Theory of Relevancy

"I felt that something was missing, namely an understanding of what it fundamentally means to be Jewish.”

These words were written by a young Jew in her 20s, a Teach For America corps member committed to service, to educational equality, to tikkun olam—although she didn’t know what the latter meant at the time she wrote them.

Never feeling accepted by the Jewish community, never offered opportunities to explore her Jewish identity, she did not connect her commitment to service to the values that undergird Jewish life—to the fundamental meaning of what it means to be Jewish.

Young people like her—and there are thousands of them, particularly among those committed to social action—are unique in their focus on asking themselves fundamental questions about who they are, what impact they want to have on the world, how they define success, and what it means to be happy and feel fulfilled. Blind acceptance is not an option. For them, being born Jewish is not reason enough to remain connected to Judaism.

The irony here—or perhaps the frustration—for a community that spends millions of dollars and countless hours trying to get young people to do something—anything!—Jewish in this world is that Judaism has a tremendous wealth of thought on the very questions young Jews are asking themselves. It also holds at its core many of the same values.

And so it goes that perhaps part of the answer to how we can engage young people in Jewish life is making an explicit connection between the values young Jews espouse—namely, social action—and Jewish values.

Let’s call it our Theory of Relevancy: If we can find the things that young people are already doing that are rooted in Jewish values and help them connect that commitment to the fundamental meaning of what it is to be Jewish today, then we have at our disposal a costeffective, incredibly powerful opportunity to engage young people in Jewish life in a deep, meaningful way.

In 2009, and again in 2010, our foundation, together with the Samberg Family Foundation, placed a bet on this theory: Let’s take a group of Teach For America corps members—exactly the type of leaders, movement builders, social change agents, and role models we want be investing in—on a free 10-day trip to Israel. Let’s provide them with what can only be considered a relatively small amount of exposure to Jewish ideas, say thank you on behalf of the Jewish community for making the world a better place, and create a sense of community among these young Jews who are fighting for the same issues, namely educational equality.

The result, we thought, would be a completely new definition of Jewish life—a completely different vision of what Judaism is. It’s no longer just obligatory Hebrew school classes and monotonous High Holiday services where you walk out knowing how many light bulbs are in the ceiling but little else—it’s now about what’s my responsibility as someone who has to those who don’t have? How do I handle conflict between communities and personal needs? How do I serve without turning the people and communities I aspire to help into props upon which I alleviate the burden of privilege? And finally, how do I craft a life for myself that is full of meaning, purpose, direction, fulfillment, and fun?

According to our sources—namely, the participants themselves, Teach For America, and the impact study we commissioned—this trip, called REALITY, strengthened participants’ already-high commitment to service; opened the door to service through Jewish organizations; strengthened participants’ connection with Israel; and for those participants who self-identified as Jewish, helped them connect their Jewish identities with their passion for service and civic engagement, reinforcing the importance of both within their lives and providing a deeper understanding of what it means to be Jewish.

All of which brings us back to the young woman whose words opened this article. She was a participant in the first REALITY trip, and her reflection ends like this: “I am currently… tutoring my kids for the SATs and because of the trip, I feel a renewed sense of tikkun olam. In fact, I plan on creating a painting in the center so I can wake up to that every morning. While I feel re-inspired to begin my work in the classroom, I also feel a strong sense of connection to Israel. While I am planning on eventually obtaining a PhD in clinical psychology, I am also seriously looking into programs such as OTZMA and Teach First Israel. As I look forward to whatever the future may bring, I feel a newfound sense of ease.”

That a young woman who had felt marginalized by the Jewish community her entire life could find comfort and direction in a newfound connection to tikkun olam and Israel is profound. REALITY—and social action programs in its vein—creates entry points to conversations about Jewish identity and Israel for people who otherwise might not seek out such experiences if run by Jewish institutions but do so because of the affiliation with an organization they implicitly trust: Teach For America.

We live today in a secularized world. That pendulum has swung, and it’s not swinging back. Judaism has to adapt to, and connect with, modern times if our millennia of rich tradition and wisdom are going to remain relevant rather than a quaint relic of times gone by. Social action, and its important place in our heritage, has a huge role to play in creating the very touch points that have the potential to spark lifelong Jewish journeys.