YALA FAQ
What happened to YLD?
Don't worry! It's true that YLD has morphed into the larger umbrella of YALA…but that doesn't mean you'll be losing any of the awesome YLD programs you're familiar with. In fact, YALA will include everything you already love about Federation young adult programming, as well as tons of new and exciting opportunities targeted at a wide range of young adults.
How did you come up with a new young adult engagement strategy?
We started by talking to a LOT of people – we had conversations with young adults that have been involved in Federation for a long time, young adults that had never been to a Federation event, and everyone in between! Then we convened a Task Force. After many discussions and a lot of strategic thinking, we came up with an overall plan – along the way, making sure that our new strategy aligned with the overall Federation mission.
What was wrong with how we were doing things before?
A lot of it was great and was working really well. However, we also understood that over the years Federation had created a structure that was overly taxing on our resources and was not supportive of a collaborative environment.The resulting silos made it difficult for Federation to most efficiently serve the community's needs.
Is it true that there are no more young divisions of Federation?
No, definitely not true. Historically, young adult engagement existed within multiple departments of the Federation. This led to duplicative programming, a lack of community and participants who didn't understand the bigger picture of Federation. In the new plan, interest – and profession–based affinity groups will continue with their own programming. YALA will provide joint programming for all groups without taking away from the uniqueness of each affinity group – and in a way that makes more efficient use of Federation resources.
What's the benefit of this new strategy?
YALA's structure will allow us to reach a diverse group of young adults and offer them the richest opportunities to engage in Jewish life both in Federation and in the broader community. This new approach will also allow for a range of involvement including social action, educational, social and philanthropic. In addition, it allows for small semi – autonomous communities to develop – based on things like age, common interest and ethnicity.
Where does giving fit in to this engagement strategy?
Federation is a philanthropic organization that depends on donations to serve the community. However, building community and offering meaningful opportunities for engagement is also really important to us – and there are many opportunities for involvement without the expectation of giving. Solicitation is not our primary focus, but we hope that as young adults become more involved and educated about our work, they'll be inspired to give not only of their time but of their financial resources.
Are Federation programs open to all levels of observance?
Yes. Dietary laws are observed at Federation events and programming does not conflict with holiday and Shabbat observance.
How does Federation define young adult?
Young adults are individuals between the ages of 25–40, but we understand that at times, exceptions should be made. For example, there are certain nationally recognized groups that extend through 45 like Ben Gurion Society and National Young Leadership Cabinet. In general, Federation programming is geared towards young adults who are ready to engage in Jewish life in a meaningful and ongoing way.
