The Jewish Enrichment Center in Chicago, an independent Jewish nonprofit, used an NCEJ grant to promote their Passover Book Fair and DIY Seder. The first part of the program introduced participants to formats and materials they could use to lead a personalized Seder. The Center also set up a display of over 30 haggadot. The event was publicized on Facebook and Instagram, as well as in the local Jewish federation’s online portal.

Tips for anyone considering offering a similar program:

• Advertising works! This was the first time the Center had a chance to market their program to a wider audience. Facebook and the federation portal were especially effective tools for reaching new people.
• Have handouts available, not just links to sources. For example, participants requested photos/artwork illustrating freedom to use at their Seders.
• Allow time for free-flowing discussion. Participants enjoyed sharing ideas about incorporating what they learned in their own Seders.

“This workshop gave me lots of ideas about how I can lead my Seder.”

– DIY Seder Participant

Contact Rabbi Rebecca Milder, Director, 773-234-9403 for more information.

Pathways to Judaism

Jewish Discovery Institute, in Newton, MA, offers the Conservative Movement’s “Pathways to Judaism” class at different suburban Boston locations for people who are considering conversion. An NCEJ grant helped pay for a flyer that publicized its programs. There were 50 students in this year’s class.

“The Pathways program has… allowed us to gain a deeper understanding of our respective backgrounds and the traditions we each grew up with. Today, we can confidently say that based on the content of this program… now have a clear and united vision for our future together.”

– Pathways Program Participant

What Worked? The colorful brochure was an effective complement to Facebook and advertising on JewishBoston.com.

Contact Rabbi Braham David, Director, Jewish Discovery Institute or call 617-219-9775 for more information about this program.

Introduction to Judaism Classes

Germantown Jewish Centre Philadelphia. An NCEJ grant enabled the Germantown Jewish Centre to expand marketing for its Introduction to Judaism class, using the Conservative Movement’s Goodblatt curriculum. For them, having one or two teachers worked better than a rotating set of speakers.

• Tip #1: Broaden the advertising and start outreach earlier.
• Tip #2: Create more intentional opportunities to plug the folks in the course into other synagogue programs and initiatives.

“For an aspiring convert such as myself, the Introduction to Judaism class has been an awesome and fulfilling experience.”

– Introduction to Judaism Participant

Upcoming Grant Program Spotlight: Holiday 101

Congregation Beth El, in Huntington, NY will be offering a program called “Holiday 101 – Celebrating Interfaith“, an educational 6 session program that will inform, teach and create discussion around several Jewish holidays and traditions. The program will facilitate conversations for interfaith households and help families embrace celebrating Jewish holidays together. Each session/class will be composed of learning about the holiday; as well as incorporate discussion of how to respectfully integrate those traditions into an interfaith household.

Contact Lisa Triacomin, Partnership Liaison at 631-421-5835 ext. 206 for more information.

How the JCC of Greater Pittsburgh used “Family Field Trips” to Connect Interfaith Families with Judaism

For the second year NCEJ gave a grant to the JCC of Greater Pittsburgh to enable it to expand marketing for its Family Holiday camps, geared primarily to intermarried families. There were 3 one-day family camps held in the fall, winter and spring of 2018-19: Shabbat on the Ark, Latke Bake and Take, and Shavuout. Each session consisted of numerous hands-on activities plus Jewish learning. The aim was to encourage the families to build a Jewish home and also engage with Jewish life in Pittsburgh.

The Model

• Each camp was advertised in the general (not Jewish) press (print and electronic).
• Each camp included family-centered fun experiential learning about a Jewish holiday.
• Each camp showed families how they could embrace Judaism.
• Jewish content was emphasized.

Program Summaries

Shabbat on the Ark immersed families with young children in the story of Noach and allowed them to connect with one another while experiencing a family-friendly Torah service. Families went on a boat ride, much like Noah boarded the ark. Most of the activities were animal-related, such as building animal toys out of paper towel tubes.

Hanukkah Latke Bake and Take took place at the JCC. Families prepared the latkes, played dreidel, and enjoyed potato latkes and sufganyiot. For safety reasons families were given the raw materials in reclosable bags to cook at home. Before leaving they all gathered together for music, singing and candle lighting.

