Working Group Recommendations - Portrait of Columbus

1Back to TOC

WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDATIONS

November 3, 2014

Portrait of Jewish Columbus

2Back to TOC

AgendaWelcome and OverviewArnie Good & Gordon HeckerYouth ages 14-21Or Mars, Jenni Goldson & Gary RosensteinYoung Adults 22+Erin Essak-Kopp, Ruthie WarshenbrotDayna Chessin & Michael Schottenstein

Baby Boomers & Seniors

David Kaplan & Amy ShevrinLow Income HouseholdsBen Berger, Steve Allen & Eugenia ErlijHomes with Children (0-13)Jay Moses, Jenny Glick & Rachel Weiss– BergerFinal ThoughtsArnie Good & Gordon Hecker


Back to TOC

The TaskEach working group is charged with answering the following questions:

What are the one or two programs or services that…1. …best promote engagement with the Jewish community?2. …could benefit the most from a community-wide effort to

increase their excellence, affordability and/or capacity?

3


4


Youth ages 14-21Recommendations

November 3, 2014

5Back to TOC

Working Group Members

• Jenni Goldson Co-Chair• Gary Rosenstein Co-Chair• Or Mars Consultant• Elana Polster Staff• Jennie Cammeyer• Micah Goldfarb• Gary Kuhr• Miriam Portman• Brad Rozen• Beth Silverstein

6Back to TOC

Recommendation: Columbus Jewish Teen Initiative

The creation of a well-funded, expertly staffed Columbus Jewish Teen Initiative, a coordinated and comprehensive program, that will invest in relationship-building, leadership development and teen engagement.

7Back to TOC

Key Findings

• Portrait study

• Programs currently offered in Columbus

• Scan of Jewish Columbus

• Successful programs in other communities

8Back to TOC

Portrait Study Findings

• 1,550 households have a child 14-17

• 73% of households with children 14-17 are in Downtown/University or Bexley

• 86% of families in Bexley area state that being Jewish is very important in their lives

• 28-44% of families living in the perimeter areas claim that being Jewish is very important in their lives

• 1 in 3 children overall are being raised as "Jewish only"

9Back to TOC

Programs Currently Offered in Columbus

• BBYO and Movement Youth Groups • Birthright Israel• B’nai Tzedek Teen Philanthropy• Friendship Circle• High School and Middle School Jewish Outreach• Jewish Community Center (BBYO, JET, CIT program)• Summer Camps (Wise, Livingston, EKC, Ramah, Guci)• OSU Hillel• P2G Teen Trip to Israel• Wexner Service Corps

10Back to TOC

• Strategy and resources for engaging teens that are not connected to any of these programs (with a specific emphasis on teens who live in the geographic periphery of the Jewish community)

• Strategy and resources for coordinating programs with one another for more significant effectiveness and efficiency through collaboration

• Scholarships, grants, or alternative funding to help families afford youth group conferences, summer camps and Israel trips

• Educational planning for deepening the Jewish content of programs

• Additional personnel for individual relationship building with teens 14-18

• A database of all Columbus Jewish teens to insure increased engagement and to measure success.

Scan of Jewish Columbus – Key Needs

11Back to TOC

Successful Programs in Other Communities

• North Shore Teen Initiative (Boston)• Jewish Teen Initiative (Denver)• Teen Israel Trips Initiative (Cincinnati)

12Back to TOC


The creation of a well-funded, expertly staffed Columbus Jewish Teen Initiative, a coordinated and comprehensive program, that will invest in relationship-building, leadership development and teen engagement by:

13Back to TOC

Focus:• 14-18 year olds• Build, enhance, and strengthen connection

between existing programs vs. creation of new programs

• Informal educational experiences


14Back to TOC


• Hiring a nationally recognized full-time director supported by an empowered advisory board

• Focusing on one-on-one relationship building by primarily going to the teens instead of trying to bring them to our institutions

• Incorporating appropriate levels of Jewish educational content for teen programs

15Back to TOC


Increasing teen leadership development to: • Empower and train teens to provide strong

leadership to their own programs and organizations

• Think strategically about communal collaboration (perhaps through a city-wide teen council)

16Back to TOC


Providing a significant minimum budget for:• Budget

– High quality Full Time Director– Internship/Ambassadors program– Database construction– Teen Leadership Development– Professional Development for Youth Group Directors– Collaboration Grants– Community-Wide Programs

– Administrative Costs $270,000• Scholarships for Immersion Programs $500,000

– Israel Trips– Summer Camps– Youth Group Conferences– Service Learning Trips

17Back to TOC

Measuring Success

• The number of teens participating in organized programs (based on data organized through this initiative)

• Overall teen engagement as measured by frequency and depth of engagement.

