Kingston Jewish Community Grow Kingston Survey - October 2017
Community PresentationJune 3, 2018
Survey Presentation Agenda
• Demographics
• Reach
• Education
• Operations
• Community Needs
• Kashruth
• Recommendations
Kingston Demographics
2011 Canadian Census
1185 – Identified as being Jewish
0 - 14 15 - 24 25 - 44 45 - 64 65+
165 260 240 280 240
13.9% 21.9% 20.3% 23.6% 20.3%
760Affiliated Total
Members 120 45 165
Adults 180 65 245
50% of Identified Jews are unaffiliated
General Rule of Thumb 380
64.5% - Affiliated Reach
Survey Reach
115 responses 40.8% Response
Surveys E-Mail Physical Total
Members 242 40 282
69
60%
29
25%
2
2%
15
13% 15 - Neither
68.9% - 31 / 4559.2% - 71 / 120
Survey Breakdown
Full Response115
Community Education73
1 or More Detailed Segment
36
Education
• Most people who responded said that Jewish Education
should be available at an affordable price to all who need it.
Talmud Torah principals are using the detailed feedback to determine what direction is needed with regards to Jewish Education in Kingston
Q29: What is your opinion on Jewish Education in Kingston
Q9: Which of the following Kingston Jewish Community organizations are you connected with? Page 5
ResponsesAvailable to all who
need it
Available at an
affordable price
Available only to
Children of
Congregational
Members
Available at no
Charge
Overall 64 73.44% (47/64) 56.25% (36/64) 20.31% (13/64) 16.90% (12/64)
Beth Israel 43 69.77% (30/43) 60.47% (26/43) 23.26% (10/43) 11.62% (5/43)
Iyr Hamelech 14 78.57% (11/14) 50.00% (7/14) 21.42% (3/14) 28.57% (4/14)
Both 2 100.00% (2/2) 100.00% (2/2)
Neither 5 80.00% (4/5) 60.00% (3/5) 20.00% (1/5)
Operations
One Community .. One Campus Facility .. Two Congregations
Q9: Which of the following Kingston Jewish Community organizations are you connected with?Q9: Which of the following Kingston Jewish Community organizations are you connected with?
Q16: Which of the following ideas do you think the community should explore further?
Page 2
Responses
Common
Facility for all
Religious and
Secular
Activities
Activities;
Jewish
Community
Centre
Religious
Service;
Concurrent;
Common
Facility, End
with
Community
Gathering
Religious
Service;
Alternating
Times;
Common
Facility
Religious
Service; Status
Quo
Activities;
Status Quo
Overall 106 56.60% (60) 50.00% (53) 37.74% (40) 30.19% (32) 16.98% (18) 9.43% (10)
Beth Israel 64 54.69% (35) 54.69% (35) 40.63% (26) 26.56% (17) 17.19% (11) 6.25% (4)
Iyr Hamelech 27 59.26% (16) 37.04% (10) 33.33% (9) 40.74% (11) 22.22% (6) 18.52% (5)
Both 2 100.00% (2) 100.00% (2) 50.00% (1)
Neither 13 53.85% (7) 46.15% (6) 38.46% (5) 23.08% (3) 7.69% (1) 7.69% (1)
No to Status Quo
Operations – How to make it happen
An overall community consensus needs to be developed
Q9: Which of the following Kingston Jewish Community organizations are you connected with?Q9: Which of the following Kingston Jewish Community organizations are you connected with?
Q17: With regards to religious services in the future what would be most favourable to you for the future and to attracts and grow the community?Page 2
Responses
Accommodate each
stream, in the same
building, at their own
specific time, in the
same space
Accommodate each
stream, in the same
building,
simultaneously,
within a separate
space
Unite the streams into
a single religious
activity, and run in the
single building
Make no changes
(status quo)
Overall 106 39.62% (42) 37.74% (40) 34.91% (37) 14.15% (15)
Beth Israel 64 32.81% (21) 40.63% (26) 35.94% (23) 15.63% (10)
Iyr Hamelech 27 55.56% (15) 37.04% (10) 33.33% (9) 18.52% (5)
Both 2 50.00% (1) 50.00% (1) 50.00% (1)
Neither 13 38.46% (5) 23.08% (3) 30.77 (4)
Direction: No to Status Quo
Operations
Thoughts on How to Use the Common Facility Usage
Page 4Q9: Which of the following Kingston Jewish Community organizations are you connected with?Q9: Which of the following Kingston Jewish Community organizations are you connected with?
Q27: For the 4 Activity types – Where should these activities take place?
