by Brenda Gevertz
In last month’s blog, which also appeared in JCSA’s monthly newsletter, I asked your help in creating a bucket list for success in working in the Jewish community. Your responses were heartfelt and thoughtful. Repeatedly, you voiced the need for a commitment to the mission, a sense of purpose, and invaluable self-respect. Leadership qualities were enunciated. Not surprisingly, collaborative spirit, transparency, passion and honesty were frequently on your lists. And then, an interesting side commentary emerged…
As colleagues wrote about these attributes, they also commented on the transfer of leadership now taking place across our field as Boomers retire and new talent takes the helm. There were expressions of anticipation and excitement as we await the new ideas and perceptions that should come with new leadership. And, there was also a sense of sadness and concern for older colleagues being “pushed aside.”
There needs to be a way to capture the wisdom that has been acquired over decades of community building. How can we insure that the knowledge and experiences of a retiring generation are passed on to its successors? Will we reinvent the wheel or repeat mistakes over and again? Are we only concerned about youth? Does a creative person lose that attribute as they age? Is new better?
These are questions that are on your mind as you think about success. Boomers retiring today will likely live for 20 or 30 more years beyond retirement. They are seeking Encore Careers and exciting volunteer opportunities. They are ready to relinquish the responsibilities of leadership and still want to contribute and live productive lives. There are so many challenges facing our Jewish community and society, in general, that there is more than enough room for a diversity of talent. How will we capture this wisdom in transition?
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Brenda, you have succinctly and powerfully captured a major challenge facing not only the field of Jewish communal service but the Jewish community at large. As Boomers emerge from midlife careers and all that goes with them, many are not heading toward the “Golden Age” retirement period that was routine and expected not too long ago. Instead, there is an unprecedented path ahead with challenges, new experiences and opportunities for engagement. Right now, the Jewish community is lagging the general community–including the government–in providing relevant, intriguing programs and projects for Boomers. Encore careers–whether for pay or as committed long term volunteers–are available through many sources. Our concern at B3, as revealed in David Elcott’s research in 2009, is that Boomers will go elsewhere if they don’t find programs and resources in Jewish life–and their contributions to the Jewish community thus lost. On the specific topic of Jewish communal workers, productive engagement once their midlife careers end is crucial. Why lose their skills, energy, experience, creativity and availability? We need new models to engage them (not to mention succession plans well before they leave, another major issue…) Thanks for highlighting this and leading a response from JPro…
You are on target, Brenda. There are generational changes in our field, and important ones. It is important to look to the future, while passing along to new leadership the lessons that have been learned. Mentoring and coaching are a part of the solution of making sure we don’t lose the knowledge of the past. I am interested to hear other strategies.