Planning & Allocations:
1997 Community Outreach Task Force Report
1997 Community Outreach Task Force Report
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1997 Community Outreach Task Force Report |
Planning & Allocations Menu
This past year, I have served as chairperson of the Community Outreach Task Force. What began as a desire to do meaningful work in the community developed into a sense of urgency about the need for outreach. My convictions about the necessity to reach out to unaffiliated Jews strengthened as our committee did research and compiled data, as we shared our concerns and debated the issues. It has been a gratifying year. Gratifying in that there has been a meeting of different minds and personalities in an effort to assess the state of outreach in Seattle and to put recommendations for how best to reach out to unconnected Jews. Perhaps the most significant lesson I have learned is valuing each Jew while tolerating and legitimizing the differences among us.
Thank you to the boards of Jewish Family Service (JFS) and the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle (JFGS) for sponsoring this Task Force and to the JFGS Planning and Allocations Committee for authorizing the creation of the Community Outreach Task Force. These boards had the foresight to see beyond immediate crises and look at broader issues of inclusiveness, where we are going and how we are growing as a Jewish community. Their concern provided the backbone for the work of the committee.
We are very grateful to the individuals and groups that assisted us along the way. Thanks to the participants in the focus groups who shared their experiences and ideas. Without their honest insights, we would not have been able to draw an accurate picture of how the Seattle Jewish community appears to people not heavily involved. Representatives from our local institutions were more than willing to share their experiences and programmatic information in order to further this project. Many also provided valuable input at our community meetings. Similarly, our phone calls around the country were positive and encouraging as we spoke to communities sharing our desire to reach out to the unaffiliated. Their forthcoming advice and information were very useful to us in completing our task. Thanks to the marketers who shared their expertise. Thanks to the rabbis who provided us with their unique perspectives. Dr. Egon Mayer of the Jewish Outreach Institute has been a continuing source of inspiration and guidance. His willingness to consult and advise made a big difference in our work. Thank you also to Dr. Ron Miller of the National Jewish Data Bank for consulting with us on compiling the demographic information.
The professional guidance provided
by Amy Wasser-Simpson and Natalie Merkur Rose was exceptional.
They are the forces that kept our committee's energy flowing and
they are the ones who encouraged us to make the endless phone
calls, write-up our findings, and work respectfully with one another.
They are also the principal authors of this final report which
synthesizes the work done by our committee in a clear and thoughtful
manner. Their collaboration is a shining example of the good we
can do in our community when our institutions combine efforts
and work together.
Kathleen Spitzer, Chair
Findings, Goals, and Recommendations
Demographic Information Review
Survey of Organizational Lay Leaders
Jewish Communal Professionals Roundtable
Marketing Professionals Roundtable
Synopses of Individual Focus Groups
Appendix A. Local Research Program Interviews
Appendix B. Interviews With Local Rabbis
Appendix C. National Research Program Interviews
Appendix D. Interview With Dr. Egon Mayer, Director of the Jewish Outreach Institute
Appendix E. Interview With Dru Greenwood, Director of Commission on Outreach, Union of America Hebrew Congregations(UAHC)
Appendix F. Interview With Minneapolis Federation
Community Outreach Task Force Members
"All who are hungry, let them enter and eat. All who are in need, let them come and celebrate…"
Jewish tradition considers the welcoming and including of all members of the community such a critical value that this invitation in the Passover Haggadah is stated twice. Furthermore, many commentators stress that this invitation to the seder should be said in the common language of the participants to ensure that it is clearly understood. So too, in our time, the message of welcome needs to be extended explicitly, in a variety of ways, to assure that it is heard by all. This will help to build a strong and vital Jewish community.
Many issues related to involvement and affiliation within the Jewish community have often been discussed in the privacy of the home and in small groups. After all, the topic of "outreach" is actually a discussion about whether the Jewish community of the present and future will offer a place for our children, grandchildren, and other family members, neighbors, co-workers, and friends. It is clear that the leaders of the organized Jewish community need to refrain from categorizing those who are involved as "us" and those uninvolved as "them" - for who among us does not have a family member, friend, or neighbor who is uninvolved in the organized Jewish community? Increasing involvement of Jews is good in and of itself, but the involvement of those currently unaffiliated and uninvolved has the potential to revitalize the community with the infusion of new volunteers, leaders, and increased financial resources.
Lack of affiliation is often equated with lack of interest in being Jewish and becoming active within the Jewish community. Our research has shown this overwhelmingly not to be the case. Rather, many of those who are unaffiliated express a strong desire to connect with other Jews and the organized Jewish community, and to explore what being Jewish can mean to them. However, many obstacles exist which inhibit participation.
To foster a welcoming Jewish community is a process which is both exciting and difficult. Essential to its success is the need to honor each other as Jews. A strong Jewish community is built upon the wide array of options available, thereby allowing each person to engage in those areas where he or she feels most comfortable and finds meaning. Toward this end, while everyone is entitled to an opinion regarding Jewish practice and expression, it is critical for the survival and vitality of our community to respect each person's Jewish choices.
The community and its parts must closely examine the image they project. How do the community and individual institutions make themselves more accessible, and learn to be better communicators and listeners with those both involved and uninvolved? Self -reflection is difficult on both a personal and communal level. Many times it points out areas of deficiency which require change. Through researching this undertaking, obstacles which inhibit participation became evident. The recommendations offered for improving Greater Seattle's Jewish communal life may be self-evident to some, while more challenging for others. Many of the recommendations are broad in scope while others are directed towards improving institutional behaviors.
Groups and individuals representing
the widest diversity of this community, including rabbinic, lay
and professional leaders, program planners, and those with varying
levels of connection to the community, were contacted. Common
goals were found to exist among those who are already connected
and those who are not. Both groups want to increase avenues
for participation which, in turn, will strengthen the entire Jewish
community. Those who are currently unconnected expressed
a strong desire to work together with the organized Jewish community
to develop solutions to reverse the high rate of unaffiliation.
In addition, they felt that creating programs which will address
their particular needs will also improve the overall health and
welfare of the Jewish community.
The 1990 National Jewish Population Survey was a wake-up call to the entire North American Jewish community about the high rates of unaffiliation and intermarriage. A local population survey, completed at the same time, found that approximately two thirds of the Jewish households, in the greater Seattle area, close to 19,400 people, were not members of a Jewish congregation and 60 percent were not members of any other Jewish organization. This lack of affiliation among a large majority of Jews is a major concern.
Large-scale trends of assimilation and intermarriage are producing unprecedented challenges to the cultural and religious continuity of the Jewish people. Religious freedom has become a reality, and participation in the Jewish community has become more voluntary than in the past. Living in an open society has brought many attractive opportunities to Jews (involvement in the arts, government, and social causes). The Jewish community must now compete for an individual's attention and affiliation. Younger Jews, in general, do not have the same attachment to Jewish causes as do their older counterparts. The new generation of Jews base their identity and affiliation upon active consent rather than habit. New realities must be considered in order to effectively include more of those who are currently unaffiliated. This requires new thinking on the part of the organized Jewish community. We are unfortunately better practiced at fighting anti-Semitism, discrimination, and persecution. However, we, as a people, have little experience in knowing how to live as Jews in such an open society.
