Micha Kurz Speaks at Next Dor 11/19/2010
On Wednesday night, community organizer and capacity builder, Micha Kurz spoke about Grassroots Jerusalem, a project he founded to identify, map, and help grassroots organizations dealing with urgent needs on the ground in Jerusalem. Check out the video recorded and produced by Benjamin Singer. Add Comment This story is reposted from Jewishinstlouis.org and can be found here When the St. Louis Next Dor delegates spoke at a Synagogue3000 Conference in New York City recently before 176 attendees representing 53 congregations across the country, everyone listened with rapt attention. The four 20-somethings representing St. Louis - David Elias, Aliza Haber, Ariel Lyons-Warren and Yoni Sarason - were the youngest group of presenters addressing one of the most important issues facing our Jewish community – how to engage young Jewish adults. And they posited a unique model. Rabbi Aaron Spiegel, CEO of S3000, said of the Next Dor STL contingent, “They not only provided a pilot project voice about what and how they’ve created a successful young Jewish adult engagement initiative, but also demonstrated to the mostly Boomer and Gen X crowd that young Jewish adults really do know what they want and how to go about creating sacred community on their terms.” The S3000 event brought together Jewish organizers, rabbis, congregational leaders, federation representatives, experts in communal initiatives and others committed to community building for Jews in their 20s and 30s. The goal of the conference was to have a free-thinking and honest conversation about how to reach the next generation of Jews. And underlying that was to explore the relevance synagogues will play in the future of Jewish life. Next Dor, which is a national initiative for engaging young Jewish adults, is typically organized by rabbis that forge connections, build community and launch peer-driven initiatives – both in and around the congregations that host their endeavors. But Next Dor STL takes a different approach. Sarason, founder and a current staff member, explained it this way. “We tap young local talent to reach post-college and pre-marriage Jewish adults (ages 21 to mid 30s). Most other Next Dor sites are ensconced with a synagogue; we are independent. Other sites use their funds to hire a professional while we use it to renovate the space – we have our own house near Central Reform Congregation with whom we have a special exchange. We also focus on non-traditional programming that doesn’t take place within the confines of an institutional setting such as a synagogue or Jewish organization.” Rabbi Susan Talve of CRC, who accompanied the Next Dor STL delegates, explained the laissez-faire set up between Next Dor STL and her congregation. “Our hope was that Next Dor STL would provide a space for young adults to find meaningful relationships, conversations and experiences.” There were contingencies in setting it up, she noted. “There were core values we expected the young people to build on like embracing the LGBT community, Jews of color, open to interfaith relationships and Jews by choice. I hope also at this critical time in their lives, in an economy that is tough for many of them to find work, they know they can still be part of something bigger than themselves, find ways to help each other and serve the common good.” Lyons-Warren , one of the initial founders and a current board member, pointed out that Next Dor STL is indeed a Jewish community space that serves the common good. Available to and welcoming for young Jewish adults, it’s non-denominational and independent of any one synagogue. “The most important goal is providing a safe comfortable place to be…the Jewish identity will follow. Our generation does not respond to the same types of outreach as our parents’ and grandparents’ generations.” Next Dor STL has empowered young people to form their own community. “It’s about letting us have the reigns, the power and the resources rather than conforming to someone else’s concept. Young people are full of ideas, but they’re not necessarily listened to. Here our ideas have come to fruition without the typical roadblocks,” said Sarason. Elias, a program director and board member, said he views Next Dor STL as a success “if there are a plethora of options out there for young, Jewish adults to explore. I want young people to realize that St. Louis has a lot to offer and I see Next Dor STL as a resource for young adults and a conduit to other organizations within the city." Haber calls Next Dor STL her lifeline to the Jewish community. “I moved back to St. Louis from Chicago, heard about Next Dor and went to a couple of events. I started to think, ‘Hey, this is pretty cool.’ I went to more and this led to other involvements. I’m more involved in Jewish social life and living than ever. Now I’m a youth director for USY, I have new friends and networking opportunities that helped me find work. In fact, my whole life revolves around things I’ve done and people I’ve met at Next Dor.” Since opening, hosting its first event a year ago on Nov. 10, 2009, more than 300 young adults have made 1,500 visits to St. Louis’ Next Dor, participating in more than 100 programs that include social action projects, educational events and social and recreational programs. This is the tip of the iceberg. Sarason wants to ignite more relationships with existing organizations which have had not as much success with young adults in the past. “For instance, we did an interfaith dialogue with ADL that was successful. We’re doing a movie series with them. In essence, we’re taking the programs out of the institutional setting and having conversations that allow young people to express themselves and do something meaningful.” Next Dor STL’s model has put the St. Louis Jewish community on the map, said Sarason. “I’ve heard from people in Houston, Detroit, New York. We’ve had initial conversations and many have said, ‘Wow, I would like to visit St. Louis. It sounds like a great community.’” This Story was originally posted here on Jewishinstlouis.org: (St. Louis, MO) – While others roam from house to house this Halloween collective sweets, members of the young adult Jewish community here will be doing something else sweet. On Sunday, Oct. 31, Next Dor St. Louis and Moishe House St. Louis are combining their resources for “Halloween Version Jew.0,” during which these young professionals will go door to door collecting food and personal care items for the Harvey Kornblum Jewish Food Pantry. “Halloween is certainly not a Jewish holiday,” organizer Benjamin Singer said in a statement. “But that fact should not prevent us from helping people in need while having fun and building community.” The Food Pantry collection at 7:30 p.m. will follow a free pizza dinner and Jewish-themed pumpkin carving at 5 p.m. The group of young adults that collects the most donations gets to choose a film to screen following the collections. More details are available online on the Facebook event. The Kornblum Jewish Food Pantry, a program of Jewish Family & Children’s Service, provides food, personal care items and community resource referrals to help St. Louis-area individuals and families of all faiths and backgrounds, “with respect and confidentiality.” The Pantry saw a 75% increase in new clients from 2008 to 2009, while serving more than 4,000 clients per month from more than 89 different zip codes. Susan J. Rundblad, program coordinator-community outreach for the Food Pantry, said she was “proud to partner with Next Dor. The members have always been supportive …by providing strong backs and generous hearts.” The evening will be hosted at the Next Dor house at 5062 Waterman Blvd., with generous sponsorship from Moishe House, another community center for young adults in Clayton. These two institutions, both co-founded by Washington University grad Yoni Sarason, have brought new life to the increasingly vibrant young Jewish community in St. Louis. For information, visit www. NextDorSTL.org and find “Moishe House STL” on Facebook. This past weekend, at Synagogue 3000's conference in Tenafly, NJ, four representatives of Next Dor STL presented, informed, and educated about the project's background, methods, and impact. The conference itself presented research by Steven Cohen, who demonstrated by way of a participant survey, the efficacy of each Next Dor site to create relationships that led to increased participation, identification, and integration into the Jewish community. The four St. Louis representatives, Aliza Haber, Ariel Lyons-Warren, David Elias, and Yoni Sarason, were exposed to some of the top Rabbis, professionals, researchers, and consultants in the Jewish communal world. But the group weren't merely passive participants. All four used the opportunity to explain the impact of the project on St. Louis, both at the grassroots and structural level. These explanations took the form both of formal presentations, as well as open space discussions (of both the project itself and some potential outgrowths). The Synagogue 3000 conference provided an uncommon opportunity for young adults in the community to represent themselves and their efforts on the national scene, and helped put St. Louis on the map to a group that often glosses over the Midwest. Contact: Benj Drazen www.nextdorstl.org apply@nextdorstl.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NEXT DOR STL SEEKS YOUNG JEWISH LEADERS FOR YEAR-LONG COMMUNITY BUILDING RESIDENCY St. Louis, MO – October 6, 2010. For Next Dor STL, celebrating Jewish young adults means nurturing young professionals. The St. Louis nonprofit – focused on building community by creating a vibrant center of activity – has begun their search for up to three unique, live-in positions. “We want to tap into the incredible creativity this community has to offer,” said Jake Albert, a member of the Next Dor board. “Now in our second year, we’ve realized that the best way for us to evolve and grow is by bringing in skilled, passionate young professionals.” Opportunities include one paid staff position and up to two unpaid residencies. All positions receive free living and work space in the Next Dor house. In addition to specific tasks, all are required to be a welcoming presence in the house for set weekly hours.
