wfn.org | UAHC - Rabbi Yoffie Statement on Jewish Population Study Statistics

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

Emily Grotta
UAHC Director of Marketing & Communications
(212) 650-4227
http://uahc.org

POPULATION STUDY STATISTICS UNDERSCORE CHALLENGES FACING THE JEWISH COMMUNITY

Findings Were Anticipated by the Reform Movement

(NEW YORK, October 8, 2002)-Responding to the findings of the United Jewish 
Community s population study released today, Rabbi Eric H. Yoffie, 
president of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, said the data 
underscore the need to address how we can strengthen and support the 
changing Jewish family.

STATEMENT BY RABBI ERIC YOFFIE

President, Union of American Hebrew Congregations

The results of the UJC s population study released thus far underscore 
challenges that the Jewish community faces. While the findings seen in the 
data are trends that we at the Union of American Hebrew Congregations have 
long anticipated - indeed, the departments of Jewish Family Concerns and 
Outreach and Synagogue Community made a presentation at our June Board of 
Trustees meeting about these trends - we need to give serious thought to 
the implications of the findings for our synagogues.

In his June presentation, Rabbi Richard Address, director of the Department 
of Jewish Family Concerns, told the Board that instead of talking about the 
changing Jewish family, we need to address the challenges that the changed 
Jewish family poses for the Jewish community.

The Union of American Hebrew Congregations has begun to address those 
changes. Indeed, we created the Department of Jewish Family Concerns to 
provide support for those coping with divorce, custody issues, single 
parenting, infertility, adoption, blended families, older adults, and gay 
and lesbian inclusions. Among the UAHC initiatives are the following:

'	Materials for individuals and congregations to help with the 
challenges of an aging population, including A Time to Prepare: A Practical 
Guide for Individuals and Families in Determining One's Wishes for 
Extraordinary Medical Treatment and Financial Arrangements and guides to 
long-term health care planning and ethical issues such as the termination 
of treatment and living wills, euthanasia, and the allocation of scare 
medical resources.

'	Study guides and resources for those in our community who are 
struggling with infertility, including information on genetic screening and 
adoption.

'	Three synagogue based programs for engaged couples, expectant 
parents and new parents: The Aleph-Bet of Marriage, Having a Jewish Baby, 
and Jewish Parenting Made Simple.

The data released today will give added momentum to the work of the 
department and, we will need to have serious dialogue about what we, as a 
Movement, can do to support and strengthen families, give support to our 
aging and sandwich generations, address the balance of work and family, and 
assist those who seek to have children.

You will recall that more than a decade ago, when the 1990 Jewish 
Population Survey was released, the statistics on intermarriage caught much 
of the Jewish community by surprise and caused great alarm and concern. The 
Reform Movement, however, was not caught by surprise. We had already seen 
the trend and created our Outreach programs to reach out to interfaith 
couples and welcome them into the community. Rather than bemoan the 
statistics, we creatively and forthrightly addressed the challenges, and, 
as we now see, our efforts have brought a new vitality to our Movement.

Similarly, we will not bemoan these findings; rather, we will continue to 
work to meet the challenge these changing demographics pose to the Jewish 
community.