Birthright Judaism

"There's no such thing as a free lunch."

That may be true, but there are free 10 day trips to Israel on Birthright. It sometimes feels like Jewish organizations respond to lagging participation in Jewish activities by throwing money at the problem (e.g. me) and I'm not complaining. It's pretty easy to observe Shabbat meals when you receive an $18 reimbursement for each participant through Birthright Next.

Last week at PresenTense Global Institute we heard from some of the Jewish philanthropists and professionals invested in these programs: Alisa Kurshan, Senior Vice President at UJA-Federation of NYC, and Lynn Schusterman and Sandy Cardin of the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation. I was excited to meet the people that support Birthright and to hear their vision for a Jewish community.

That's why I was surprised when it seemed like everyone, speakers and audience, expressed concern about "entitled Judaism." Yes, Sandy Cardin emphasized that Birthright plants the seeds for future Jewish donors, and Kurshan enthusiastically observed the great demand for the Birthright brand. But questions were raised about the value of a free product. Moreover, Kurshan described how Birthright returnees called the UJA Israel hotline asking how to return to Israel, but were surprised to find they might actually have to pay the second time around. Do younger Jews consider the Jewish brand worth paying for?

There are signs that my generation does not feel the same sense of responsibility to invest in the Jewish community and its institutions, as demonstrated by less communal giving among the younger demographic. Hundreds of thousands of people gave their sweat and money to build the alphabet soup of an organized Jewish community we have today, from the AJC to the ZOA. Will these institutions survive? Should they?

I don't have answers to all these tough questions, but I do know that nothing of value can remain free forever. Someone has to foot the bill. How can you inspire a sense of responsibility for Jewish institutions? One answer we discussed is, as cheesy as it sounds, passion. As a twenty-one year old college student, I don't have much money to give to UJA, but I do have some time, energy, and ideas. That's why we need places like PresenTense that connect the spirit of the younger generation to the resources of the older, so we can together create a sustainable community to which my 40-year old self very well might contribute.

When I was little, I loved to build ships and buildings and cities out of flimsy cardboard bricks that would often fall apart. My parents would sometimes buy toy models of ships or trains or planes that were more realistic and beautiful and long-lasting, but looking back I valued my creations much more than anything else, because it was I who had built them.

I hope that my generation gains the opportunity to build our own communal infrastructure so that we feel responsible for its upkeep.