The Shavuot at an Environmental Center camp provided an opportunity for families to learn about the meaning of a less well-known holiday, through Shavuot-themed PJ library books, station-based activities, and questions that related the receiving of the Ten Commandments to modern day rules.

Recent Grants

• Comunitat Jueva de Barcelona Bet Shalom, Barcelona
• Kehilat Birkat Shalom Israel
• Finchley Progressive Synagogue, London
• Jewish Learning Lab, Vancouver, Canada
• Sylvan YM-YWHA, Montreal
• Temple of Aaron, MN
• Temple Beth El, NY
• Congregation Ner Tamid, NV
• Temple Adat Elohim, CA

Articles of Interest

1. Syncing our Words and Actions to be a Welcoming Community
2. Serving Interfaith Families: Current Realities and Opportunities in Conservative Synagogues
3. My Very First Shabbat: Looking Back
4. Why My Introduction to Judaism Online Class Was So Valuable
5. Brandeis University Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies: Life Stages and the Needs of Interfaith Couples, Beyond Welcoming: Engaging Intermarried Couples in Jewish Life

Have Ideas for a Program that Meshes with NCEJ’s Mission?

If you offer programs geared towards interfaith families and others who do not identify as Jewish, NCEJ might be able to help you widen your audience and connect more people to Judaism. For more details, visit our grant page, or contact Ellen Gerecht to set up a time for conversation.

The post NCEJ Grants Support a Wide Range of Programs appeared first on National Center to Encourage Judaism.

Family Fun at PJ Simchas Event, Raleigh-Cary, NC

Cities receiving subgrants included Buffalo, Indianapolis, Tampa, Chattanooga, Albany, Charleston, and Raleigh/Cary.

Here are some tips from them for anyone else considering a similar outreach effort:

• The “connector” model was a more effective way of reaching families than other methods. Federations relied on individuals with backgrounds that were similar to the prospective audience to recruit participants. The personal approach took more time than other approaches but resulted in higher attendance.
• Discussion groups offer an informal opportunity to talk about Jewish beliefs and values. The grant encouraged creative ways of reaching people who do not identify as Jewish and who previously had minimal interaction with the local Jewish community. For example, Tampa offered art and activities for small children while the parents conversed and Charleston offered monthly playgroups and holiday get-togethers.
• There is a market for introduction to Judaism classes, even in communities that have not previously offered them. Babysitting made it easier for families with children to attend, and collaboration with clergy of different denominations provided a more well-rounded experience for participants. Portland, Maine’s class “Welcome to Judaism” included trips to area synagogues.
• Discussions with people who are intermarried and active in Jewish life shows participants they can find a home in Judaism.
• Concrete education accompanied by hands-on-activities helps interfaith families build Jewish homes that work for them. In Orange County, NY a monthly federation initiative introduced families to welcoming ceremonies for newborns and other life-cycle rituals, along with details on celebrating Shabbat and other holidays. It also provided a place to talk through challenging issues that may be faced by families where one partner is not Jewish, such as “How can the non-Jewish family be educated and included in these practices?”
• People are receptive to learning about Judaism in a small group setting. In several cities the non-Jewish partner showed up for programs more often than anticipated, because they felt welcome. Many participants increased their engagement with communal life as a result of these initiatives, including becoming involved with synagogues, enrolling in Jewish preschools, and attending JCC holiday celebrations. They appreciated the opportunity to raise questions and have substantive conversations in a comfortable environment.

In a recent report, JFNA reflected:

“We are grateful to the National Center to Encourage Judaism for being our partner in this program. The funding helped us provide appealing venues, creative programs and enticing advertisements. Participants reflected how grateful they were to engage in meaningful Jewish programming that invited their families to be with us as a family in low-barrier and creative settings”

How the Pittsburgh JCC used “Field Trips” for Families to create an “on-ramp” to Judaism

For the second year NCEJ gave a grant to the JCCPGH to enable it to expand marketing for a series of 1-day  “Family Holiday Camps”, geared primarily to intermarried families. This year the focus was on Shabbat, Chanukah, and Shavuot.

