Birthright Israel, which provides free first trips to Israel for Jews between the ages of 15 and 26, has been a successful venture. It’s a success that’s a welcome contrast to the still-burning wrecks of failed attempts at engaging Jews in things Jewish that have littered our communal landscape in the past.
Call me crazy, but I’m suggesting diverting money away from Birthright.
I never thought Birthright would accomplish its mission. Bold, dramatic and risky, the premise that 10 days in Israel would provide electroshock treatment to the dying body of American Jewry — especially young American Jewry — seemed like a Las Vegas roulette spin at best. But the sheer numbers of Jewish young adults competing for Birthright’s limited slots forced even this skeptic to admit, they’re onto something.
So why divert money away from it?
Because touring alone won’t right our course or close Jewry’s Pandora’s box. Birthright, a quantitative success, engaged thousands of otherwise unreachable Jews. But for qualitative success, electroshock won’t sustain us. Long-term success ultimately requires ongoing participation in Jewish life. We won’t know if Birthright’s a flash in the pan, however welcome, or truly flourishing until it’s too late.
So I argue, let’s redirect communal resources to the proven.
Let’s commend Birthright’s founding fathers for a remarkable plan to save American Jewry from itself. With few exceptions, other efforts at Jewish continuity have failed, spectacularly so. Applaud the deans of U.S. Jewish philanthropy for stepping outside the failed federation framework to ensure a Jewish future. Victims of our phenomenal success and acceptance in society, Jews are dropping out of Jewish life at an alarming rate. Twin fires — assimilation and ignorance — consume the American house of Israel.
Make no mistake: The future of the Jewish people in North America, if any, is at stake. To win the battle for a Jewish tomorrow, we must utilize our arsenal’s most powerful weapon — the Torah, the original “Birthright Israel.” Torah sustained Jews in medieval Spain, with Jewish acceptance and success rivaling the American experience. Torah sustained Jews deep in Hitler’s hell. Torah has been a silver bullet in the foxholes of the Golan Heights; a magic elixir in the now defunct prisons of Soviet Siberia.
Today, Torah succeeds everywhere. American teenagers study Torah at National Conference of Synagogue Youth programs, often during school vacations. Teenagers studying the Talmud, going to class during vacation? Unthinkable! Impossible! More than possible, it’s reality — the proven power of the Torah.
Chabad’s worldwide success is a general reference of the Torah’s appeal. Yeshiva University’s Counterpoint teaches Torah to unaffiliated Jewish teenagers. College students operate camps in the former Soviet Union, bringing our shared, eternal heritage to those denied it under communism. Back stateside again, Torah U’Mesorah sponsors summer programs and innovative Partners in Torah study networks to provide quantity and variety in Jewish educational talent to smaller communities that couldn’t otherwise access it.
Jewish America’s open secret is that day schools and Torah study are the most effective means to insure that Jews, in the words of Hillel chief Richard Joel, “Do Jewish” and remain involved Jewishly. We need to provide such education to Jews nationwide. Many live in communities too small to self-support day schools. Teacher recruitment suffers from often-insulting salaries. Some parents can’t meet the financial burden of day school tuition.
But imagine if day school teachers were paid salaries reflecting the professionals they are and their prominence in the battle for our Jewish tomorrow. Imagine free, or substantially reduced, day school education available to all Jewish children. Millions of dollars could do it. Smaller sums could establish or reinforce Jewish day schools the length and breadth of North America. Communally funded vouchers could offset tuition. Enough communal funds and day schools could be free.
Imagine the sea change in the face of American Jewry.
The annual cost of Birthright Israel hovers at $60 million. In the business world they hail from, Birthright’s founders, billionaires Michael Steinhardt and Charles Bronfman, rightfully expect hefty returns on such investments. They deserve no less in philanthropy. Day schools would provide it.
Let’s redirect $60 million, or at least part of it into day schools. In an ideal world we wouldn’t choose between Birthright and day schools. Imagine fully funding Birthright and massive, nationwide day school campaigns. What a combination! Dare we dream that financial resources are directed also to camps, informal education and youth programs?
Alas, until Jewish America realizes, we resign to live in less utopian pastures and to choose.
But choose we must, and wisely, because history will judge us. Torah is true; Jews of all affiliations or no affiliation share it. Teach it!