In an effort to increase community awareness, Rabbi Rachel Cowan, one of the most prominent writers and lecturers on the topic of outreach and Jewish continuity, was invited to visit Seattle in early 1995. Over 1,200 people attended Rabbi Cowan's lectures on a variety of topics related to outreach. In addition, 50 Jewish leaders - both lay and professional - representing 37 institutions in this community, attended a discussion entitled "Are We Ready to Reach Out?" The outstanding response to this particular presentation was indicative of the overwhelming desire on the part of the community to address outreach. Although there are many options for Jewish involvement in Seattle, there was clearly a need to examine the reasons for the high rate of unaffiliation and develop ways for increasing doorways into the community for those interested in being connected.
In March 1995, Natalie Merkur Rose, Coordinator of Jewish Family Life Education at Jewish Family Service (JFS), made a request to the Planning and Allocations Committee of the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle (JFGS) to create a Community Outreach Task Force. The request stemmed from a desire to develop a communal outreach response to unconnected, intermarried, and unaffiliated Jews and their families in the Greater Seattle community. This proposal was approved, and planning began by the Federation and Jewish Family Service.
Dr. Egon Mayer, Director of the Jewish Outreach Institute, visited Seattle on a number of occasions from mid-1995 to mid-1996. His presentations afforded both lay and professional leaders the opportunity to hear the latest research in the field of outreach, as well as programmatic achievements nationwide. These discussions further fueled interest in developing a comprehensive communal plan for reaching out to the unconnected and unaffiliated in our community.
By June 1996, Kathleen Spitzer was appointed chair of the Community Outreach Task Force, and recruitment of committee members began. It was essential that the committee's composition represent the community's diversity. The committee's mandate was to develop recommendations for a communal outreach response. The following mission statement was developed to guide the committee:
The Community Outreach Task Force seeks to make a significant contribution to the building of a vibrant, widely meaningful, and inclusive Jewish community. Recognizing that the majority of Jewish individuals and families in the Greater Seattle area do not participate or affiliate with Jewish communal institutions, the Task Force will seek to investigate and determine the reasons for that lack of participation or affiliation. At the conclusion of its investigative efforts, the Task Force will recommend ways that the organized Jewish community can become more attractive to, more welcoming, and inclusive of all.
The Task Force embarked upon a twelve-month process which included a review of the 1990 Seattle demographic study, the use of focus groups, and local and national research-including contacting some key communities (Minneapolis, MN; MetroWest, NJ; Boston, MA; and San Diego, CA, to name a few) which have undertaken similar studies. Our process was similar to the way in which several other communities have studied outreach. All of the people with whom the committee met and spoke-connected and unconnected Jews and their families, lay and professional leaders of our Jewish institutions-appreciated the opportunity to share their experiences and thoughts on the issue of outreach. These discussions were often filled with strong emotions and it was apparent that, for many, this subject strikes a deep chord. This is indicative of the high priority this issue needs to take on the Seattle Jewish communal agenda.
| For purposes of this document "connection" is defined broadly as any kind of participation with any segment of the organized Jewish community, and "affiliation" as when a membership fee has been paid to a Jewish institution or organization. |
The work of the Community Outreach Task Force was to identify the large numbers of unaffiliated Jews in Greater Seattle, try to understand the phenomenon, and to develop an informed response. The committee focused on gaps within the organized Jewish community: either what is not being done at all, or what is being done but not as inclusively or sensitively as it should or could be.
While the committee found that
many quality programs and opportunities for involvement exist,
strikingly consistent patterns which highlight the barriers to
involvement also emerged.
One frequent theme was the scarcity of marketing in the general
press. Those not already connected have no way of finding out
what opportunities for participation exist when marketing occurs
only in the traditional venues. The Jewish Transcript,
Washington's only Jewish newspaper, is available exclusively by
subscription. Its current circulation is 4,000 households. The
Transcript and organizational bulletins are virtually the
sole method of advertising Jewish community programs and events.
Therefore, notice of community events occurs only by reading the
Transcript or having membership in specific organizations.
Neither of these methods reaches those who are not at all affiliated.
This community's organizations, with few exceptions, tend to be highly structured with long-standing practices. These characteristics can leave newcomers feeling excluded. When combined with individuals' past negative experiences with the Jewish community, lack of knowledge about the community, or the perception that only the wealthy can become active participants, many of the unconnected are deterred from approaching the organized Jewish community.
New demographic and social trends such as the postponement of marriage and childbearing, intermarriage, divorce and mobility, to name a few, have changed the face of the Jewish community. Single parents, gays and lesbians, and intermarried Jews and their families are some of the groups that are particularly under-served. A variety of programs and new organizational behaviors will need to be implemented in order to effectively address their varying needs.
The recurring patterns found throughout the committee's research have been summarized into key findings. (Quotations used are from actual focus group participants; names have been changed to protect their privacy.)
1. Although some outreach activities to unconnected Jews and their families do exist, this issue does not appear to be high on the Seattle Jewish communal agenda.
This finding is supported by the absence of a shared communal vision and plan for reaching out to the unconnected, despite a great deal of interest in the topic In addition, local research indicates that each organization focuses mainly on providing programs for its current constituency, rather than reaching out beyond its members.
2. Unconnected Jews have little or no knowledge of the availability and accessibility of Jewish programs and services.
Rachel, a woman in her early 20's, came to Seattle right after graduating college. She commented "I saw an ad for an interesting speaker on anti-Semitism, but I thought I couldn't attend the program because I wasn't a member of the organization."
Rachel's remark was one of many such comments made by focus group participants. This demonstrates that even when there is some knowledge of programs, there is often confusion as to how to gain access to them. In addition, many of the participants suggested the development of programs that already exist in the community.
3. There is little coordination or communication among Jewish organizations planning and implementing outreach activities to unconnected Jews and their families.
"I'd like to collaborate with other organizations more, but since there are no regular meetings with program coordinators, I'd have to call each person individually and it's just too time consuming."
This kind of remark was one of many made by Jewish communal professionals who plan programs for a variety of organizations. Some of these professionals were surprised to hear what the others were doing. They also indicated that it is difficult to refer callers to agencies which may better suit their needs, not knowing what opportunities exist.
4. There is a high financial cost to involvement and affiliation within the Jewish community which some cannot afford, as well as an over-emphasis on financial contributions as a precursor to participation.
Joe is married, in his early 40's, and has two school-age children. He recently met with someone at a local synagogue, of which he was not a member, to ask about ways of getting involved. He was immediately informed of the annual dues, the building fund commitment, and the cost of sending his two children to Hebrew school. He said, "They didn't even ask me about my background or what I was looking for in a synagogue before quoting the financial commitment I would need to make."
Eileen, a single woman in her late 20's recently moved to Seattle to take a job with Microsoft. The first time someone from the community contacted her was when she got a call on Super Sunday asking for a donation to the Community Campaign. Eileen said, "I barely knew how to find my way to work when I was asked to make a pledge to a community I knew nothing about."