Each session consisted of numerous hands-on activities plus Jewish learning. The aim was to encourage the families to embrace Jewish living at home and also engage with Jewish life in Pittsburgh. Feedback from program participants highlighted that families appreciated the opportunity to spend time together in a relaxed atmosphere while also being able to connect with other families and the larger community.

Program Example: “Shabbat on the Ark”

Shabbat on the Ark, held in the fall, immersed families with young children in the story of parashat Noach. Families boarded the Gateway Clipper for a morning cruise, much like Noah boarded the ark, and experienced a family-friendly Torah service. Connecting to the story, most of the activities were animal-related, such as building animal toys out of paper towel tubes.

The Jewish message was: Torah stories can be relevant in our 21st century life and Torah should be read in public settings with fun, joy and purpose.

Have Ideas for a Program that Meshes with NCEJ’s Mission?

If you offer programs geared towards interfaith families and others who do not identify as Jewish, NCEJ might be able to help you widen your audience and connect more people to Judaism. For more details, visit our grant page, or contact Ellen Gerecht to set up a time for conversation.

Featured photos: from the JCC Family Holiday Camps in Pittsburgh.

The post How an NCEJ Grant Can Help You Reach Interfaith Families appeared first on National Center to Encourage Judaism.

New International Grantees

We recently gave a grant to Project Kesher to help fund its “Global Jewish Women Celebration” in Russian-speaking countries. The program includes updating resources on the holidays and reaching out to Jewish women in Belarus, Ukraine, and neighboring countries.

In addition, we just funded a “Delving into Judaism” course at Finchley Progressive Synagogue in London. As part of the course the “delvers” will hear about the breadth of Jewish life at the synagogue, and have the chance to connect with active members.

Our newest international grantee is Bet Shalom, the Progressive Jewish Community of Barcelona. Our funding will enable them to expand their marketing and develop customized booklets for their Taste of Judaism course.

Looking for Funding for Programs Located Outside of the US?

If you operate internationally and offer programs for those with Jewish roots, or for people interested in conversion, tell us what you’re doing and how you think NCEJ can help you expand your audience. Give us a call or send us an email, contact Ellen Gerecht, Executive Director or call 301-802-4254.

New National and Local Grantees

SooJi Min-Maranda, Executive Director of ALEPH

The ALEPH Alliance for Jewish Renewal will be using an NCEJ grant to give out subgrants to groups in their network for programs geared to interfaith families and others who are interested in exploring what it means to be Jewish. Funds will be used primarily for marketing.

Mount Zion Temple, a new grantee in St Paul, MN, received 2 grants: one for a 3-session course entitled “Building a Jewish Home”, and another for a 15-week class called “Taste of Honey: An Introduction to Judaism”.

The Springfield, MA JCC received a grant for a monthly “Ask-a-Rabbi” booth. The booth will pop up in a public location for 2-3 hours, using a set-up similar to a “Peanuts” booth. The rabbis who staff the booth will vary in their approach to Jewish life in order to provide different perspectives, and the location will change so as to reach a diverse population.

Holiday programming can help you connect interfaith families to Judaism

Here are some programs we’ve recently supported:

Program: “5 Senses of Judaism”

5 Senses of Judaism is a multi-session program for families with very young children that focuses on 1 holiday each session. Each session includes 5 different activity stations. This child-led program allows families to explore Judaism in an experiential setting and learn about Jewish traditions and customs. —Temple of Aaron, St Paul, MN. Jorie Bernhardt, Director of Youth & Family Programming.

Program: “J Celebrates”

J-Celebrates is a series of experiential programs that engage and educate families about Judaism. A Family Passover Seder, hosted before the holiday, offers families the opportunity to learn how to host their own Seder. The goal of the program is to foster a strong sense of Jewish identity, and to facilitate, encourage and support a family’s Jewish journey. The objective is to create a pathway for families to be able to continue celebrations at home. —Westside JCC, Los Angeles. Erin Goldstrom, Development Director.

Program: “Unpacking Passover: Creating and Leading Your Own Passover Seder”

This is a three-part series of workshops about how to create and lead a Passover Seder. The program focuses on using Passover as a doorway into Jewish practice by helping participants customize the Seder, select from the wide variety of hagaddot available, etc., in order to make it their own. Participants will be provided tools, books, support, and encouragement to lead Seders. —Beth Shalom v’Emeth Reform Temple (B’ShERT), Brooklyn, NY. Faye Guskin, Trustee.

