 |
A Message from
Dr. Robert Wexler
|
Los Angeles may be home to the second largest Jewish population in the United States, but when it comes to synagogue membership, our affiliation rate hovers at no more than 30%. Perhaps this number would be less troubling if our community provided other avenues for Jewish affiliation. However, during the past few decades the opportunities for meaningful affiliation outside the synagogue have dwindled rather than grown.
So, what does this fact have to do with us at American Jewish University? Quite a bit, actually. Since we train so many of the future rabbis and educators for the Jewish community, we have to provide them with the skills necessary to market their synagogues and schools and make those same institutions more attractive for potential participants.
Our own informal studies have shown that almost half of the 12,000 students in our Whizin Center for Continuing Education are not affiliated with a synagogue. Believe it or not, there is a silver lining in this statistic, since it demonstrates that many unaffiliated Jews still have a profound interest in learning about their heritage. Therefore, the challenge for AJU is to rethink and enhance our current programs in order to provide the “unaffiliated” 70% with additional opportunities for meaningful engagement with Jewish traditions and culture. As the year progresses, you can expect to hear more specific plans about future AJU programs designed to attract those Jews who have not yet found a comfortable niche for themselves among the existing institutions of Jewish life.
|
|
 School Year Off to a Great Start
The end of August was an exciting time at AJU as first-time and returning students, arriving with baggage in tow, were moving into their new quarters. There was commotion, laughter, and apprehension as students arrived from cities across North America and Israel to our newly expanded campus. For many students this was the first time away from their families; for some it was also their first time in Los Angeles.
AJU welcomed the new students with a warm and inviting week of activities including orientation programs to familiarize them with the campus and their new home. read more
|
|
The United States and the Israeli-Palestinian "Peace Process"—The Road to Somewhere?
By Dr. Steven L. Spiegel,
Center for Israel Studies
 President Bush has called for an International Conference on Palestinian issues this fall, presumably in mid-November. This is the latest effort to revive a process that has been moribund throughout his term in office. The following factors have all contributed to Washington's reticence in this decade to become seriously engaged in Israeli-Palestinian negotiations: a reduced American interest in engaging in negotiations after the disappointments of President Clinton's last few months and the results of 9/11; the violence inflicted on Israel during the second intifada; crises elsewhere in the region in Iraq, Iran, and Lebanon; and a general administration disinclination to active diplomacy. read more
|
|
“It became clear that we all need to take action to care for the less fortunate.”
A Reflection on Sophomore Service Training by AJU Undergraduate Student, Ben Hambright
Sophomore Service Learning was a class I dreaded since first hearing of it. Dodging the course for two semesters seemed the thing to do. I was dreading the early wake ups, being talked at endlessly and not making a difference. Fortunately, these notions turned out to be far from the truth. read more
|
|
Nov 5 - 11, 2007
We are known as the People of the Book... and for good reason.
|
|
What's New at Camp Alonim?
You might think a camp that has been in the business of inspiring Jewish kids for 55 years would have a routine “down pat” by now, but Camp Alonim is constantly challenging the status quo.
Camp Alonim has always had a tradition of providing a vibrant arts program. This was the original vision of one of our founders, Dr. Shlomo Bardin, who believed that we must first touch participants with the beauty of Judaism before we can teach them the mechanics of living a Jewish life. read more
|
|
|