• Increased support for teen program staffing and engagement of funding partners

18Back to TOC

In short we recommend a paradigm shift: • Institution-based programming to relationship-based engagement• Deeper investment in our current teen opportunities • Teen leadership empowerment• Coordination and collaboration across institutional and denominational

lines

A well-funded, coordinated effort, with an expert professional staff and an active advisory board will insure that our teens will be active and contributing participants in the Jewish community and live enriched, satisfying, connected and inspired Jewish lives.

Final Thoughts

Portrait of Jewish ColumbusYoung Adults 22+ Working Group

Engaging People Where They Live, Work, and Play:

A Downtown Hub and Targeted Programming

November 3, 201419

20Back to TOC


• Dayna Chessin Co-Chair• Michael Schottenstein Co-Chair• Erin Essak Kopp Staff• Ruthie Warshenbrot Staff

Members: – Matthew Goldstein– Brett Kaufman– Sara Kreinberg– Sara Scheinbach

– Lauren Sobol– Jonathan Stone– Ryan Vesler

21Back to TOC

Executive Summary

What do we want to achieve? - Continue to grow the Jewish young professional community by

providing reasons to stay, flourish and give back

Strategy- Build a stronger connection with new programmatic initiatives and a

downtown space that becomes part of their everyday lives

Measuring Success- 5 year goal = engage 30% of Jewish young professionals annually - 10 year goal = engage 60% of Jewish young professionals annually

22Back to TOC

Programs Currently Offered in Columbus

• ATID• Moishe House• High Street Synagogue (Torat Emet)• OSU Hillel / Graduates and Young

Professionals (GAP)• J-Connect at the Kollel

23Back to TOC

Successful Programs in Other Communities

• The Kavana Cooperative (Seattle) ‒ “Hillel for Adults”

• The Kitchen (San Francisco) ‒ “Religious startup”

• NextGen (Detroit) ‒ Model for young adult programming‒ 15 full time staff

• Sixth & I (Washington D.C.) ‒ Cultural hub

24Back to TOC

Focus Group Key Facts

• Jewish 22-44 yr olds are looking for:– Professional development

and networking opportunities– Substantive, content-driven

programming– A sense of belonging…

Back to TOC

Findings from the Portrait Study• Approximately 3,550

Jewish young professionals

• 72% of young Jewish households are located in the Downtown / University District Area

• 53% of those living downtown said “Jewish events are too far”

• 5% are JCC members25

26Back to TOC

Recommendation• Leverage the strength of the Columbus brand– Young, intelligent, innovative, entrepreneurial, increasingly

urban and thriving economically

• Columbus needs a new brand of outreach and engagement that reaches young professionals in their everyday lives– Downtown Hub– Targeted Programming

27Back to TOC

• Current programming needs to evolve to reach the thousands of people who aren’t currently engaged

• A downtown hub would provide an everyday destination for Jewish young professionals

Why a Downtown Hub?

28Back to TOC

Downtown Hub

•A “daily use space” and downtown meeting spot for young professionals•Goal is to create engagement and connection around the things that people like and care to do every day

The Place To Be

Engage and Connect

Potential Services & Amenities

• Ambassador program for community outreach

• Professional development

• Spiritual Programming

• Philanthropic Events

• Coffee shop• Activity Space

⁻ Gym⁻ Basketball courts⁻ Yoga studio

• Restaurant / Bar• Programming space• Event space• Offices for staff of

Downtown Hub and Atid

29Back to TOC

Targeted Programming

Professional Development

Ambassador Programs

30Back to TOC

Ambassador Program • Centered around one-on-one relationships • Reach people in their day-to-day lives and

connect them to the broader Jewish community– At work, in affinity groups and in neighborhoods

Manager (Staff)Retail/Finance

Ambassador(Volunteer)



Manager (Staff)LGBT/Interfaith




31Back to TOC

Estimated Costs and Revenue Sources

• Programmatic = $155,000/year

• Downtown Hub = TBD– Potential Revenue Sources• Gym memberships (est.$40+ per month/person)• Fitness Classes• Restaurant/Coffee Shop/Bar• Sponsorships• Event space

32Back to TOC

• Meet people’s needs where they live, work and play– Provide them with the programs they want – In the location they are– Integrated into their everyday lives