NCEJ is now accepting applications for activities starting Fall 2019

NCEJ funds advertising and other expenses for traditional classes such as Judaism 101 as well as less structured programs such as discussion groups, holiday workshops, and other events designed to attract people who are interested in learning more about Judaism.

For details visit our website or contact us: Ellen Gerecht, Executive Director or call 301-802-4254.

Want to Learn More?

To learn more about NCEJ’s activities and what we fund, click here to download our new flyer.

Photo above right, featured in Project Kesher – 30th Anniversary Announcement. Learn more at projectkesher.org.

The post NCEJ Grant-Giving is Growing appeared first on National Center to Encourage Judaism.

The goal of the evening was to reach people in their 20s and 30s who might not be comfortable in a traditional synagogue setting. Some of the activities, aside from the usual food, candle lighting, and dreidels, included an “Ask-the-Rabbi” booth, and an information station with printed literature about Judaism and a Judaism for Beginners class. In order to promote the event, Rabbi Patrick placed ads in Richmond’s alternative weekly (which has a reach of 79K readers) and on Facebook.

Rabbi Patrick wrote of the very successful event:

NCEJ’s grant will have a lasting impact and has enabled the Kehillah to:

• Begin planning a “Boot up” a Judaism 101 series which they are already promoting via social media.
• Create immediate interest from interfaith families in Jewish education for their children through their Family School (an innovative model of Jewish children’s education).
• Gain interest in conversion to Judaism, to the point that they had to add a page to their website to answer information.

A few quotes from the night:

“I’m not Jewish, but my wife is. It’s so nice to see things in this area that are open to me where I feel welcome.”

“I know I’m part Jewish, but don’t know what to do with that. This gets me interested.”

“I haven’t done anything Jewish for twelve years until now.”

Rabbi Patrick also writes: “No amount of words can express how wonderful our Hanukkah celebration was and the impact that NCEJ has now made in our lives.”

Chanukah in Carytown Photos

* Click to enlarge images.

Photos above courtesy of Kehillah RVA, Rabbi Patrick Beaulier, and celebrants. Thank you for sharing!

Have an idea for a program and need funding?

Give us a call or send us an email, contact Ellen Gerecht, Executive Director or call 301-802-4254.

The post Chanukah in Carytown (Richmond, VA) appeared first on National Center to Encourage Judaism.

Rabbi Alona Lisitsa

Rabbi Lisitsa began teaching her conversion course in May of 2014. The course has rolling admissions to allow candidates to join when they are able and then continue until they have covered all of the curriculum necessary to prepare them for conversion to Judaism. The enrollment of the classes varies between 15 and 40 students. At the moment, there are 20 adults and 4 children currently enrolled. Rabbi Lisitsa also offers separate lessons for children which are customized for their age.

Among the highlights from this year’s class is the story of Miriam, a descendant of conversos, one of an estimated 100 million descendants of Spanish and Portuguese Jews who were compelled to become Roman Catholic more than 500 years ago. Living in the Azores, Miriam owned a Torah scroll and other Judaica which she kept at her home. After a Jewish museum opened at the reconstructed synagogue at Ponte Delgada, Portugal, Miriam chose to donate the objects to the museum. As a member of the conversion class, Miriam was able to return to Judaism and become an active participant in the Jewish community.

New Projects Planned

The Jewish Progressive Federation of Spain has just been approved as a registered religious organization by the Spanish Ministry of Internal Affairs, which will allow Rabbi Lisitsa to plan numerous new projects. Among those is to create a series of Shabbatonim for empowering and educating lay leadership and prayer leaders.

Featured photo above: Rabbi Alona Lisitsa, Ph.D. (standing, second from left), a sponsoring rabbi for the conversion process for Iberia in the European Beit Din — featured in this Hebrew Union College article.  NCEJ is increasing its international presence with a grant to the World Union for Progressive Judaism to support conversion efforts in the Iberian Peninsula.  Photo of Rabbi Lisitsa, featured in The Times of Israel.

The post NCEJ Funds Conversion Programs in the Iberian Peninsula appeared first on National Center to Encourage Judaism.

