The following is the installation speech of Steve Croft, incoming President of Congregation Beth Yeshurun in Houston, Texas, the largest synagogue in the Conservative movement.

I want to start by telling you a story---

A long time ago there was a young man, in his early 30's, very shy, who was ASKED to join the new Beth Yeshurun Young Leadership Group.

From Jewish people to Jewish purpose: The new age of social innovation in American Jewish life

Steven M Cohen, Director of Research for S3K, discussed the new age of social innovation in American Jewish life at a seminar for Jewish community professionals in December 2009. The seminar was organized jointly by JPR and JHub, the London-based Jewish Social Action and Innovation Hub.

Rabbi Jeremy Morrison writes about The Riverway Project of Temple Israel, Boston. To date, one of the most successful project of engaging 20 and 30 something Jews. 

As I visit different synagogues, I pick up little ideas, things that people do, that resonate. As I come across the really 'cool' ones, I'm going to report them in this ongoing column of "best practices." Enjoy!

Ron Wolfson

If you have already turned 40, you know it is no ordinary birthday; if you are not yet 40, pray God you will get there, but, perhaps, with appropriate trepidation.

Join the conversation on Synablog

At first glance, most young adult, non-Orthodox Jews in America seem rather unengaged in Jewish life. This seems especially true of single Jews between the ages of 25 and 39. Few of them join synagogues or JCCs, even fewer contribute to Jewish federation campaigns, and with the exception of attending Passover Seders or High Holiday services, not many young adults outside of Orthodoxy practice Jewish rituals.

A hipster synagogue grows in SoHo, drawing large crowds with its "Torah cocktail parties" in fancy loft apartments and user-friendly prayer services designed especially for the uninitiated.