tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003330.post1487195740684285884..comments2024-03-20T06:29:27.167-04:00Comments on The Rabbi with a Blog (Rabbi Jason Miller): Conservative Jewish College Students Get Short ShriftRabbi Jason Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07805550465729805847noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003330.post-43856568366827443642011-03-15T10:46:57.900-04:002011-03-15T10:46:57.900-04:00Ruth is right, we need a new strategy. Outreach d...Ruth is right, we need a new strategy. Outreach does not mean waiting for young Jews to come to you. That's what is wrong with relying on Hillel. We must learn directly from them what Conservative Jewish students need from us. And to do that, we need to seek them out and ask them. <br /><br />My son was so disappointed in Hebrew School at a high school level, that he had no interest in Hillel, he viewed it as more of the same. Ideally, a renewed strategy has to begin long before a young person gets to college. If we give our kids a dumbed down version of their own religion, we can't be terribly surprised if other religions in this open society seem better suited to meet their spiritual and intellectual needs.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003330.post-55805934290884787632011-03-15T09:39:25.663-04:002011-03-15T09:39:25.663-04:00I read your blog and half the time was nodding my ...I read your blog and half the time was nodding my head in agreement. But it's not just the Conservative Movement that is failing our students, it's the Jewish community as a whole. When most of the outreach to college students from the synagogue communities consist of "college connection baskets" we really need to rethink our strategy. Additionally, assuming that Hillels will be the gateway and touch point for all Jewish students is a mistake....on some campuses Hillels are not reaching the majority of students.Ruth Schapirahttp://jteennews.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003330.post-61151674476600794732011-03-14T11:02:14.910-04:002011-03-14T11:02:14.910-04:00As the mother of a recent college graduate, I can ...As the mother of a recent college graduate, I can attest that Rabbi Miller nails it: The Conservative Movement needs to vigorously increase their outreach to this demographic. My son's disaffection with the state of Conservative Judaism began after his Bar Mitzvah. When he was in elementary school, he loved Hebrew school, but the curriculum in place from that point on focused on not alienating students by expecting too much of them. His enthusiasm returned in college, not because of outreach, but because he happened to take a course in Jewish thought that had substance and reawakened his love and enthusiasm for his religion. <br /><br />If we are going to keep young Conservative Jews, we have to stop insulting their intelligence. We have to give them challenging courses in Hebrew School, and we have to do more than send e-mail to Jewish students reminding them of Passover seders and Friday night dinners. We have to visit them personally, take them to lunch, meet them one on one. The consequences of ignoring this demographic could prove disastrous.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003330.post-31518576118571357492011-03-14T08:36:03.224-04:002011-03-14T08:36:03.224-04:00eJewishPhilanthropy wrote the following after USCJ...eJewishPhilanthropy wrote the following after USCJ's approval of the draft yesterday:<br /><br />"Following passage, Rabbi Wernick released the following brief statement:<br /><br />“This is a historic moment both for United Synagogue and for Conservative Judaism. This vote recognizes that the future requires a different focus and declares boldly that we’re prepared to meet the challenges.”<br /><br />As one part of the newly passed plan, Koach – the movement’s college outreach project – will be reconfigured. Rabbi Wernick has previously said budgetary constraints and a revamping of his organization’s mission has meant that Koach, which received about $400,000 this year, would be receiving only about $225,000 to $250,000 next year. A decade ago, it had a budget of $750,000.<br /><br />While it is clearly time to rethink old models, one wonders how the Conservative movement, or for that matter any of the other religious streams, plan to meet the challenges of the 21st century when instead of increasing – they reduce – their outreach to this most important demographic.<br /><br /><b>They apparently just don’t get it.</b>"Rabbi Jason Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07805550465729805847noreply@blogger.com