The 36-week course is taught on a rotating basis by Reform, Conservative, Reconstructionist, and Orthodox rabbis, giving participants multiple perspectives. The average class size is 20-25 students. Each student is required to secure a rabbinic sponsor from one of the local congregations and meet the conversion requirements developed by his/her sponsor. Students gain an introduction to Judaism and a reading knowledge of Hebrew; participate in Shabbat, holiday, and ritual observances, and make connections with individual congregations and the larger community.

Post-Conversion Program

In 2018-2019, the Rabbinical Association for the first time is offering a post-conversion program to help new Jews-by-choice become more familiar with Jewish traditions and assist them in connecting with local congregations and the larger Jewish community. NCEJ is pleased to be supporting this innovative program.

For more information contact Annette Fish, Administrator/Program Director.

The post Rabbinical Association of Greater Kansas City Collaborates on Conversion Class appeared first on National Center to Encourage Judaism.

• A post-conversion program
• Introduction to Judaism for Spanish speakers
• Interfaith outreach initiatives
• PJ Library subscriber get-togethers
• Expand the Circle discussion groups
• Family to family connections

* For grants up to $5,000, NCEJ will award a 20% additional bonus on applications received before December 31, 2018, once approved by the foundation.

Apply today for an NCEJ Grant — tell your friends in the field, too. Simply fill out our short two-page grant application: Download Application. See a special mention of our funding bonus in eJewish Philanthropy.

Sign up for grant news to get ideas for how you can promote Judaism in your community and learn more about all the innovative programs NCEJ supports.

Recent Grant Highlights & Updates:

Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis

The Indianapolis Federation recently advertised its innovative programming, supported by NCEJ. Each program was featured in the latest JFGI Connections magazine resulting in strong community interest and registrations. View a digital copy of the magazine here, where you can find the feature about Taste of Hebrew on page 13 and Finding Your Place in B’nai Mitzvah on page 15. Program descriptions can also be found below:

Program: “A Taste of Hebrew”

A Taste of Hebrew is designed to teach Hebrew decoding skills to both Jews and non-Jews who cannot read Hebrew, with a focus on parents of children who are in the process of learning Hebrew. The class is intentionally designed only as a very basic introduction to Hebrew in order to make it easily accessible and open to everyone. Learn More

View Program Flyer

Program: “Finding Your Place in B’nai Mitzvah”

Finding Your Place in B’nai Mitzvah, aims to create a place for non-Jewish parents to deepen their understanding of b’nai mitzvah and feel supported as their children go through this important life-cycle event. Special outreach to interfaith families who are currently synagogue members along with unaffiliated interfaith families who may be seeking b’nai mitzvah outside the organized Jewish community will be made to identify participants for this seminar. Learn More

View Program Flyer

Grant News

Many other groups throughout the country are developing new approaches to welcome individuals, couples, and families who want to become part of the Jewish community. Here are a few examples:

Congregation Bnai Amoona, St Louis was awarded a marketing grant for its Introduction to Judaism class. Last year Bnai Amoona received a NCEJ advertising grant through the Rabbinic Assembly. It has offered a wide range of courses for newcomers to Judaism for many years.

The Rabbinical Association of Greater Kansas City just received a grant for a post-conversion program that will provide support to new Jews by choice. This is in addition to the grant they receive every year to promote their introduction to Judaism class.

JCC of Pittsburgh received another grant to promote a series of family holiday camps, following up on the success of last year’s Chanukah and Passover programs which attracted over 200 participants.

Temple Aliyah, a Conservative synagogue in Needham, MA is a first-time NCEJ grantee for a program entitled “Exploring the Joys of Shabbat, Purim, and Pesach through Jewish Food”.

Have an idea?

Give us a call or send us an email, contact Ellen Gerecht, Executive Director or call 301-802-4254.

The post NCEJ Announces Bonus for Applications Received by December 31 appeared first on National Center to Encourage Judaism.

Grant Highlights:

Increasing Publicity and Expanding Programs

Some of the grant money will be used to fund three CCJ open-house breakfasts so that rabbis, Hillel directors, representatives from JCC’s and the Y’s can become familiar with the CCJ program and recommend it to interested individuals. Other money will be used for a printed brochure and additional programming.

