Expanding Jewish Education in Challenging Times: Let All Who Are Hungry Come and Eat
Source: eJewish Philanthropy
In a post for the eJewish Philanthropy's "Growing Jewish Education in Challenging Times" series, Maggie Bar-Tura, Chief Operating Officer of Foundation for Jewish Camp, puts forth an idea to enable many more Jewish youth to be able to afford to attend Jewish summer camps. She suggests creating lower priced Jewish camping options that deliver strong educational value without all the frills, which could add new market segments that were previously priced out.
She writes:
"Many studies show the connection between Jewish camp attendance and income level. The Jewish community is not monolithic. In addition to the diversity of ethnic, racial, gender, and denomination that characterizes us, we are many different kinds of consumers. We need to get out into the field and listen – to understand what parents’ hopes are for their Jewish children, what are the dreams and passions of children, youth, and young adults. And then we need to deconstruct what we are already doing so that we can respond to those hopes and dreams. We need to be crystal clear about the core of our mission, revisit the trappings, reimagine our programmatic offerings, and reinvent our product line so that all who are hungry for Jewish life may come and partake."