Conclusion

33


Baby Boomers & SeniorsRecommendations

November 3, 2014

34Back to TOC


• Amy Shevrin Co-Chair• Ray Silverstein Co-Chair• David Kaplan Staff• Arlene Weiss• Dick Sabgir• Jessica Shimberg• Julie Weinerman• Keila Naparstek• Kirk Hilbrands• Randy Arndt

35Back to TOC

Overview

- Key findings- What works in other communities- Recommendations- Final thoughts

36Back to TOC

Key Findings from the Portrait Study

• Over 50% of all Jewish households are Baby Boomers and Seniors– Largest demographic group– Baby Boomers (45-64) are evenly spread out– Seniors (65+) are concentrated in the East

37Back to TOC


38Back to TOC

Programs Offered in Columbus

• Jewish engagement opportunities for Baby Boomers & Seniors are numerous– Synagogue programming and religious life– Programs in Jewish organizations– Board and volunteer opportunities

39Back to TOC

Working Group Insights

• Barriers to engagement:–Not aware of current engagement opportunities–Not feeling welcome or comfortable

participating–No personal connection

• Jewish Values– Tikkun Olam–Open tent

40Back to TOC

Key Findings from Other Studies

• 70% started volunteering when asked by someone who had a strong relationship with them (Harvard Public Health study, 2012)

• Baby Boomer volunteering is expected to grow by 50% during the current decade (U.S. Census, 2010)

• Individuals volunteer most frequently for organizations with religious affiliation (Bureau of Labor Statistics)

41Back to TOC

How Other Communities Successfully Engage

• Baltimore, Jewish Volunteer Connection- Create “Volun-teams” through a centralized office

• Portland, Tivnu - Builds homes (habitat for humanity), with Jewish learning and leadership development components

• Israel, Eschel Project- Seniors are trained to turn hobbies into micro-businesses

42Back to TOC

Recommendation #1: J-Link Columbus• What:

– Connect community members to Jewish engagement opportunities– Consists of existing programming and volunteering– Combination of outreach professionals and centralized data– Initiative housed in Federation

• How: – 4 outreach professionals with geographic responsibilities– Connecting one-on-one with community members– Guiding individuals to best serve their interests

• Measurements:– Participation, both hours & dollars

• Costs: – $300,000 - $400,000 per year

43Back to TOC

Recommendation #2: Columbus Service Corp

• What: – Volunteer groups comprised of Baby Boomers and Seniors– Service, social, learning, and leadership elements– Inspired by Wexner Service Corp

• How: – Professional staff develop curriculum and volunteer opportunities– Connect service corp members to leadership positions

• Measurements:– Participation, both hours & dollars

• Costs: – $100,000 - $150,000 per year– Personnel, curriculum development, operating costs

44


Low Income Jewish Households Working Group

RecommendationsNovember 3, 2014

45Back to TOC

Working Group

Dr. Steven Allen Co-Chair, Nationwide Children’s Eugenia Erlij Co-Chair, SolenisRabbi Benjamin Berger Consultant, The Wexner FoundationElana Polster Staff, The Columbus Jewish FederationDan Finkelman ConsultantBobbie Garber Columbus Metropolitan Housing AuthorityAlisa Isaac Community VolunteerAmy Klaben HomeportLaurie Stein Marsh Leadership ColumbusJennifer Marshall Formerly JFS, GoodwillMargie Pizzuti Goodwill

The working group met on five occasions between May and October.

46Back to TOC

Primary Efforts

• Reviewed JPAR results and reassessed low income figures• Interviewed local synagogues, day schools and agencies• Reviewed report on poverty and programs offered by social service

agencies in Columbus

47Back to TOC


JEWISH POVERTY IS A REAL ISSUE

• Number of Jews in poverty* is difficult to ascertain− Best estimate of Jewish poverty rate in Columbus is ~16%, but data

is lacking

• 14% of respondents from households in poverty stated that being Jewish is “very important” to their life

• 1 in 5 households report costs prevent affiliation

* Poor = annual income <150% Federal Poverty Level (FPL)− Up to $35,325 for a family of 4

48Back to TOC

Working Group Findings

JEWISH POVERTY IN COLUMBUS NOT WELL UNDERSTOOD

• Minimal cross communication and collaboration amongst agencies• Leaders have difficulty identifying needs though high cost of affiliation

and living are clear challenges• Shame and stigma are barriers to self-identification and affiliation • Impoverished Jews are much more likely to be disaffiliated• Columbus is not alone

49Back to TOC


• 240 survivors of Nazi persecution (100+ on Medicaid)• 30-64 year-olds

including “working poor”

Respondent Age from Poor Jew-ish Households

AT RISK SEGMENTS OF THE POPULATION

50Back to TOC


EXISTING SERVICES IN COLUMBUS JEWISH COMMUNITY

• JFS and WHV are the primary service providers in the Jewish community ( Lack of data on what other community services families are utilizing.)