Joe and Eileen's experiences are just two examples in support of the above finding. Comments similar to theirs were heard again and again, during our discussions with those both unconnected and connected in the community.
5. There is an increase in the diversity of our Jewish community. For example, single-parent, multi-racial, and interfaith families, as well as gay and lesbian Jews, face many barriers to their involvement and there are few programs which address their specific needs.
Beth, a single mother of a nine year old, shared: "I'd really like to serve on the board of a Jewish agency, but the meetings all seem to be in the evening and no child care is provided. This counts me out."
Karen and Paul, an interfaith couple, attended a Passover workshop to help them plan their first Seder. "We were enjoying the class, but when the group learned that Paul isn't Jewish, the atmosphere changed and we felt like we shouldn't have come."
Comments like these were reiterated time and again, by people who felt excluded and invisible in the community.
6. There are insufficient opportunities for people to explore involvement in Judaism and the Jewish community.
Susan, a non-Jewish woman, recently married a Jewish man. She said, "I was looking for a way to get a 'taste' of Judaism, but when I called around I could only find courses that required an extended commitment. When we start a family I think I'd like to raise my children as Jews. I know I'll need to learn a lot, but for now I just want an introduction to see what it's all about."
Bob and Stacey just had a baby and are thinking about what it means to be Jewish parents. They said, "We'd like to join a synagogue on a trial basis in order to decide if it's right for us, but this doesn't seem to be an option. We know we could attend services without joining, but we'd like to contribute in some way so we feel as if we belong."
These statements are just two examples of many, illustrating the above finding.
7. Our Jewish institutions are often not as welcoming as they could be to newcomers and those not actively involved.
Carl, now in his late 30's, had a negative experience with Hebrew school when he was a boy. He stayed away from synagogues for more than 25 years. He recently decided he wanted to reconnect with synagogue life. He said, "I had to muster up a lot of courage to walk in the door of a synagogue. I hoped someone would realize I was new and would welcome me. This didn't happen and now I'm hesitant to go back."
Diane, a single woman in her early 30's is hearing impaired. She wants to become more involved in the Jewish community. She recently expressed this interest to the president of an organization of which she is a member. "He told me they've never had anyone on a committee who was hearing impaired and that my presence would probably impede the work of the committee."
These stories are only two of numerous comments confirming the finding above.
8. Few links exist between the Jewish community and social causes which are important to many Jews (e.g., environmentalism and health and safety issues).
Joyce, a mother of two teenage boys, said, "I'm very involved with Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). I feel really strongly about this cause and would love it if there was an organized Jewish presence within MADD."
Rob, a gay man in his late 40's, has been with the same partner for 12 years. He shared: "My partner and I are very active with the Multi-Faith Aids Project because we want to try and help increase AIDS awareness. We just wish more of the Jewish community were involved with this project."
These stories are only two of many similar remarks corroborating the finding above.
The extensive research conducted by the Community Outreach Task Force has broadened the Task Force's knowledge of the issues related to affiliation and participation. As a result of the findings listed above, goals and recommendations were formulated to assist the organized Jewish community in effectively addressing these issues. While the overall task may seem daunting, the recommendations consist of a series of small steps which, once taken, will have a profound impact on affiliation and participation in the community.
It is the committee's hope that the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle will act as the coordinating agency to lead the community in addressing the findings and the recommendations contained in this report. The first step is the creation of a standing Outreach Committee, which should include representation from all segments of the community. It should be the responsibility of this committee to implement this effort. They will need to develop a timeline prioritizing the order of implementation so that the overall goal of making Seattle a more welcoming and inclusive community is achieved.
We expect Jewish Family Service to continue its leadership role in providing a variety of outreach programs, as well as to take an active role in the work of the implementation committee. In addition, each organization should use this report, adapting its recommendations where appropriate to their own settings.
In order for an ongoing communal outreach effort to be successful, funding must be secured and sustained. Possible funding sources include the Endowment Community Fund of the Federation, Community Campaign funds, local and national philanthropic funds, local agency budget allocations, as well as inter-agency pooled funds.
The committee hopes that this report will inspire community leaders
to participate cooperatively in a communal outreach effort. The
strength of this coordinated effort depends upon the ability of
the organized Jewish community to provide as many options as possible,
recognizing the broadest spectrum of Jewish life and improving
how we interact with the unconnected and unaffiliated so that
they can take a more active role in the organized Jewish community.
The community will be enriched by the participation of this larger
segment of its population. In this manner, we will truly fulfill
the spirit of the commandment, "All who are hungry, let them
enter and eat. All who are in need, let them come and celebrate.
. . ."
| 1. | Although some outreach activities to unconnected Jews and their families do exist, this issue does not appear to be high on the Seattle Jewish communal agenda. | Promote a shared vision which makes outreach to unconnected Jews and their families a high communal priority and allows each institution to participate in its own unique way. | Create a standing Community Outreach Committee.
Educate communal institutions to the barriers to involvement. Secure ongoing funding of programs to enable outreach to unconnected Jews and their families and related projects to continue. Develop mechanisms to get feedback from the community to measure the success of outreach activities. |
| 2. | Unconnected Jews have little or no knowledge of the availability and accessibility of Jewish programs and services. | Expand awareness of and accessibility to Jewish communal programs and services by increasing visibility. | Develop a marketing campaign, with an appropriate budget, using general media (since unconnected Jews do not read The Jewish Transcript).
Free distribution of The Jewish Transcript, including the Guide to Jewish Washington, in Greater Seattle. Wide distribution of all resource listings, such as the JEC Adult Education Catalog, listings of Jewish schools, camps, day care, and kosher products. Create and distribute widely a Jewish community information packet which is representative of the spectrum of opportunities available (for example, for inclusion in corporate orientation packets and to real estate agents). Create a central information clearinghouse, including the hiring of a community outreach coordinator, and a "Hotline" with community-wide information. Improve current community calendar to include weekly updates, ensuring greater accessibility to entire community. |
| 3. | There is little coordination or communication among Jewish organizations planning and implementing outreach activities to unconnected Jews and their families. | Every Jewish institution should regard itself as a link to the rest of the Jewish community, and all institutions should collaborate on community-wide outreach efforts. | Regularly convene agency personnel involved in outreach to share ideas and plan events.
Improve inter-agency referrals. Display information about Jewish programs and services at all institutions and Jewish community events. Develop better mechanisms for follow-up with people who express interest in becoming involved, including the referral of those making inquiries about the community to the outreach coordinator. Develop a community-wide marketing campaign, which may include the hiring of a joint publicist. |
| 4. | There is a high financial cost to involvement and affiliation within the Jewish community which some cannot afford, as well as an over-emphasis on financial contributions as a precursor to participation. | Lower the cost of involvement and affiliation, and encourage introductions to the Jewish community before soliciting financial commitments. | Review the high cost of affiliation within the Jewish community, including fee structures.
