Last month's Pew survey of the American Jewish community lit yet another fire under us. The study revealed disturbing data about assimilation, with an intermarriage rate of 58 percent in the general U.S. Jewish population and 71% among the non-Orthodox. A process of secularization is taking place across the general U.S. population, but within the Jewish community the numbers are even higher. Twenty-two percent of Jews do not identify with any religion, and among those born after 1980, the number rises to 32 percent.
But to the eyes of some Israelis, these data do not seem worrisome. After all, this is not the first time Israelis are hearing about the challenges facing the American Jewish community, and some are wondering, "How exactly does that concern us-"
For years, the ongoing dialogue between the people of Zion and their brethren who helped build their Jewish state was equally vibrant, but times change and important advances occur. Both communities are grappling with the same fundamental questions related to Jewish identity: the meaning of Jewish values, whose responsibility it is to instill these values in young people, and the question of preserving their connection to Israel.
Both communities need each other, and only more dialogue will address these challenges. This year's Jewish Federations of North America General Assembly will include 153 federations and more than 300 smaller communities, which together each year raise $3 billion to fund welfare and education services in the U.S., Israel and 70 other countries. More than 140 speakers, half of them women, are sharing their perspectives. They include President Shimon Peres, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and many others.
As community leaders, we must look ahead, to those questions that focus on the future of Israel, the future of relations with the Diaspora, the future of the Jewish community in North America. But these big questions also have a personal dimension that is important for participants to ask themselves: What can I do to influence, change and expand the circle of those who will help answer these big challenges-
Jewish Federations have proved our ability to act. We helped bring 3 million immigrants to Israel and helped free Soviet Jewry -- prime examples of our community collectively mobilizing for a common goal. We believe in action, and at the general assembly we are discussing serious ideas that can answer the challenges the Pew survey raised. These initiatives include investing in programs for young people in five cities with large Jewish populations, but which are otherwise detached from the life of the community. Other ideas include providing free Jewish preschool, increasing the share of children who go to Jewish summer camp from 10% to 30%, and taking advantage of new technology to better engage 350,000 young Birthright alumni in the community.
The Jewish Federations' General Assembly provides an important stage to consider these challenges and others. And the question of religious pluralism occupies a considerable share in the debate about the relations between American Jewry and Israel. We believe that there is room at the Western Wall for every Jew, and support Israeli efforts to resolve this issue.
But ultimately we are all one. To conclude the assembly, we will walk together through Jerusalem to the Kotel in a demonstration of Jewish unity -- and to remind all of us that at the end of the day, we are one family.
Jerry Silverman is the president and CEO of the Jewish Federations of North America.
טעינו? נתקן! אם מצאתם טעות בכתבה, נשמח שתשתפו אותנו