The director of the program, Rabbi Bronwen Mullin, reached out to us to find out more about the types of programs that NCEJ funds. NCEJ is delighted to provide some of the funds that will help her promote CCJ to a wider audience. Email here for more information.

Got A Program Idea? Contact Us Today

We’d Love to Hear from You

If you have an idea for a program that you think NCEJ might fund please contact Ellen Gerecht, via email here, or call: 301-802-4254.

The post New NCEJ Grant to Support the Center for Conversion to Judaism in NYC appeared first on National Center to Encourage Judaism.

Innovative Outreach Program Highlights:

Program: “A Taste of Hebrew”

A Taste of Hebrew is designed to teach Hebrew decoding skills to both Jews and non-Jews who cannot read Hebrew, with a focus on parents of children who are in the process of learning Hebrew. JFGI will promote and sponsor a series of 6-week Taste of Hebrew classes throughout the community. The class is intentionally designed only as a very basic introduction to Hebrew in order to make it easily accessible and open to everyone. JFGI will hire the teacher(s), help design the curriculum, provide materials, and take care of publicity for the Taste of Hebrew programs. It is hoped that these classes will generate additional interest in continued Hebrew learning among parents and others in the community and lead to further adult Hebrew education classes being developed and offered in the years ahead.

Program: “Finding Your Place in B’nai Mitzvah”

Finding Your Place in B’nai Mitzvah, aims to create a place for non-Jewish parents to deepen their understanding of b’nai mitzvah and feel supported as their children go through this important life-cycle event. JFGI will design a 4-session seminar with a focus on the non-Jewish partner, with the Jewish partner invited to the final session. Special outreach to interfaith families who are currently synagogue members along with unaffiliated interfaith families who may be seeking b’nai mitzvah outside the organized Jewish community will be made to identify participants for this seminar.

These seminars will provide participants with a comfortable place to ask questions and express concerns. Participants will have the opportunity to request a b’nai mitzvah mentor (a volunteer member of an interfaith family who has already experienced a child’s bar/bat mitzvah).  Additional reading materials, resources, and community connections will be provided as well.  While this seminar is focused on b’nai mitzvah, it can also serve as an opening for participants to find out about other ways to learn more about Jewish ritual and potentially explore ways to learn along with their children.

Participants of the program will:

• Hear about other interfaith families’ personal b’nai mitzvah experiences.
• Learn more about b’nai mitzvah ritual and halachic considerations with regard to non-Jewish family members.
• Develop tools for communicating with extended non-Jewish family.

For more details about these programs contact Nina Price, Director of Jewish Education Initiatives, JFGI, via email here, or call: 317-726-5450 (ext.1245).

The post NCEJ Funds Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis (JFGI) Innovative Outreach Programming appeared first on National Center to Encourage Judaism.

It’s Time for the Jews to Proselytize

By Shmuley Boteach | Read the article

No matter how you look at the demographic studies, one thing is clear, the number of Jewish people is not increasing as we continue to lose Jews and potential Jews every day through intermarriage, assimilation, and alienation. Birthrates are also being influenced by economic forces; as the population becomes more affluent, Jews have fewer children. Even the Orthodox, who are largely seen as the sole engine for population growth, are feeling constrained by the rising cost of a Jewish education. Tuition costs are serving as a natural contraceptive in our community.

These trends cannot continue if the Jewish people are to survive and thrive.

Today, the world’s 15 million Jews are an infinitesimal percentage of the global population of more than 3 billion. If Judaism is to survive, we must, at a minimum, double our numbers, and the only way to do that is to have more children and to reverse our policy of not welcoming and seeking Halakhic (Jewish law) converts to Judaism.

Though it is commonly associated with Christianity, Jews did engage in proselytizing. Sue Fishkoff noted in “Try it You’ll like it!” Should Jews Proselytize?” that “Judaism has a long history of not only welcoming, but encouraging gentiles to become Jewish. From the day Abraham picked up a flint and performed his own circumcision, thus becoming Judaism’s first convert, ancient Israelites openly spread their teachings among the nations they encountered.” Fishkoff says Jewish proselytizing was so successful, it’s estimated that by the first century C.E. fully 10 percent of the Roman Empire was Jewish, close to 8 million people.” Jews stopped proselytizing, she said “because of pressure from Christian and then Muslim rulers, beginning in 407 C.E. when the Roman Empire outlawed conversion to Judaism under penalty of death.”