Explore the possibility of joint membership packages for those wishing multi-affiliations (synagogue/day school/JCC). Institute more sensitive ways for people to learn about and access reduced fees. Promote shorter financial commitments such as memberships on a "trial basis." Examine practices regarding "first contact" with potential new members, especially how and when fees are discussed. |
| 5. | There is an increase in the diversity of our Jewish community. For example, interfaith, single parent, multi-racial families, as well as gay and lesbian Jews face many barriers to their involvement and there are few programs which address their specific needs. | Promote the inclusion of diverse segments of our Jewish community in all aspects of Jewish communal life, and better serve non-traditional programming needs. | Develop programs which sensitize the Jewish community about diverse groups within it.
Plan activities to encourage, rather than discourage, diversity among program participants. Increase representation of diverse segments of the community in Jewish communal organizations' leadership roles. Develop programs to enhance the Jewish connection for under-served populations (e.g., Stepping Stones for interfaith couples and families). Expand existing successful programs for under-served populations (e.g., Single Parent Camp, Interfaith Partnerships program). |
| 6. | There are insufficient opportunities for people to explore involvement in Judaism and the Jewish community. | Increase the number and types of opportunities for people to get a "taste" of Judaism and Jewish communal involvement without having to make a major commitment, financial or otherwise. | Provide ongoing opportunities for people to share their thoughts and experiences about being Jewish and their perceptions about the organized Jewish community (i.e., town meetings, small group workshops, panel discussions).
Provide more Introduction to Judaism classes with varying time commitments and scope. Expand current successful adult educational programs, including holiday workshops, Jewish parenting, and others. Have a Jewish welcome kiosk, perhaps including food, at events such as Bumbershoot or Northwest Folk Life Festival. Develop an annual Jewish Synagogue Fair to provide introductory information to potential members. Organize a community-wide annual program on themes (e.g., cultural, food, historical, Israel) which portray Judaism and the Jewish community in a positive, meaningful light. |
| 7. | Our Jewish institutions are often not as welcoming as they could be to newcomers and those not actively involved. | Sensitize all Jewish organizations to the importance of creating a more welcoming environment. | Educate and train Jewish communal institutions to the barriers to involvement in the community.
Develop welcoming standards for contact with those making inquiries. Establish an outreach committee at each synagogue and organization. Develop programs which increase person-to person connections. Establish a community network for connecting holiday and Shabbat hosts with guests. Designate "greeters" for each synagogue and institution service and event. |
| 8. | Few links exist between the Jewish community and social causes which are important to many Jews (e.g., environ-mentalism and health and safety issues). | Increase Jewish communal participation in broader social causes. | Enable an organized Jewish presence and participation in broad community social causes. |
The recommendations made herein for improving our Jewish community will have significant implications for long-term growth and vitality. Some can be implemented rather easily as well as immediately. Others are more complex and will require discussion and debate in order for communal agencies to adapt them. Each agency, synagogue, and organization must determine its own outreach goals and boundaries. As with any new endeavor, we will need to develop ways of evaluating our progress both in the short and long-run.
Following are some suggestions for ways of measuring success. This list is not an exhaustive one, and it will be the responsibility of those implementing these recommendations to put in place methods and mechanisms for assessing progress and evaluating success. Focus needs to shift from how the community views those it seeks to serve, to how they view the community and its institutions. Success should be measured by both those who are already involved and those who are in the process of connecting - with a fair hearing of the negative as well as the positive, if real progress is to be made.
Potential measurements of communal outreach efforts include:
The Community Outreach Task Force research was divided into four areas: demographic information from both the national and local 1990 population surveys; local outreach activities by organizations and synagogues, as well as attitudes regarding affiliation and participation from both those affiliated and unaffiliated; focus groups with varying populations; and national organizations with a major focus on outreach and successful outreach programs in communities outside of Seattle.
Both the 1990 national and Seattle Jewish population surveys were reviewed, and information was utilized as background and context for this report. It was hoped that by delving into these reports, additional information might be gleaned. Attempts were made to re-examine the raw data from the 1990 Seattle Jewish Population Survey in order to correlate variables not included in that final report, such as the income of single parent households, affiliation rates with family status, and affiliation rates by age. After consulting with Dr. Ron Miller, of the National Jewish Data Bank, it was evident that these attempts were drawing inconsistent correlations due to incomplete data, and were therefore not pursued. Therefore, only information from the final written report of the Seattle Jewish Population Survey was used as a resource for local demographic information.
A variety of methods were used to elicit information from both lay and professional leaders from local organizations.
Do you have any outreach programs?
How do you advertise your programs? Only to current members or through the general press?
Who is your target population for these programs?
Have you experienced growth or contraction and to what do you attribute this?
Which populations are becoming involved in your organization?
In your opinion, what are the barriers to getting involved in the Jewish community?
What would you like to see the Jewish community do to increase the likelihood that your children and grandchildren will be connected and involved with the Jewish community?
How important do you feel it is to devote community resources to building a more welcoming Jewish community and why?
How willing are you to prioritize this issue when allocating your organization's resources and why?
In your experience, what is the motivation for Jews and people seeking to convert to become connected to the Jewish community?
In your experience what do you see as the barriers to involvement in the Jewish community?
What should or could the Jewish community be doing to attract more people?
In your experience, what are the reasons people give for leaving synagogue affiliation?
Who is your target audience and who determines it?
What has aided or hindered your efforts to work with other organizations?
What are the obstacles within your organization which hinder your outreach efforts?
What are the key issues that you believe the Seattle Jewish community should address regarding outreach?
Based upon the local research, the
Task Force identified a number of specific populations in our
community with whom to hold focus group meetings. The specific
populations were chosen because of the dearth of programming currently
available to them. While this is not an exhaustive list of those
who are under-served, these represent larger constituencies in
our community, and the information gathered from these groups
provided ample information to guide the committee's development
of outreach recommendations. Focus group participants were found
by word of mouth, lists of unaffiliated newcomers gathered by
the Jewish Federation, past participants of Jewish Family Service
programs, and some advertising on the Internet and at Microsoft.
A concerted effort was made to include socio-economic, cultural,
professional, and geographic diversity within each group -
as well as a mix of newcomers, natives, and those who have lived
here for some time. In addition, both affiliated and unaffiliated
people were included in this process. Two focus group meetings
were held with interfaith couples because of the large number
and unique needs of interfaith families. Each focus group had
between six and ten participants, except for the major donors
group which had twenty. Focus group meetings were held either
at Jewish Family Service offices, a public library, or in a private
home. Each focus group meeting was led by an experienced facilitator
and was tape recorded in order to transcribe and summarize the
discussions.
Focus groups were held with the following:
The questions posed to all of the focus groups were:
What is your experience with the Jewish community in Seattle (both positive and negative)?
What are you looking for in a synagogue or Jewish organization?
What is your perception of the Jewish community?
What should the Jewish community
be doing to reach out to people like you?
Depending upon responses to the above questions, any of the following follow-up questions may have been asked:
How can the Jewish community be more welcoming?
What would make it easier for you to connect?
