The Jewish Community Federation has announced Federation Forward, an initiative it describes as “a new path for the future,” with the goal of doubling engagement in local Jewish life within 10 years. Among other things, the initiative’s plans include an expansive new demographic study.
“Our vision is to sustain and grow a thriving Jewish community,” said Danny Grossman, who came on as the federation’s CEO eight months ago. “It’s hard to have that unless you have a lot of Jews engaged deeply.”
Grossman said the new demographic study will offer a comprehensive overview of the entire Bay Area Jewish community, and that the JCF has partnered on the survey with the federations in the East Bay and Silicon Valley.
The last such study undertaken by the S.F.-based federation was completed in 2004, covering its service area from the Peninsula to Sonoma County. The Jewish Federation of the East Bay conducted a demographic study of its region two years ago.
Grossman noted that the new survey will include the North Bay, South Bay, East Bay, Peninsula and San Francisco.
In addition to collecting quantitative demographic data, the survey will create what is being called a “portrait component,” which will outline various dimensions of Bay Area Jewish life that can be measured and tracked over time. Federation Forward has teamed up with the social science research firm Measure of America to develop the portrait aspect.
“We will do the study over the course of this year,” Grossman said, “and [by mid-2017] the data will be available. We see this as a foundational element to the rest of the work we’re doing.”
Announced Jan. 5 after being approved by the federation’s board of directors last month, Federation Forward also includes the launching of the Campus Initiative on Israel Engagement, a program in response to the growing impact of the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement on college campuses. The federation has met with directors from local Hillels to assess needs and devise strategies to combat BDS.
Under the initiative, local Hillels will work together to share strategies and best practices in countering BDS. Moreover, the federation will provide continuing funding for Israel advocates on Northern California college campuses.
The goal is to “increase meaningful experiences for students vis-à-vis Israel,” said Julie Golde, the federation’s interim senior director of community impact. Federation Forward will provide financial support “for each campus to support the Israel engagement staff team of their choosing and design,” she added. This may include a young Israeli who is part of the Israel Fellows to Hillel program, which serves some 100 U.S. campuses.
Another part of Federation Forward is what a press release called “strategic grant-making.” That means, Grossman explained, shifting away from traditional legacy allocations that are “based more on historic need rather than current or future need.” That could mean cuts to some grantees of the past, he added.
“We’re shifting to a process [in which we ask] what are the goals we are trying to achieve,” Grossman said, “rather than issue grants ad infinitum.” This new grant reassessment formally takes effect in July.