YITZHAK NAVON CENTER FOR A SHARED SOCIETY

Responding to the concerns of Jews everywhere "Entire sections of the Jewish People are falling away as a result of assimilation. A significant portion of those lost are idealistic youth who seek an exalted ideal…We must find a way to reveal to them the eternal values of Judaism and its great heritage; to awaken within them a sense of common historic destiny; to confront them with challenges that will win their hearts…” Yitzhak Navon, Presidential inaugural address before the Knesset Over the past several years, a series of studies have revealed an ever-increasing degree of distancing from Israel on the part of Jews abroad, particularly amongmillennials. In one survey in the United States, only 38% of those under the age of 35 indicated that Israel’s existence was very important to them, compared to 70% of those 65 and older. For some, their sense of alienation stems from what they perceive of – justifiably or not - as Israel’s indifference to the liberal values they hold dear, as well as the country’s ongoing refusal to recognize the progressive streams of Judaism to which a majority of the affiliated abroad belong. But the real issue is much deeper than that. More than half of the younger generation questioned expressed discomfort with the very idea of a Jewish state. Recognizing this, the YNC will embrace those from overseas in the spirit of its namesake: “We must approach them in ways that conform with their inner needs. We must sharpen our wits and find new outlets for these people. The old ways have lost their relevance.” Accordingly, visitors from outside of Israel will be welcomed as prospective partners in shaping Israeli society, and the richness and vitality of Jewish life in the communities they come from will be both recognized and valued. In so doing, the YNC will provide a supportive and non-judgmental environment for dealing with the most complex issues in Israel today as well as with the relationship between Israel and the Jewish people abroad.

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