How do you learn about activities
in the Jewish community?
Telephone interviews were conducted
with professional staff of 11 Jewish communities selected for
their recent successful outreach efforts, as well as with the
director of outreach from the Union of American Hebrew Congregations
and the director of the Jewish Outreach Institute, who were asked
the following questions:
Please provide an overview of your outreach program.
Who is your target population?
How do you reach people?
Where is the program based? Who funds it? Who staffs it?
What is working well about your program?
What would you do differently?
Summaries of the demographic information, local and national research, and focus groups follow. Complete responses to all local and national interviews are included in the Appendix section.
After a thorough review of both
the Seattle and the national demographic surveys, as well as the
research being conducted on current programs in local organizations,
the following variables were deemed important to note: affiliation
rates, marital status, income, numbers of single parents, rates
of intermarriage, and geographic dispersion.
The 1990 Seattle Jewish population
survey noted that almost two-thirds of all Jewish households do
not have synagogue memberships. Married and higher income households
are more likely to be members. In addition, over 60 percent of
Jewish households do not belong to any Jewish organization. At
the time of the local demographic study, 30.5 percent of our community
was single. This is a higher percentage of single households than
other major North American cities. Also, 29.3 percent of our community
was married with children under the age of eighteen, while 8.2
percent of those who were married did not have children. The 1990
National Jewish Population Survey (NJPS) indicated that 12 percent
of the Jewish community was comprised of single parent households.
Locally, single parents head 23 percent all of households with
children between the ages of 6 and 12, and 6.4 percent of households
with children under the age of six. Clearly, as children grow
older the rates of divorce increase.
The 1990 Seattle study indicated
that the most frequent income range was $40,000 - $49,000, but
62 percent of all single-person households earn only between $12,500
- $39,000. Given the high cost of active participation in the
Jewish community -
which can be between $18,000 - $25,000 a year, for a family of
five, if one sends a child to day school, has membership in a
synagogue and/or a Jewish Community Center, sends a child to Jewish
summer camp and makes a contribution to the Jewish Federation
-
one would need to earn between $80,00 - $125,000 (Meir and Holstein,
1995). This is far above the national average annual earned income
of $39,000.
The NJPS indicated that 28 percent
of the 2.64 million married born Jews in the United States are
married to non-Jews. In Seattle, 40.3 percent of those who were
born Jewish and are married are in an interfaith marriage. Furthermore,
the 1990 NJPS also reported that, of born Jews who married between
1985 and 1990, 52 percent married non-Jews. This correlates to
the Seattle survey which showed that the largest number of those
intermarried were between the ages of 18 and 24. Since younger
Jews are more likely to intermarry than are older Jews, the rate
of interfaith marriages can be expected to increase in the future.
Second marriages are more likely to be intermarriages. Intermarriage
rates increase in the regions of the West and South. In 1990,
there were 740,000 intermarried couples and 664,000 children living
in intermarried households. Only 25 percent of these children
were being raised in the Jewish religion, 30 percent were being
raised in the secular/no religion environment, and 45 percent
were being raised in both Jewish and another religion (CJF Report
of the Task Force on the Intermarried and Jewish Affiliation,
1994.)
A significant portion of the Jewish
community was new to the Seattle area at the time of study. Most
newcomers were under the age of 35, and were either single or
families with children under the age of twelve. According to the
study, 8 percent -
or 1,384 people -
moved to Seattle in the one year preceding the study. Almost 37
percent of the Seattle Jewish community lives on the Eastside,
with another 34.3 percent living in Central Seattle, and 24.1
percent in the Northend. In addition, almost half of all two-parent
households with children live on the Eastside.
There is no data in either the NJPS or the Seattle demographic survey on either the homosexual or the disabled populations. Information from the Kinsey Report indicates that at least 10 percent of the population of the United States is homosexual. This may hold true for the Jewish community as well.
The local research effort focused on components which would provide information about the following: what types of programs exist, whether there are gaps in service to specific populations, attitudes about reaching out to the unaffiliated, visions for the future of the Seattle Jewish community and how high a priority outreach to the unaffiliated should take on the Seattle Jewish communal agenda. Following is a summary of each piece of the local research efforts. For complete responses to the organizational interviews conducted see Appendix A.
Telephone interviews were held with
representatives of 45 Jewish organizations to learn about current
outreach activities.
Common themes emerging from the responses are:
Two community-wide forums were held
as part of the Community Outreach Task Force information gathering.
The first was held in November 1996 and was facilitated by Dr.
Egon Mayer of the Jewish Outreach Institute. The second was held
in July 1997 as a follow-up session. It served as an opportunity
for interested attendees to give feedback and add their insights
to the findings, goals, and recommendations. There were close
to 30 people at each of the meetings representing a diverse cross-section
of the Jewish community. The comments by attendees showed that
there is genuine concern for outreach and a need to centralize
outreach efforts including better inter-agency communication and
programming.
November 1996
Dr. Mayer made the following opening remarks to provide a context for our discussion:
We need to shift our paradigm of thought and look at how those we are trying to reach out to might view us, rather than how we view them.
We should look at success from the standpoint of a series of choices along a continuum that people can make during their lifetime.
We should take a look at when people are more open to becoming connected to the Jewish community, such as at the birth of child, a death or illness, getting married, etc.
We need to be willing to hear the
negative comments of those who are unconnected. It may be uncomfortable
to hear, but we will not be able to move beyond our current situation
if we are not willing to recognize what is not working well in
our community.
Observations and suggestions offered
by the participants fall into three broad categories:
We need to encourage people to reach out on a one-to-one basis. Positive change won't come from institutions alone, the personal touch is what is going to make the connection for people.
People feel shame and embarrassment when they believe they don't have enough knowledge about Judaism.
There is discomfort among single
members of synagogues; they are an under-served portion of the
population.
We need to communicate more amongst ourselves and learn from each others' successes.
We need to better utilize our institutional assets, i.e. we need to look at which agency can best provide a particular service.
We need to get out of institutions
and into other more comfortable environments.
We have good programs, why aren't people showing up in droves?
Our community needs to have an effective
marketing program.
July 1997
Kathleen Spitzer, Chair of the Community
Outreach Task Force, opened the meeting with remarks about the
worldwide concern for Jewish identity and how local efforts to
reach out to the unaffiliated need to reflect respect for the
differences in our community. She referred to the midrash
which says, when the ten commandments were given, each Jew heard
them in his or her own way.
Members of the Task Force shared
the eight key findings and their respective goals. Preliminary
recommendations were also shared with the participants. The committee
asked for feedback and input from those in attendance. They also
asked the participants if the key findings were consistent with
experiences of local organizations. The following observations
and suggestions were offered:
Personal contact is critical.
Public Relations efforts need to be followed up with one-on-one .
There is a consumer mind-set among
Jews. They come in and out of the community depending on their
need. This is a change from the past when, for example one would
maintain a membership at the JCC even if he or she did not use
the service.
Institutions need to connect people with others like themselves.
We cannot look for those who don't
want to be involved, rather those who want connection but don't
know how.
