Emergent Jewish Communities Study Released

You know all those little minyanim that have popped up everywhere? Hadar, KOE, Darkhei Noam, Mission Minyan, IKAR, DC Minyan and all the others? Well, it's not just them. Today, at a special briefing by study authors Steven M. Cohen, J. Shawn Landres and Rabbi Elie Kaunfer, select professionals from various aspects of Jewish life learned about this trend of emergent spirituality as the three presented their report, "Emergen Jewish Communities and their Participants: Preliminary finding from the 2007 National Spiritual Communities Study."

Independent minyanim, or as the study's authors prefer to phrase it, "emergent communities," have now popped up all over the country, in Israel and even internationally (London, Sydney, Toronto and Zurich, for example). Today's "everything is possible" electronic marketplace of ideas provides a fertile ground for the more than 80 communities now operating in the US and Canada. The communities vary in structure and mission; some have rabbis and others don't. But all were founded to fill a need in the extant community in their specific geographic areas.

Several interesting findings emerged (as one would hope with "emergent communities") but with Shabbat due within the hour and preparations for my guest not yet concluded, such insights will have to wait until after the Sabbath Queen has departed. (And believe me, the Q&A after the presentation provoked lots of ideas, so there will be posts forthcoming...)

But if this bit of text has you insatiable, you can find the report and additional data at www.jewishemergent.org/survey.

Comments

[VJ]

Well I've actually read it now. Thanks so much for posting it Esther, you might want to post it to other sites if this has not been done already. (I no longer visit or frequent Jewlicious due to their persistent problems with poorly written & executed code & handling of posting responses).

But overall, with few exceptions it's a useful glimpse into what's going on, and in general a fairly hopeful one too. It also speaks to the persistent and perplexing issue of intermarriage, again fairly usefully too. But lots of interesting findings very deserving of more comment.

Again, the bottom line is coming up with 'the kids are alright'. We may not understand them, but they're getting there faster and sometimes more effectively than their elders. Always a bit differently using different paths & venues, but reaching for admirable goals and generally & happily more involved and inclusive communities.

Not only surprising where it's coming from & the dimensions of the phenomenon, but one that may also see a few parallels in other recent developments in some Christian dominations too.
(Some will not understand this, but it's true).

Cheers & Thanks for the good news! 'VJ'