• All organizations including synagogues have touch points with poverty

• Discretionary funds distributed for incidental and Jewish life needs throughout organizations

• Scrip gift certificates are main sources of monetary support ($119k distributed since 2005)

Back to TOC

Recommendation #1

DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE EDUCATION AND OUTREACH EFFORT

51

• Equip Jewish professionals (rabbis, synagogue and school administrators, agency leaders) with tools to respond and support Jews experiencing poverty

• Support community in identifying households in poverty in order to provide services more effectively

• Help reduce the emotional toll of poverty• Increase community awareness of Jewish poverty • Reduce misinformation and common dismissiveness• Reduce shame and stigma associated with poverty

Back to TOC

• Number of participants in training

• Number of synagogues participating in Shabbat on poverty

• Number of public events where “poverty” is on the agenda

• Number of Jews accessing services provided by Jewish community and broader Columbus social services

52

Recommendation #1Awareness, Outreach, and Education Campaign

KEY ACTIVITIES• Provide training for rabbis and

other professionals on the range of community services

• Coordinate annual Shabbat on poverty

• Create community summit on Jewish poverty

• Develop “speakers bureau” – first hand accounts to be shared in public events

• Provide educational materials at public points

SUCCESS MEASURES

53Back to TOC

Recommendation #2

INCREASE ACCESS TO RESOURCES PROVIDED BY JEWISH COMMUNITY

• Decrease barriers to inclusion• Serve as liaison to help negotiate reduced fees and additional support

from Jewish organizations• Increase knowledge of and access to current support services • Rapid response to emergency situations (e.g. Bonei Mishpochot,

increased visibility)• Reduce burden of organizations & synagogues to support financial needs

of constituents

54Back to TOC

Recommendation #2 Inclusion Gateway

SUCCESS MEASURES• Annual $ in fund• Annual $ distributed to households

in need• Number of households

coordinated across agencies/synagogues

• Affiliation statistics amongst low income Jewish population in future surveys

• Database about low income population

KEY ACTIVITIES• Provide single contact for those

seeking help to cover expenses related to Jewish living

• Create fund that can be used to supplement cost of Jewish living

• Create fund that can respond to emergency need in response to catastrophic event

• Provide access/referral to further community-based job support and counseling services

55Back to TOC

Recommendation #3

SUPPORT CREATION OF SURVIVORS OF NAZI PERSECUTION FUND

• Close gap between needs and government funding− Reduction in Federal Food Assistance Program and Public

Medicaid funds (PASSPORT)• Address unique aging needs

− Importance of in-home care vs. institutional settings− High percentage of Russian speakers− Need for specialized training for caregivers (e.g. short-term

memory loss leaves individual with memory of trauma)

56Back to TOC

Recommendation #3Survivors of Nazi Persecution Fund

SUCCESS MEASURES• $ raised in fund• Number of survivors helped

KEY ACTIVITIES• Leverage the match and generosity

of Wexner Family matching gift• Increase profile of fund• Publicize the existing reality • Develop case studies/profiles for

publication

57Back to TOC

Recommendation #1 OUTREACH & EDUCATION

Summary

Recommendation #3 SURVIVOR FUND

Recommendation #2 INCLUSION GATEWAY

• Identify existing leader (s) to champion message (e.g.JCC, WHV, JFS)

• Professional with background in education, counseling/social work and poverty

• ~$20 -50k annual programming costs

• Strengthen existing programs • Can be considered in combination with

recommendation #1• ~$250K (PTE and/or FTE, programming, fund

development)

• $1.5 MM for fund

58


Homes with Children 0-13 Working Group Recommendations

November 3, 2014

59Back to TOC


Rachel Weiss-BergerCo-chair

Jenny GlickCo-chair

Rabbi Jay MosesStaff

Elana PolsterStaff

Lara Blumberg Ilissa Eiferman Matthew Freedman Sara Saldoff

Jeremy Cohen (resigned – illness)

60Back to TOC

Meetings and Activities

The working group met six times between April and October.

The group completed the following key tasks:

• Review of data• Conducted local research• Conducted national research• Brainstormed, developed, and refined recommendations in

this report.

61

Prepared by KJ Steinman, based on analyses provided by JPAR. Please contact authors for technical details. 61

Three Key Findings from POJC

50%Percentage of children living

In Jewish households

with NO Jewish education

Jewish households with children are evenly

distributed across the 4 areas of residence in

Columbus

30%Percentage of

children in Jewish

household attending overnight

camp

62Back to TOC

Why Experiential Education?

