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Engaging the “Nones”
Spring 2013, Vol. 41, No. 3
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Reform Judaism is the official voice of the Union for
Reform Judaism, linking the institutions and affiliates of
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events and Jewish tradition from a Reform perspective.
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T
here is no escaping the challenging fact that there
are more Jews outside the walls of our synagogues than inside. Social scientists such as Robert
Putnam and Mark Chaves explain this as being part of
a larger phenomenon in North America, where the
most rapidly growing religious group is unaffiliated—
the “nones.” While middle-aged and older individuals
continue to embrace organized religion, exponentially
increasing numbers of young people reject it.
Too often I hear Jewish leaders describing those
who have no religious affiliation as people “who don’t know and don’t
care.” I disagree. The 2012 Pew Forum on Religion survey, “‘Nones’ on the
Rise,” disproves this notion, finding that many of these “nones” believe in
God, seek spirituality, and pray regularly. They just do not relate to the
world of organized religion. Seventy percent of “nones” reported that
religious institutions are too focused on money and power, and reflect
worldviews alien to their own.
That’s precisely why a major thrust of the new URJ is to “reach beyond
the walls” of synagogues to engage those who have yet to join us inside of
our congregations. Doing so effectively means discarding limiting
assumptions such as, “they don’t know and they don’t care.”
In our new URJ Communities of Practice (see page 68), dozens of URJ
congregations are experimenting with a variety of compelling ways to
engage young adults and young families, who will learn from each other
and from our of URJ Faculty of thought leaders and expert practitioners.
Over the past 40 years, while the ranks of the religiously unaffiliated
have been on the rise, the Reform Movement has been the fastest growing
theologically liberal religious tradition in America. We have become the
largest stream in North American Jewish life. This is due in no small measure to our openness to the full tapestry of Jews—gay Jews and straight
Jews, intermarried Jews and in-married Jews, ritual Jews and cultural Jews.
The hallmarks of Reform Judaism—dynamism, openness, creativity—
should make our Movement extraordinarily attractive to Jews worldwide
who mistakenly view all organized religion as insular and out of touch.
I hope you will embrace the challenge of reaching beyond our
synagogue walls to engage all those who are seeking a meaningful
Jewish life. Let’s give them the opportunity to experience the beauty
and power of our Reform Jewish community.
Rabbi Rick Jacobs
President, Union for Reform Judaism
➢Your thoughts and ideas are welcomed. Contact Rabbi Jacobs: [email protected] and/or
send a letter-to-the-editor: [email protected].
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