Outreach is about increasing Jewish identity.
We need to keep those already affiliated involved.
What do we mean by community, perhaps it is simply all Jewish souls.
The community needs to develop criteria for defining success in outreach.
Nineteen executive committee members, of community organization boards responded to questions about the importance of outreach. The responses revealed similar themes to those from focus groups and local organizations:
Nineteen rabbis in the Greater Seattle area were contacted, and fifteen responded to questions asked, bringing to bear their unique perspective on why people choose to connect with the Jewish community.
Common themes among the rabbis' responses are:
For complete responses to the rabbinic
phone surveys see Appendix B.
Current or past program directors
from Chabad-Lubavitch, Community and Leadership Development Department
of the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle, Congregation Beth
Shalom, Hillel - Foundation for Jewish Campus Life, Jewish Family
Service, Kadima Community School, Stroum Jewish Community Center,
Mercer Island and Northend, Temple Beth Am, and Temple De Hirsch
Sinai attended a meeting to discuss outreach issues.
Common themes emerging from the responses are:
Program professionals made the following recommendations regarding outreach in our community:
Lack of information about the Jewish
community, or easy access to it, is a major barrier to getting
involved in the Jewish community. Six local public relations and
marketing professionals, all of whom were Jewish, were invited
to share their professional expertise and knowledge of the Seattle
Jewish community. Participants came from a variety of businesses
including a private public relations firm, a parenting newspaper,
a large retail establishment, the Washington State Convention
Center, as well as The Jewish Transcript.
A number of general statements providing the context for the discussion were made and are as follows:
Public relations is the positive dissemination of material about the Jewish community, on an ongoing basis.
Perception is reality for many people.
We are a more mobile society today than ever before.
Being Jewish is 'hip' now. It is much easier for people to feel 'open' about their Judaism.
Creative ways of reaching out to newcomers need to be developed.
Ways of getting people involved
by reaching them through their place of employment should be considered.
Recommendations falling under three broad areas emerged from the discussion:
The need to examine the entire range of marketing tools is crucial. This includes public relations, advertising, mail, and personal contact, either face to face or by phone.
Marketing only works when it blitzes the community. When you have a powerful message you can't put it out too often.
It is important to remember to use varied strategies for reaching different market segmentation.
Advertising in the general press can help break down some of the barriers.
The message that is put out needs to touch someone immediately and resonate with them.
Local businesses, e.g., Noah's Bagels,
are potential partners for reaching out to the unaffiliated and
unconnected.
There needs to be an organized mechanism for outreach to the unaffiliated so that those who are well-rooted in the community will know how they can reach out to those who are unconnected.
Personal relationships are a good way to get the unconnected to become involved.
The organized Jewish community should get involved in a Seattle community project and be a visible presence in things not necessarily Jewish.
A Jewish welcome wagon, made up
of volunteers, might be a good way to get those who are unconnected
to take the first step.
Measurements of success need to be determined if effectiveness of the effort is to be adequately assessed.
Marketing materials need to be developed based upon the goals and objectives of the overall outreach effort.
Once someone decides to get involved
in the organized Jewish community they will only remain if their
needs are satisfactorily met.
Focus group meetings were held with people in the following key constituencies in order to better understand the issues and concerns regarding participation and affiliation:
Unaffiliated interfaith couples, ranging in age from early 20s to mid 40s, most of whom have children.
Unaffiliated Jewish adults, ranging in age from early 20s to late 30s, married and single, with no children.
Affiliated interfaith couples, all of whom are members of synagogues and other Jewish organizations, and most of whom have children.
Single Jewish parents, divorced, widowed or never married, of both genders, with children ranging in age from 2 to 16.
Gay and lesbian Jews and their families, including singles and those in committed relationships.
Major donors from JFS, the JCC,
and the Federation.
Although each focus group responded to the questions based on participants' own unique experiences, common themes emerged from all of the discussions:
Following is a summary of the major
themes extracted from each focus group.
Couples are looking for a place where there are others with similar backgrounds.
They would like an environment that is non-judgmental, and accepting of their partner's non-Jewish status.
Many of the Jewish partners are burdened with "religious baggage," and feel the organized Jewish community should provide a safe haven for discussing these issues.
Couples are seeking a positive environment.
"Singles groups" are difficult ways to meet people and become involved.
There are not enough synagogues and activities on the Eastside.
There should be a central Jewish meeting place.
Judaism can be too institutionalized, lacking the personal touch.
Jewish activities are not a high priority immediately after college.
Almost none of the participants subscribe to or read The Jewish Transcript.
The organized Seattle Jewish community is made up of long-time members who are close knit and not open to others.
It is very expensive to affiliate
with the organized community.
Members often feel only "half accepted," except when it comes to giving money.
One bad Jewish experience goes a long way and makes participation difficult . . . they don't want to be shunned or challenged because they are looking to participate.
It is far too expensive to be an active member of the Jewish community.
Jewish music and culture is an attractive and positive way to bring people together.
Seattle does not support a wide enough diversity of congregations.
Quality educational programs in synagogues are of great interest to this group.
Having someone in the congregation explain Jewish rituals makes them feel more a part of the service.
Active participation in Judaism requires a large volume of knowledge which can be intimidating.
The community needs to do more to disseminate information about itself.
The Jewish "expert syndrome" of every person knowing more than the next is perceived as negative and is a barrier to involvement.
Typically, reaching out or recruiting
is not seen as a very Jewish activity, which must change in order
to develop a more inclusive community.
It is difficult to participate due to lack of time or baby-sitting availability.
Many had drifted from the organized Jewish community, but re-affiliated when children were ready for religious education.
Some affiliate with a particular synagogue due to its programming specifically for single parents.
It is very expensive to be Jewish - even more so for a single parent.
The community should be more welcoming to those in need of assistance.
The Jewish community is not open to bringing children to events.
Single-parent families are marginalized
and labeled as not a "real family," and therefore feel
excluded.
Group members were very gratified that an interest by the organized Jewish community is being taken regarding the role of gays and lesbians in the community.
The topic of homosexuality is met with discomfort and lack of understanding by others and is typically not addressed by rabbis.
Gays and lesbians should be more visible in congregations (e.g., on the bima).
No one synagogue in Seattle meets the needs of all gay and lesbian Jews.
A youth group for gay and lesbian teens might help these kids with their sense of identity.
A sadness was expressed that the Jewish people, who for so long were oppressed, are now oppressing and marginalizing gay people.
The Jewish community needs to raise consciousness about gay issues (e.g., discussions in synagogues).
The Jewish community does not acknowledge
the presence of gays and lesbians.
There is too much focus on money - too much of our community activities revolve around the raising of funds.
People in leadership positions tend to be well established in the Jewish community and not in contact with those who are unconnected.
There are many good programs in the community so it is hard to understand why so many are uninvolved.
Current programs are a wonderful reaffirmation for those already committed.
There is a lack of awareness by many Jews of what is available in the community.
Although fee reductions are widely available many are unaware of their existence.
