What should a Jewish Federation do when it is building — or rebuilding — a Jewish community organization from the ground up?

Not assume. Not decide behind closed doors. Not simply reproduce programs that worked somewhere else.

Listen to the people we hope to serve, and then act on what they tell us.

That is the approach we are taking at the Jewish Federation of Annapolis & the Chesapeake.

Our Federation is new, but the Jewish community in Annapolis and throughout the Chesapeake region is not. As anyone can see from our community directory, it includes wonderful synagogues, Jewish organizations, military families, young families, longtime residents, newcomers, people who are deeply affiliated and people who are searching for a connection to Jewish life. We are trying to build a Federation that helps all of those pieces become a stronger community.

Recently, we held an online community vision session with dozens of Jewish community leaders and members. We also conducted a Community Vision Survey, receiving dozens of responses. The results gave us something invaluable: a clearer picture of what people want from their Federation. The message was remarkably consistent.

People want Jewish life that is welcoming, interesting, relevant and accessible. They want us to bring people together. They want us to fight antisemitism and make our community safer. They want advocacy. They want cultural experiences, social opportunities and ways for people of different generations and backgrounds to connect. They are also willing to step up and volunteer themselves. In the survey, 83.9% identified fighting antisemitism as a priority for the next two to three years. 58.1% selected Jewish cultural events, 54.8% selected government advocacy, and 41.9% selected community security and safety. Jewish learning and education also ranked highly.

The survey also told us that there isn’t one “Jewish community” demographic we should focus on. Half of respondents identified unaffiliated Jews as a group where there are gaps or opportunities, and another half identified young adults in their 20s and 30s. Older adults and seniors, young families and teens also emerged as important groups to serve.

A Federation........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)