21%As adults,

campers are more likely to feel that being Jewish is

very important. (Cohen et al, 2011)

Attending Jewish overnight camp leads to practicing

Judaism as adults.(Pew, 2013)

63Back to TOC

The Need

0-4 5-78-13 ??

64Back to TOC

Recommendation: JCamp Columbus

Concept:

JCamp Columbus will increase the impact of the “magic” of Jewish overnight summer camping

• Summer camp spirit year round!• More Campers• Affordability

65Back to TOC


Examples of JCamp Columbus in action:• Events bringing the spirit of camp into the

community.• Collaboration: join forces to spread the message of

the importance of camp.• Re-imagined camp fair• In-home gatherings of camp families: educational,

social, and fun• Scholarships and incentive coupons

66Back to TOC

Collectively, these camps served approximately 200 children in 2014.

6 Overnight Camps Serve ColumbusGUCI Ramah Stone

Livingston WiseEmma Kaufmann

67Back to TOC

Successful National Programs

• Foundation for Jewish Camp: One Happy Camper, Bunk Connect

• Harold Grinspoon Foundation: JCamp 180• Pearlstone Retreat Center, Baltimore

68Back to TOC


Range of Costs:

$55k staff resources (part-time) and programming budget for local programs$250k incentive/scholarships

69Back to TOC


Measuring Success:• Increase in number of children who attend

Jewish summer camps – Double within 5-7 years

• Improved collaborative relationships between camps, synagogues, and agencies.

• Palpable increase in the “camp spirit” in Columbus Jewish life: warmth, singing, creativity, experiential learning.

70Back to TOC

The NeedTo engage the multi-generational family – not just childrenCreate a local “crown jewel” of Columbus

71Back to TOC

Recommendation: Hoover Family Center

Concept:For many years, the Columbus JCC has used Camp Hoover as a day camp facility for local fourth through eighth graders. The facility is well-utilized now, but there is the potential for it to be so much more. Fast forward three to five years. Imagine the Hoover Family Center—the result of strong collaboration, planning and fundraising between The Wexner Foundation, the Jewish Federation of Columbus, and the Columbus JCC. The Hoover Family Center is a centrally located pluralistic retreat that will engage Jewish families across Columbus by offering meaningful family-oriented programming with minimal barriers to participation. The community facility will allow Jews to connect with one another while also fostering new opportunities for experiential Judaism.

72Back to TOC


Concept:The immediate focus for programming will be on a multi-generational family camp that will serve as an opportunity for children to experience Jewish overnight camp at a younger age. Experiential Judaism at the Hoover Family Center is not limited to the summer months. The center’s Kosher kitchen will adjoin a conference center and social hall to allow for year-round retreats and gatherings. The center will be open to all local Jewish agencies and will serve as a destination for national Jewish scholars. While the primary mission of the Hoover Family Center is to engage local Jewish families with young children, the one-of-a-kind multi-purpose facility will be home to a multitude of programming.

73Back to TOC

Hoover Family Center:Possible Programs

Family camp programs including Bubbie Zaydie weekend retreats.

Expanded JCC day camp offerings

Experiential learning opportunities for young adults,

families, synagogues and organizations

Revenue from corporate or broader community groups beyond Jewish community

Back to TOC

Hoover Family Center:Possible Programs

Life cycle events Environmental, farming, and

outdoor programming

Regional hub

75Back to TOC


Rationale / “The Why?”:• This process requested bold and visionary thinking.

This is a “big idea” worthy of the charge we were given.

• Underutilized property• Centrally located – serving all of Columbus• There is no Jewish retreat center in Ohio.• Easy entry point to Jewish overnight camp.• Create a shared collaborative space• Bringing the spirit of Jewish summer camping to all

ages at all seasons of the year.

76Back to TOC

Recommendation: Hoover Family Camp

Range of Costs:• Feasibility study required• Major capital improvements and facility

enhancements would be necessary

77Back to TOC


Measuring Success:• Use current POJC study as a benchmark• Track alumni of the different programs at the Hoover

Family Center. Where/how do they engage? Youth groups, overnight camps, day schools, Synagogues, etc.

• Have Jewish relationships formed that might not have otherwise existed?

• Is there an increase in1. Regional organizations that utilize the facility?2. Amount of annual revenue—year over year?3. Quantity and quality of programs hosted by agencies?4. Quantity of private events?

Government & Nonprofit

Working Group Recommendations - Portrait of Columbus