Publicity for programs tends to
be internal - advertising to those already involved.
Seattle has joined the ranks of
other cities around the country which seek to develop meaningful
outreach programs to unaffiliated and unconnected Jews and their
families. The committee spoke with many of these communities to
assess the success of their programming and to see what lessons
can be learned from their efforts. Certain programs can be adapted
for use in the Seattle community.
Factors consistently mentioned as critical to the success of outreach programs are:
Outreach Coordinator
Visibility and easy access to an
outreach coordinator are crucial. The person must be welcoming
and sensitive as well as knowledgeable about community services
and programs. The importance of an individual who can provide
positive one-on-one contact and follow-up was stressed by Nadine
Finkel of the Task Force on Continuity in San Diego, among others.
Rosanne Levitt of San Francisco's Interfaith Connections attributed
much of their success to having a coordinator who acts as a referral
and information source. Lynne Wolf at the MetroWest Federation
in New Jersey, said a significant part of her job is to assist
people in choosing a compatible synagogue. Tucson, which has specific
projects for outreach, but no dedicated center or coordinator,
noted that a shortcoming of their efforts is not having a coordinator
to follow up with participants after programs.
Another aspect of the outreach coordinator's
role is to act as a liaison between those seeking to become involved
and the organized Jewish community. He or she can coordinate activities
which pertain to all institutions such as sensitivity training
for front line staff who come in contact with people seeking information.
Finally, some of the communities have standing committees for
outreach which oversee the success of community outreach efforts,
working in conjunction with the outreach coordinator.
Success or failure in outreach hinges
in large part on the amount and type of advertising and marketing;
using the general press is a must. This includes paid advertisements
in highly visible parts of the paper (not the Religion section),
as well as press releases, articles, photos, public service announcements,
etc. Several communities also stressed the importance of a creative
presence at citywide public events (such as Seattle's Bumbershoot
festival) or developing Jewish events that are not religious and
have broad appeal.
People who are seeking entree into
the Jewish community often do not know where to turn, contrary
to what the organized community might believe. Dru Greenwood of
the Commission on Outreach for the Union of American Hebrew Congregations
(UAHC) pointed out that someone not connected to the community
already will not be looking in the Jewish press. Rosanne Levitt
of San Francisco said a constant flow of advertising is crucial
-
not just in the main area newspapers but in flyers posted in pediatricians'
offices, libraries, supermarkets, etc. Experience has shown that
Jews who will not call a synagogue might very well respond to
a non-threatening invitation to participate in something Jewish
that is seen in the "Family" section of the newspaper.
Successful outreach programs in
other communities which could have similar results in Seattle
are Stepping Stones/Pathways, operating in many communities, for
interfaith couples; San Francisco's Interfaith Connections, a
community-wide outreach agent, and Baltimore's Jewish Outreach
Network, which has a unique partnership with Baltimore's board
of rabbis. All of these merit further research for adaptation
in Seattle.
An overview of programs, marketing, and populations served by the communities listed below appears in Appendix C.
Jewish Outreach Network, Baltimore, MD
Combined Jewish Philanthropies, Boston, MA
Commission on Jewish Education, Columbus, OH
Stepping Stones, Denver, CO
Pathways, Metro West, NJ
Department of Jewish Living, Portland, OR
Commission on Jewish Continuity, Phoenix, AZ
Task Force on Continuity, San Diego, CA
Jewish Federation, San Fernando Valley Alliance, CA.
Interfaith Connections, San Francisco, CA
Various programs, Tucson, AZ
Interviews were held Dr. Egon Mayer, Director of the Jewish Outreach Institute and Dru Greenwood, Director of Commission on Outreach, UAHC, for their expertise in the field of outreach. In addition, an interview was held with the Minneapolis Federation which has recently undertaken a similar research process. The full content of these interviews appear in Appendices D, E, and F, respectively.
| Agency Name | Do you have any outreach programs? | How do you advertise? | Who is your target population? | Are you experienc-ing growth or contraction? Why? | Which populations are joining? |
| American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) | Annual membership lunch, major donor dinner, community wide political out-reach workshop, special events about politics and US-Israel relationship | The Jewish Transcript, mailings, board members recruit membership, personal solicitations, Website: wwwaipacorg | Entire Jewish community, especially those interested in Israel and Politics | Growth, due to good leadership & interesting programs about the Middle East and politics | A broad cross section of the community |
| American Jewish Committee | Annual film festival, speakers, human relations, lunch with AIPAC | Synagogue newsletters and bulletin boards | Entire Seattle Jewish community | Growth, due to the film festival | Families under 35 |
| Amit Women | Participate in com-munity (women's organizations) affairs/ programs | Word of mouth, Jewish World of Washington, Chatter Platter newsletter | All Jewish women in the city | Growth, work hard, attention to detail | Young women |
| Anti-Defamation league | Children of the Dream, The Dream Dialogue | Word of mouth, The Jewish Transcript, flyers, Seattle Times, press releases | Diversity of Jewish community | Don't have a membership list, just a board | General public |
| Bet Alef Meditational Synagogue | Free High Holiday and Passover services | WEB page, The Jewish Transcript, bulletin boards | The entire Jewish community | Growth | |
| Bet Chaverim | Website, community holiday celebrations, adult education, sisterhood activities | Website, The Jewish Transcript, bulletin (which also goes to non-members) | Jewish and intermarried families in South King County | Growth, 5 - 10 families per year | Families with children |
| Bikur Cholim (Machzikay Hadath) Capital Hill Minyan | Adult Education, services for both affiliated and gay individuals, speakers and family activities | Mailings, The Jewish Transcript, membership newsletter, Capital Hill Times | Would like to attract families with children, couples and singles | Growth | Young families |
| Bikur Cholim Machzikay Hadath | Turn Friday into Shabbat, learners ser-vices, speakers | Mailings, The Jewish Transcript, synagogue Bulletin | Anyone, no specific group | Growth, people moving here, outreach program | Variety, young couples (with & without kids) |
| B'nai B'rith | Speakers, public affairs programs, blood drives, Freedom seder, Project Brotherhood | Newsletters, flyers, The Jewish Transcript, | 20s + up, unaffiliated | Contraction, volunteers are focused in other places | Arbitrary, no trend |
| Brandeis Univ National Women's Committee | Study groups | To members and prospective members | Women of all ages | Contraction | Middle aged women |
| Chabad House | Public seders, Purim, symposiums for holidays, crisis counseling, education | The Jewish Transcript, past donors, TV exposure, brochures, reputation | Everyone | Great growth, hard work, follow through, one-on-one | Families, professional couples, students |
Appendix A. Continued
| Agency Name | Do you have any outreach programs? | How do you advertise? | Who is your target population? | Are you experienc-ing growth or contraction? Why? | Which populations are joining? |
