Would Hanukkah feel complete if you skipped lighting candles for days five and six? This is how it feels to Jewish adults over 50 who feel “unlit” by the Jewish community’s institutions.

Adults in midlife represent a large subset of American Jews, yet organized Jewish life still focuses primarily on children, teens and their parents, and on the very frail at the end of life. This is a structural misalignment and a profound missed opportunity for the communal strength we need to secure a better Jewish future.

Across North America, midlife and older adults describe a quiet, steady disengagement in research by David Elcott and Stuart Himmelfarb of B3: The Jewish Boomer Platform and Laura Geller of the Active Aging Network. Older Jewish adults are letting synagogue memberships lapse, ignoring federation calls and drifting from JCCs and other legacy organizations. The Jewish Federations of North America’s 2025 “Building the Field of Midlife Engagement Report” states that there is “a gap in a sense of belonging and fulfillment with the Jewish community among these adults.” The report shows that a large share of Jews in the 55-74 age range feel unfulfilled by their Jewish community, and fewer than half report a real sense of belonging. At the same time, many say they want a deeper connection to Judaism. 

This mature adult population does not presume institutional loyalty; they look for quality, meaning and value, not brand alone. Adults in their later years are not asking for perpetual care; they are asking to be treated as full partners. They can be the spiritual, intellectual and communal pillars whose gifts are still emerging.

The problem they face is not one of apathy but of fit. Institutions still pour the bulk of their creativity and funding into “Next Gen” programs and geriatric care, while treating the long stretch of life between childrearing and infirmity as an afterthought. Adults in their 50s, 60s and 70s are navigating encore careers, caregiving for parents and grandchildren and seeking new connections. Mature adults have spiritual questions about legacy, purpose and vulnerability. Yet, little of our communal programming is designed with these realities at the center.

Scholars such as Chaim Waxman have noted that much of Jewish institutional life still rests on mid-20th-century life-cycle assumptions: grow up, join a synagogue when you have kids, stay put, then slowly age into senior programming. Longer lifespans, fluid careers, diverse family structures and changing denominational identities have rendered that script obsolete, but the metrics of “engagement” have barely budged.

The cost of this blind spot is high. Adults over 50 contribute disproportionately to leadership, volunteering and philanthropy in the wider nonprofit world, and they bring unparalleled experience, memory and wisdom to Jewish settings. At the same time, research and communal experience alike show that fears of isolation and a desire for authentic, adult-to-adult relationships are pressing concerns at this stage; people want spaces that speak to their life questions, not simply recycled versions of youth programs.

The most significant missed opportunity is intergenerational. A 2019 study by the Jewish Grandparents Network showed that grandparents are among the most powerful transmitters of Jewish identity. They embody stories, humor, ritual and resilience in ways no institution can. We can empower grandparents by reinforcing their sense of self-worth as Jewish leaders. When communities underinvest in adult engagement, they underinvest in the transmission of Judaism itself.

What is needed is not a new niche but a redefinition: Judaism must also be visibly reclaimed as an adult spiritual path. That means giving real attention to “adult engagement,” on par with our youth or senior services. We must offer serious, relationship-rich Jewish study, prayer and cultural life for people who bring decades of experience and complex questions.

The Jewish Studio is an example of what it looks like when this need is taken seriously. Founded as a “synagogue without walls,” The Jewish Studio is designed around adults — especially those who are unaffiliated, unmarried, or navigating life transitions — who still yearn for meaningful Jewish connections but do not find enough of them in conventional Jewish settings.

Its model is deliberately nimble and welcoming. We offer Shabbat gatherings with compelling speakers and rich conversation, hosted in accessible spaces rather than formal sanctuaries, making Jewish ideas feel close to everyday life. We brought three cohorts on civil rights missions to the American South, emphasizing the history of and ongoing connection to the Jewish communities of Alabama. We followed that by forming lasting ties with a local African American church community, sharing a Freedom Seder and educational programming. Learning takes place in coffee shops, holiday celebrations in wine bars and taverns. The Jewish Studio is meeting people where they actually live and relax.

There is, notably, no barrier to membership. No dues are collected; and participation does not depend on marital status, family configuration or existing institutional ties, lowering the threshold for adults who have felt sidelined, single, or spiritually “other.” The Jewish Studio intentionally reaches singles, interfaith couples and adults in transition, creating spaces in which people can ask real questions and experiment with new practices. 

A communal imperative, not a kindness

Investing in adult engagement is not a soft, optional kindness; it is a matter of communal strength, integrity and long-term survival. Adults over 50 are poised to power congregations, federations, social justice work and Israel engagement through encore careers, volunteer leadership and significant philanthropy. Treating their continued involvement as automatic is a dangerous illusion; research shows that if meaningful opportunities are not available in Jewish settings, many will turn their talents and resources to secular causes that do welcome them.

The path forward is clear. Listen attentively to what adults actually seek at this stage. They crave spiritual depth, honest community and opportunities to give and grow. Create welcoming spaces for adult engagement. Invest in organizations like The Jewish Studio that are already demonstrating how reimagined, welcoming Jewish environments can transform the so-called “overlooked generation” into a driving force of renewal.

This generation is not lost; it is waiting to be lit up! We want to be seen, taken seriously and encouraged back into the heart of Jewish life. By honoring adult engagement as a central mission, our communities can fulfill our highest promise: a future built with every generation, for every generation.

Rabbi Evan J. Krame is the founder of The Jewish Studio, a community dedicated to bringing meaningful and joyful Jewish experiences to adults in the greater DC area. Rabbi Krame is also a lawyer specializing in estates and trusts, primarily serving people with disabilities and mature adults.