Unlike this earlier time, I am not talking about proselytizing to people who are devoted to a particular faith. We Jews do not believe that non-Jews who are in a relationship with God are upgrading their existence by becoming Jewish. But there are countless millions of people who live outside a faith framework. They want a spiritual life and I see no reason not to offer them Judaism.

Of course, my main target audience are people who are born Jews but don’t know it or do not identify as Jews. We must educate them in their faith. But I believe Judaism also has a great deal to offer people with no religion, those who find that religion does not speak to them.

The three great personal challenges of our time are these: an inability to stay married or sustain a loving, passionate, and intimate relationship. An inability to raise inspired children. And inability to be happy.

Judaism is uniquely attuned to catering to these needs because our faith is focused on the richness of everyday life; unlike other religions that seek empires or worry more about the world to come than the one we live in today. Unlike every other religion in the world, we Jews don’t claim a copyright on truth. We don’t believe that by becoming a Jew you come closer to God than you would as a Christian or Muslim. We respect the Godly qualities of other faiths that lead to a righteous life. But we also believe that Jewish light can illuminate the earth.

Part of that entails spreading the light of Jewish values. But part of it also entails having more Jewish converts.

We also need a critical mass of people who love and support Israel. The current Jewish population is simply too small. How can Diaspora Jewry pressure and influence their respective governments to support the Jewish state when the Jewish population in most countries outside the US is paltry? Will governments choose to side with 14 million Jews over half a billion Arabs?

In the United States, we have for too long relied on the super patriotism of Jews and their disproportional involvement in electoral politics. Here, too, however, the numbers are shrinking as a percentage of the American population. As the percentage of other minorities increases, the proportion of Jews decline. Today, Jews are barely 2 percent of the population; how long can we count on elected officials to take our concerns into consideration? How will we convince future elected bodies comprised of Hispanics and Asians and other ethnic groups that have no history of engagement with the Jewish community or Israel?

As we watch terrorism spreading in Europe and contemplate what that continent will look like as Christianity continues to subside, the answer just might be teaching Judaism to non-Jews.

It is often said that it is hard to be a Jew, and it is true that being a Jew comes with certain obligations to oneself, to our fellow human and to the one God. Jews also carry the heavy burden of history and, even today, remain targets of individual anti-Semites, religious zealots and countries such as Iran that seek our destruction. Still, during this period of violence, unhappiness and political division, the world needs the Jewish ideals of peace and harmony.

I believe that it is time for Jews to reach out and share the beauty, the morality and the spirituality of Judaism with those who are seeking answers to the difficult questions of modern life and want to find secrets for staying married, inspiring our children, and finding contentment and happiness. For those seeking to become Jewish, it is critical that converts go through an Orthodox conversion with a respected Orthodox Beth Din.

Central to an Orthodox conversion is the requirement to observe the Sabbath and Jewish holidays and refrain from their desecration. What better antidote is there than the Sabbath to today’s high stress, workaholic workweek than a day of rest for contemplation and time to devote to the family. My colleague Mitchell Bard suggested that Shabbat is a way to turn high-strung East coasters who spend all weekend talking about what they do during the week into laid back Californians who spend all week talking about what they did during the weekend.

Also vital is kosher food consumption and a kosher home as well as observing the laws of family purity, which heightens erotic desire and injects an element of erotic sinfulness into a relationship.

Judaism can be a light unto the nations. Why not give more people an opportunity to not only bask in that light but to join us in projecting it to the world? As the future of the Jewish people continues to grow more precarious, it is a moral imperative that we do everything we can to strengthen our community spiritually, politically and demographically. The time to spread the virtues of Judaism is now.

“America’s Rabbi,” Shmuley Boteach, whom The Washington Post calls “the most famous rabbi in America” is Executive Director of The World Values Network, which promotes universal values in politics and culture, and is the international best-selling author of 30 books, including his forthcoming, “The Israel Warriors Handbook.” Follow him on Twitter @RabbiShmuley.

The post It’s Time for the Jews to Proselytize appeared first on National Center to Encourage Judaism.