| Congregation Beth Shalom | Adult Education classes, Living the Jewish Year, Holiday and Shabbat services, learners Minyan | Word of mouth, The Jewish Transcript, membership newsletter "Ruach" | Newcomers, non-Jewish spouses of potential members | Growth, expanding population in Northend, people like the services | Young families, young couples |
| Congregation Eitz Or | Informal open expressive services | Word of mouth | Baby boomers, people interested in meditation | Growth | Baby boomers, people interested in meditation |
| Congregation Emanuel and Sisterhood | High holidays | Flyers, JCC bulletin board, The Jewish Transcript | Anyone | Holding steady, but age is going up | U W, trying to get younger people to join |
| Congregation Ezra Bessaroth | "Turn Friday Night into Shabbat", Adult education, life cycle and holiday observances | Seattle Weekly, The Jewish Transcript, mailings | General, unaffiliated, mildly affiliated, youth and Russians | Growth | Young families, singles, Russians |
| Congregation Shaarei Tefiliah-Lubavitch | Free High Holiday seating, comple-mentary kiddushes, classes and counsel-ing with Rabbis | Occasionally in The Jewish Transcript, announcements at services, synagogue bulletin board | Unlimited, all kinds of backgrounds | Tremendous growth due to warm, accepting and tolerant atmosphere | Families, single people and immigrants who have desire to strengthen their Jewish roots |
| Congregation Shevat Achim (South Island Jewish Center) | Classes, Shabbat services | Word of mouth, Hillel, The Jewish Transcript | Unaffiliated and East-siders, | Growth with move to Northwest Yeshiva High School, Rabbi Kornfeld | Families, singles, young people |
| Congregation Tikvah Chadashah | Educational events, social action programs, High Holy Day services, Purim party, Shabbat dinners, and a community Passover Seder | A monthly newsletter to members and area synagogues, The Jewish Transcript, The Seattle Gay News, and the Lesbian Resource Center of Seattle's newsletter | Sexual minority Jews and their families, but everyone is invited to participate | Membership has stayed constant | Those in their 30s and 40s |
| Hadassah | "Training wheels" for parents and pre-schoolers, member-ship programs, study groups | Monthly bulletin, The Jewish Transcript, members and non-members | Preschool children and parents, members of all ages | Growing slowly, changing focus to attract members | Younger women/mothers |
| Herzl-Ner Tamid | Mishpacha Minyan, cultural arts, lunch and learn, Seattle Scene for young sin-gles, cantorial concert | Mailings, newsletters, general press | Conservative Jewish community | Growth, 30-45 families per year | Baby-boomers, new community members |
| Herzl-Ner Tamid Sisterhood | Gathering of Jewish women, Rosh Ho-desh, Game Night, Bagels and Blocks (moms and tots) | Sisterhood and synagogue newsletter | HNT and Sisterhood members, any women | Stable, gradual increase over the years | New synagogue members |
| Hillel: Foundation for Campus Jewish Life | Outreach Fellow (one staff member dedicated to out-reach), dorm activities, hiking trips, Bagel Club, HUB table, luncheons, seminars, young adults club (Grads) | Student union, flyers, outreach fellow, school newspaper | Students, faculty, and young graduate students | Growth | Students and graduates students new to UW |
| Agency Name | Do you have any outreach programs? | How do you advertise? | Who is your target population? | Are you experienc-ing growth or contraction? Why? | Which populations are joining? |
| Jewish Day School of Metropolitan Seattle | Adult softball team, kids basketball team, weekly food bank in gym | Tours of school, participation at community events, Eastside Parent, Seattle Rep and Children's Theaters, The Jewish Transcript, web page, Pacific Northwest Association of Independent Schools | Israelis, Southern Californians and Jewish parents with children in grades K - 8 | Middle school showing growth, Kindergarten is down (due to public schools free full day) | |
| Jewish Education Council | Adult Education Catalogue, Jewish library, Melton Adult Mini- School | Adult Education Catalogue, mailings, public libraries, general press including Seattle Weekly | Affiliated and unaffiliated Jews | Major growth due to Melton program | |
| Jewish Family Service | Groups forinterfaith families, "Jewish by Choice or thinking about it", sexual minority Jews and their families, parents of young children and teens, new to Seattle, new to/interested in Judaism, expectant parents, single parents, engaged and married couples | The Jewish Transcript, Seattle Weekly, Eastside Week, Seattle's Child, Eastside Parent, Eastside Journal, Seattle Gay News, flyers, mailings, vendors (bagel shops, Bamboo Garden), press releases | Entire Jewish community For certain programs we target certain populations, including interested non -Jews | Growth, due to better outreach, marketing and good reputation | Broad spectrum of Jews and non Jews interested in Judaism and the Jewish community |
| Jewish Women Int'l (B'nai B'rith) | Domestic violence seminar, mingled roots, (educational program for grand-parents of mixed religion children) | Press releases for general public, flyers to members | Members and parents (or children) | Little change | Some younger women, age 40, mostly 40 - 65 |
| Kadima Community School | Adult education and Rosh Hashanah Seder, life cycle and holiday observances | Ads at PCC, The Seattle Weekly, to members, JEC Adult Education catalogue | Gay/lesbian, interfaith, bi-racial, secular Jews | Contraction, until this year, competition with Eitz Or has grown | |
| Mercer Island Stroum Jewish Community Center | Softball league; singles hotline; young singles/couples, single parent, interfaith, referral, and new-comer programs/
services, camp, health PE, holiday obser-vances/celebrations | Seattle's Child, Seattle Weekly, The Jewish Transcript, semi annual open houses, internet, flyers, program guide and Centerline, the in house newsletter | Everyone (cradle to grave) | Continued growth | Young families with kids, seniors, young singles and couples |
| N'Shei Chabad Women's Organization | Life cycle, education for Jewish women related to family life, fundraising events, Rosh Chodesh and Shabbat classes, picnics | The Jewish Transcript, mailings, synagogues, JCC, newsletters, phone calling and word of mouth, neighborhood residents | General Jewish population, especially women | Growth, women are looking to be part of something | Jewish women of all backgrounds |
| National Council of Jewish Women | Mitzvah Day, "Can we Talk?", political discussions, lecture programs | The Jewish Transcript, database of potential members | Women now focusing on bringing in younger women | Stable |
| Agency Name | Do you have any outreach programs? | How do you advertise? | Who is your target population? | Are you experienc-ing growth or contraction? Why? | Which populations are joining? |
| North End Stroum Jewish Community Center | Child care, seniors programs, yoga classes, singles programs, holiday observances, adult education | Internet, The Jewish Transcript,
Seattle Weekly, flyers for special events, program guide, directory, general press | Everyone, mostly families with children | Growth | Families with young children and seniors |
| Northwest Jewish Environmental Project | Educational programs, seminars, lectures, main focus in on outreach | E-mail, mailing lists, word of mouth, The Jewish Transcript | Jews involved in the environmental community, affiliated and unaffiliated in the Jewish community | Growth! | 20 - 30 year old unaffiliated Jews |
| Northwest Yeshiva High School | Programs on traditional holiday observances for families of students | The Guide to Jewish Washington, High School of Jewish Studies, Eastside News, MI Reporter, The Jewish Transcript | High school age students and their families | Tremendous growth due to Samis tuition grants |