Applicants for the resident positions must provide: resume, cover letter, three work samples (digital format only) if applicable, and a personal statement to Next Dor by November 1, 2010. Selected applicants will be asked to provide a full project proposal to be completed during the year-long residency. Full job descriptions are available at www.nextdorstl.org/thesearch. Next Dor STL offers our house as a space for community-driven projects and for existing Jewish young adult organizations to put on events. For more information about the organization, see http://www.nextdorstl.org/ or contact us at: info@nextdorstl.org. Next Dor on Birthright Next's Alef Blog 10/04/2010
Next Dor recently got national internet exposure! Alef, Birthright Next's webzine, just published an article by Next Dor Program Director, Yoni Sarason responding to the question of what makes a Jewish space. The piece, which draws heavily on Sarason's experiences with Moishe House and Next Dor in St. Louis, can be found here  This past weekend was another busy one around the Next Dor house. The monthly Shabbat dinner, sponsored by Jeff Becker and Adam Geller through Birthright Israel Next, included local produce, kosher meat, and some 50 young adults. A special thanks to Rabbi Talve, who lent us her Lulav and Etrog, enabling those who wanted to take advantage of our hastily constructed and shoddy (but structurally sound) Sukkah, to do so . On Sunday, Nishmah's high school group, Banot Buddies used the house to hold a board meeting, which was kicked off with a conversation with Next Dor Program Director Yoni Sarason, who spoke to the group about starting an organization, getting people involved and communication strategies. Following this, renowned author, speaker, and entrepreneur, Sam Silverstein spoke to around the dining room table to a group of young adults about the five essential accountabilities of success. Drawing heavily from his recent book, "No More Excuses", Sam talked about seeing accountability in a proactive sense, instead of as a consequence. A number of those in attendance were employed in the Jewish communal service field including YPD's Lee'at Bachar, who believed Sams', "Five Accountability's were easy to remember and resonated with me specifically as a Jewish Professional. His ideas and extensive research with successful individuals, were posed in such a way that made it easy to apply to everyday situations and consider the way I view my relationships and expectations for myself and those around me." Sam Silverstein Speaks! 09/21/2010
Sam Silverstein, an internationally renowned speaker, author, and entrepreneur will be speaking at the Next Dor house on Sunday, September 26th at 4 PM. Having spoken on motivation, inspiration, leadership, and teamwork for universities, business and professional associations, and governmental organizations around the country and the world, Sam a hidden gem in St. Louis. To RSVP, click here Help Create the Next Chapter at Next Dor 09/08/2010
We want your help! Next Dor STL's residence search committee is looking for volunteers to help design and review applications for the next residents of the Next Dor house. If you are interested in serving on this exciting committee, please e-mail Benj Drazen (drazen05@gmail.com) or Kimberly Levinson (kimberlylevinson@gmail.com) by the evening of Tuesday the 14th. Responsibilities will include contacting newspapers and local organizations to distribute press releases, reading and reviewing primary and secondary applications, and input into who will be providing their talents and passion to the community as the next resident of Next Dor. We look forward to hearing from you! Shanah Tovah from Next Dor On Thursday August 19th, a group of young adults spanning Jewish, Muslim (Shia and Sunni), Mormon, and Christ Scientist faiths gathered at Next Dor for a night of conversation and dialogue. The event, planned by the Anti-Defamation League, in conjunction with the Interfaith Partnership and Faith Beyond Walls, took the form of 'Speed Dating' in which the young adults spent a few minutes getting to know someone of a different faith before moving to someone else. During each conversation, the young adults were asked to describe how they perceive and practice their faith. "It is always wonderful being around people who want to learn, and who are willing to step out of their comfort zone in order to do it," explained Karen Aroesty, Regional Director for the ADL. "Last Thursday, it was even more wonderful that so many different questions were raised, and answered, in such a positive, relaxed setting. It was a very good place to be." "The Interfaith event at Next Dor was the perfect forum to not only share the differences in our faith, but to more importantly recognize our commonalities," said Hammad Haider, one of the participants. "I truly felt welcomed, like I was a part of a loving Interfaith family."  | ArchivesFebruary 2012 CategoriesAll |
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