washington, a White House official said Sunday, and Rahm Emanuel, the White House chief of staff, was to speak Tuesday in Obama’s stead. Obama was also scheduled to meet Monday with a group of leaders from the organization. — With files from JTA
