As an outsider to the Rabbinic world, getting to experience Rabbis and Kiruv professionals talk about some of the biggest issues in the Jewish non-profit sector was something of an eye opener for me. This year, TorahAnytime.com was once again asked to film the AJOP convention, and I was invited as part of the recording crew. The convention attracted hundreds of the biggest names in kiruv on topics ranging from fundraising to couples counselling. There were a few trends that became very apparent as the days passed.

Trend #1: Sink or Swim

Since change usually occurs very gradually in the Rabbinate. many rabbis find themselves playing catch up when it comes to addressing new ideas and opportunities. As in any business, many Rabbis are so focused on executing their mission that they become less likely to adapt the latest working strategies and technology to their models. Additionally, when outreach professionals have some time to breathe, they are more likely to spend it studying Torah. In fact, a good number of Rabbis visit TorahAnytime.com simply because it is the easiest way to keep track of the latest Jewish approaches to any number of topics. Since classes on the site are updated daily, they can be sure to find great speakers addressing modern day issues and current events. In that sense, TorahAnytime is as much a powerful learning tool for rebbeim, mechanchim, administrators, and outreach professionals as a resource for the average Jewish learner.

Trend #2: Adaptation to New Funding Models is Key for Survival

This year’s AJOP Convention featured almost 15 classes on fundraising and business practices. One of the main messages was that we no longer live in a world where mid -level to major donors hand over money to their local institutions. They expect transparency and efficiency. The core of Jewish philanthropy has, and will always be, personal connections but the way Jewish professionals need to build and maintain those relationships has changed. Jewish organizations for the most part have become more streamlined and organized. It is not like days past where it was okay to run a “heimish” organization of passionate people who want roughly the same thing. Organizations must have metrics and data-driven decisions to ensure their success. Each employee needs to know exactly what their role is, systems of time management need to be put in place, and waste needs to be eliminated.

Trend #3: Kosher Tech is on the Rise

Many Rabbis have justifiably negative views of the internet but in the Kiruv world, it can be a very powerful tool. In my work with TorahAnytime.com I have seen firsthand the sheer power of the internet. 14,000 full time kollel men could not keep up with the hours of Torah learned on our site alone. Some call the current generation of young professionals the “net generation.” A generation that, for the most part, grew up constantly exposed to net-based technology. Many Jewish organizations woke up, and realized that technology has caught up with them and they were not prepared. Classes on crowdfunding and social media were some of the best attended of the entire convention. One class by social media expert David Yarus (who runs his own boutique marketing firm boasting a client list including Taglit/Birthright), spent over ten minutes just explaining the concept of a hashtag, and attendees followed him into the dining hall to continue their conversation. With our growing reliance on technology, we are certain to see many more organizations building social media, crowdsourcing and other online resources into their outreach strategies

Trend #4: Tackling the Tough Issues Empowers Professionals

Even Rabbis are sometimes unsure about how to approach some of the most sensitive issues in Judaism. There were many lectures on the status of women in Judaism, homosexuality, and intermarriage. Rav Dovid Cohen, Rav Yitzchak Berkovitz, Rav Asher Weiss, and the Tolne Rebbe offered their expert guidance in these and other areas. Just as many Rabbis may be slow to adopt new technologies, they are also sometimes slow to solidify their approaches to new issues. This is because as Jews we know that the Torah is eternal and unchanging and it is always a challenge to adapt fresh concepts and ideas on this blueprint. The AJOP convention blows this notion out of the water by empowering today’s kiruv professionals with effective tools consistent with Torah values.One rabbi stood up in a Q and A session with HaRav Shmuel Kamenetzky and asked how much of our resources should be spend on a convert who immediately abandoned judaism, or a man whose children will not be Jewish. These questions are important, and it was shocking to me that this participant who was employed in kiruv did not have that answer on hand. Many of the classes at the AJOP convention focused on these issues, and attendees were on the edge of their seats to gain insight and perspective.

In the past few years we have slowly seen rabbis solidifying their approaches to these modern issues. Many documents of intent have been circulating, gaining signatures and support from large groups of Rabbanim. TorahAnytime has also been instrumental in keeping Rabbis informed in the cutting edge Jewish approaches to these sensitive issues. It’s clear to me that the the Kiruv world will continue on this path and there will soon be a clear understanding of the “Jewish” approach to these difficult topics.

In Mondays plenary session, Rabbi Yitzchak Lowenbraun, National Director and founder of AJOP, discussed that as we deal with the challenges of an increasingly disconnected Jewish people, kiruv has in some ways become easier. “It is no longer us and them” he said. Secular Jewish organizations have begun to offer their support for kiruv professionals to “do what we do best. Reaching out, building real relationships, and engaging the Jewish people.” Rabbi Raphael Butler, Director of the Afikim Foundation, talked about mutual support and being open minded to opportunities that arise from unusual partnerships. We live in a world that is more connected than it has ever been, and Rabbis are learning that being open minded and building new connections is integral to the future growth of the Kiruv field.

It has been said by some pundits that the door is closing on kiruv, but that is not what I saw at this convention. Kiruv organizations are larger, more engaging, and more relevant than ever. There was a strong focus on collaboration, and a willingness to learn and keep ahead of the social and technological curve. To paraphrase Rabbi Lowenbraun. “We have the ability to succeed, not despite these new challenges, but because of them.”

Torah Anytime is currently the largest and fastest growing online video Torah learning resource, supporting over 4 million hours of Torah learning every year. It has more than 30,000 Torah videos (of which each has its own audio file) of over 400 different speakers. They record and post up to 100 new lectures per week, and receive close to 100,000 monthly visits from over 120 countries.

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