When
sharing information on upcoming events or lectures with my friends, I hit two
roadblocks. The first is that they’re not interested. At last the gatekeepers
of such communal bodies are starting to realise how non-committal, apathetic
and uninterested Generation Y can be in responding to these events. I’m unsure
if it’s because most of the activities aimed at ‘young people’ are perceived as
a single’s meat-market, or if the theme of the communal event could be just
that unappealing.
As
one friend put it, when I was attending a recent lecture at Beth Weizmann, Gen
Y was at home playing Guitar Hero. When I listened to Uzi Landau, a most
impressive member of Knesset speak to a small crowd of (mostly) seniors, my
friends were watching the Big Bang Theory. The only young people interested in
and vocal about the current affairs of Israel, it seems, are members of the
Socialist Alternative and Australian Friends of Palestine. Casual conversations
over coffees or beers rarely turn to that
topic. And that’s ok, as young Diaspora Jews are asking a whole lot of
other questions about their own relationship to the State of Israel and its
relevance to them. But this shall be left to another discussion later on, I
hope.
As
much as one person can encourage attendance to communal events, it makes it a
little difficult to entice others to join me when I’m the youngest person in
the room by thirty years. This is a second, if consequential, roadblock.
To
be honest, I revel in the company of those much older than me, as I believe
they have much to offer that I’m ever ready to absorb. However, the age and
background of the audience is immediately considered upon arrival to such events.
And could even be a turn-off for those looking to meet and interact with
like-minded, similar-aged individuals.
Take
the Gen08 discussion that took place last year – ‘The Jewish
Community: What's in it for me?’ – for example. According to the advertisement in the
AJN, it was aimed at 18-34 (ish) year olds to explore the ways to connect them
with Jewish life, hence ensuring Jewish continuity. Hauling a mildly interested
friend of mine with me, we entered the auditorium and were immediately
confused. The hall was packed with those of our parents’ age – 50s, 60s, and
older. A handful of young professionals, a bunch of young parents, and some
students made up the rest.
Of
a crowd of over 200 Melbourne Jews, the targeted demographic was certainly in
the minority. And they were the ones that actually bothered to show up. This
also influenced the direction of the discussion, which is not relevant to this
article, but which left many young people quite frustrated at the end of the
event.
A
number of questions erupted from this experience: do young Melbourne Jews want
to participate in any communal direction? Do they want to be a part of communal
events? And if not, why? And if so, why aren’t they showing up? If Jewish
continuity is a key focus, then how do we all connect? It’s hard out there.
It’s made even harder when many of us are entrenched in the same social circles
that haven’t really changed since high school or university. Once we’re in the
work force, we become time poor and perhaps socially impoverished.
When
thinking about the activities for young Melbourne Jews, I’m not talking about
the university-aged, or those already heavily involved in communal bodies. What’s
out there for those who enter the workforce and leave those days of informal
Jewish education and Jewish discussion behind? How do we expand our minds in a
social way? How do we expand our social spheres through non ‘meat market’
avenues?
This
is where the Parlour Punch project will hopefully come in. The Parlour Punch aspires
to be a series of monthly meets across Melbourne in which Jews – both young and
young-at-heart – participate in focused discussions of a particular aspect
of Jewish life. Informal, encouraging and self-directed, Parlour Punch
project hopes to create a number of supportive mini-communities of diverse
and engaging individuals interested in Jewish life and the world around us. Heralding
the impassioned conversations that took place in the salons of Paris and
Berlin some generations past, Parlour Punch belongs to Melbournian Jews and
creates a space to connect, listen, argue, absorb, respond and inspire.
Parlour
Punch is about keeping the conversation going – it's about the two Jews who
argue the three opinions, shaping the community we live in, and listening to
our fellow tribesmen and tribeswomen. The project celebrates diversity in religious
beliefs, political outlooks and moral attitudes. Yet at Parlour Punch, being
Jewish and the unity of the Jewish people is central, and we hope that our
conversations and, perhaps someday, events will reflect this.
The
idea is simple enough – get some people together in your lounge room, and, over
nibbles and drinks, talk. Us Jews are good at that. Themes for discussion can
be provided, but the bulk of the material is to come from the participants.
Funny jokes, weird conspiracies, profound divrei torah, an article to be passed
around and discussed – there are a myriad of options at our fingertips.
And
invite people that you don’t usually see. Ask them to bring someone who might
be interested. I suppose this also could be a way to meet new people, expand
our social circles and learn about different pockets of the Melbourne Jewish
community.
Perhaps
every few months we could have a massive meet, where each mini-community hosts
an event, be it a film night, a house party, trivia or a lecture and
discussion.
Let’s
keep the Jewish conversation going. Even if it hurts.
For more information, check out www.parlourpunch.blogspot.com. Contact us at parlourpunch@gmail.com if
you’d like to get involved.
