In the more than 16 years that I have been working in the Jewish community, there is one concern I have heard expressed more than any other: what are we doing to engage the “Next Generation”?

Let’s be honest — Next Generation is a fairly broad term. Do we mean the next generation of philanthropic families? Lay leadership? Zionists? People under the age of 40? 

At JCF, we’ve chosen to focus on Next Generation donors as defined by 21/64, a nonprofit consulting firm that specializes in engaging and working with individuals in their 20s and 30s who are the second generation in their family to be significant philanthropists. 

With that in mind, what is JCF doing to engage the Next Generation?

Well, JCF uses tools developed by 21/64 to engage multiple generations within families and strengthen our working relationships with them regarding their philanthropy. 

So, of course we were eager to read #nextgendonors, The Future of Jewish Giving, a collaborative project from 21/64 and the Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy. The study asked Jewish Next Gen donors about their religious observance, philanthropic interests, values, habits, and more.

Overall, Next Gen donors are different from their parents in some ways you might expect:

§  They attend synagogue less frequently than their parents

§  They prefer to direct their giving to specific programs and are less supportive of “umbrella” organizations, such as the United Jewish Appeal, United Way, etc.

§  They rely on internet research far more than previous generations

§  They enjoy participating in giving circles and doing “hands-on” charitable work

Yet there are many ways that Next Gen donors and their parents are alike:

§  Next Gen donors identified giving to “religious and faith-based organizations” as a top priority, second only to education

§  They want to support causes that fit with their personal values

§  They want to teach their children about philanthropy and about “giving back” to the community

With that said, why focus on the Next Gen? 

Because never before in Jewish American life have there been so many families of means with multiple generations available to work together on philanthropy. Better health care means people are living longer, and it’s more likely today than ever before that three or even four generations of a family might have the opportunity to work together on their charitable pursuits. 

The presence of so many generations together at the same time offers a tremendous opportunity for passing down tradition(s) and creating new ways to practice tikkun olam (repairing the world) and areyvut (Jewish mutual responsibility).

At JCF, we’re engaging Next Gen donors — and their parents and grandparents — to create a richer understanding of each family’s philanthropic history and each individual’s role in that family. Hopefully, we will help to ensure meaningful and engaging experiences for those with whom we’re fortunate to work. 

We’d love to do the same for your family. Contact me at jrednik@jfedgmw.org, call (973) 929-3039, or send a message via our Facebook page — JCF Greater MetroWest NJ.

To read the full report on Jewish Next Gen Donors, visit www.2164.net

 

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Originally published September 18, 2013