Amid our ongoing commitment to confront the challenges that face the Jewish People and Jewish educators today, we must also continually look to the future. The world is dramatically and rapidly changing, and the Jewish education that will be relevant, engaging and attractive in 2050 will not resemble what exists today. 

To start building for the future, we must start envisioning and imagining now. Twenty-five years is far enough out to be filled with a sort of wonder and possibility, but also close enough to feel real and retain a sense of timeliness, even urgency. 

Over the last 25 years, major trends and shifts have reshaped Jewish life. For instance, Gen Z Jews and their families have embraced more universalist values regarding their identity and worldview and become less affiliated with traditional Jewish teaching and institutions — in other words, characteristics of our community which we previously took for granted changed. Young people are looking for new ways of engaging and experiencing and finding meaning in Jewish life and learning, and our community has struggled to deliver. 

We have also experienced two seismic moments reflecting the volatility and unpredictability of our world. First, the COVID-19 pandemic upended communal gathering places and how we experienced Jewish rituals. It also showed us what was possible by leveraging technology and elevating DIY, home-based Judaism. I have spoken frequently about “COVID keepers”: the things we were forced to do during the pandemic to sustain Jewish education that would end up staying with us and charting new paths in Jewish life.

Then, the tragedy of Oct. 7, 2023, created massive change in how Jews relate to others, to Israel and, oftentimes, to each other. For some young Jews, feelings of ostracization and isolation are a part of this reality; for others, there is a greater sense of identity and affinity; and some are experiencing all of this at the same time.

It’s clear that our community is at an inflection point. Many Jews are feeling confused, abandoned and attacked. We’re also seeing inspiring surges in Jewish engagement, learning and community. We have to reimagine Jewish education if we want to be relevant in the lives of young people today and the young people to come over the next 25 years. I believe that Jewish education is up to the challenge, but it needs bold, proactive leadership to reach its full potential. 

Over the next three years, The Jewish Education Project will work toward establishing our Vision 2050 for Jewish education: a connected Jewish educational ecosystem that supports educators to empower all youth and their families with meaningful learning that fosters pride, purpose and resilience. Focusing on bold ideas, cutting-edge technology, world-class training and deep partnerships will enable us to reinvent Jewish education for tomorrow’s youth. 

Our efforts will cut across all boundaries of Jewish life, from the traditionally observant to learners who access Jewish education at home, schools, synagogues, JCCs or nearly anywhere else. We can’t anticipate the experiences that will upend our lives, for good or bad, once more; but our community can adopt a new mindset — one that also leads to new actions. 

We find ourselves in a post-Oct. 7 world confronting new realities. While it may be tempting to retreat to educational approaches that feel comfortable and safe, we must be proactive in seeking new methods to engage learners — to discover new means for young children, Jewish youth, and their families, to experience Jewish joy and pride with their families. Moreover, our younger generation demands of us new approaches to Israel education and enhanced strategies to identify and respond to antisemitism. The Jewish Education Project, a 115-year-old organization, is reinventing itself and how we resource people and build new support systems. We want to learn from others who are also looking forward with a determination to create necessary change.  

We’re committed to building this ecosystem over the next 25 years, fortifying it against the inevitable unforeseen challenges and imbuing it with a mindset of innovation and creativity to leverage opportunities. This is the key to a vibrant, resilient Jewish future that offers meaning, purpose and community to the next generation.

David Bryfman is the CEO of The Jewish Education Project.