Religious
Activity
Food
Related
Activity
Skills
Activity
Private Home
Stronger Support Weaker Support
Adult
Education
Public Facility
#2 BI
#3 IHM
#2 IHM
#3 BI
#1 IHM #1 BI
Needs of the Community
The Community Has Clarified Their Needs
Community Mikveh
× Eruv
Religious Events
Community Events
Q9: Which of the following Kingston Jewish Community organizations are you connected with?Q21: Are childcare services needed at the following? Pages 2-4
Community Needs Compared BI / 71 CN / 115 IHM / 31
High Holiday Services 87.32% 82.61% 90.32%
Sukkot / Pesach / Shavuot 66.20% 59.13% 61.29%
Kiddish after Shabbat morning services 63.38% 59.13% 67.74%
Shabbat Morning Services 64.79% 56.52% 54.84%
Communal Shabbat / Friday Night Dinner 67.61% 54.78% 41.94%
Chanukah / Purim 59.15% 54.78% 64.52%
Jewish Film Festival 52.11% 53.04% 45.16%
Interfaith Dinner 46.48% 52.17% 64.52%
Communal Passover Seder 42.25% 47.83% 64.52%
Language Skills (eg Hebrew) 42.25% 38.26% 41.94%
Q22
Religious /
Ethnic
Q23
Food
Related
Q24
Adult
Education
Q25
Skills
Development
Q20: Is it important for the community that the following are available?
Kashruth – Kosher Tolerance & Inclusivity Methodology
Opinions
Q14
What level of Kosher preparation observance
do you find acceptable to yourself at
community events?
166
Q15When Kosher food is served at community
events, what level is acceptable for yourself?154
Q18Is a Kosher Certified Community Kitchen
Facility important to you?115
Pages 2, 4
/115 Participants
Kashruth – Kosher Tolerance & Inclusivity Methodology
OpinionsAt Least 1 Opinion on
Kashruth
No Opinion / No
Concern
Q14
What level of Kosher
preparation observance do
you find acceptable to
yourself at community
events?
16645.22%
(52/103)
54.78%
(63)
Q15
When Kosher food is served
at community events, what
level is acceptable for
yourself?
15446.09%
(53/92)
53.91%
(62)
Q18
Is a Kosher Certified
Community Kitchen Facility
important to you?
11551.30%
(59/59)
48.70%
(56)
Pages 2, 4
/115 Participants
These opinions need
to be used to establish
Kosher Tolerance &
Inclusivity
Kosher Tolerance &
Inclusivity by default
includes these people
already
Kashruth
Focus on opinions of people who indicated that some level
of Kashruth observance is needed
Answer
Q14 What level of Kosher preparation observance
do you find acceptable to yourself at
community events?Kashruth is
not a
concern
39.44% (28) /
60.56% (43)
83.87% (26) /
16.13% (5)
Q15 When Kosher food is served at community
events, what level is acceptable for yourself?80.65% (25) /
19.35% (6)
Q18 Is a Kosher Certified Community Kitchen
Facility important to you?No / No
Opinion
30.99% (22) /
69.01% (49)
83.37% (26) /
16.13% (5)
Pages 2,4
Personal Kashruth importance varies significantly by synagogue affiliation.
This becomes a critical consideration when merging into a common facility
and at the same time, agreeing on a “Kosher Tolerance & Inclusiveness” policy.
/71 /31
Kashruth
Pages 2,4
A significant number of community members feel that Kashruth is not a concern for them personally.
Going forward, the challenge will be to arrive at an understanding of what level of Kashrut will be acceptable to
the overall community in a “Kosher Tolerance & Inclusiveness” policy in the context of a “Common Building”
and “Community Sponsored Events”
Find the
Balance
Kashruth – Question 14
To get “Buy-in” to the “Kosher Tolerance & Inclusiveness” policy, the
compromise position needs to take all of these thoughts into account
No
Importance
Kosher Certified Ingredients,
Following Kosher Cooking
Practices, Without Supervision
Local Rabbinic
Supervision
Ready to serve
Kosher Marked
Product
Prepared in a
Kosher Home
Certified
Supervision
Page 2
Find the
Balance
Kashruth – Question 14
To get “Buy-in” to the “Kosher Tolerance & Inclusiveness” policy, the
compromise position needs to take all of these thoughts into account
Responses
Kosher Certified
Ingredients,
Following Kosher
Cooking
Practices,
Without
Supervision
Local Rabbinic
Supervision
Ready to serve
Kosher Marked
Product
Certified
Supervision
Prepared in a
Kosher Home
/ 71 BI / 31 IHM
people who gave
one or more
opinions
38.03% (27)
12.90% (4)
29.58% (21)
0.00% (0)
23.94% (17)
6.45% (2)
22.54% (16)
3.23% (1)
11.27% (8)
3.23% (1)
/ 89 BI / 8 IHM
opinions
(Sum = 100%)
30.34%
50.00%
23.60%
0.00%
19.10%
25.00%
17.98%
12.50%
8.99%
12.50%
Page 2
What level of Kosher preparation observance do you find acceptable
to yourself at community events?39.44% (28) / 60.56% (43) 83.87% (26) / 16.13% (5)
Kashruth – Question 15
To get “Buy-in” to the “Kosher Tolerance & Inclusiveness” policy, the
compromise position needs to take all of these thoughts into account
Responses
Dishes & Utensils as the Food
Type Requires (Meat / Milk)
Disposable Dishes / Cutlery
/ 71 BI /31 IHM people who gave
one or more opinions59.15% (42) / 16.13% (5) 52.11% (37) / 12.90% (4)
/ 79 BI / 9 IHM opinions
(Sum = 100%)53.16% / 55.56% 46.84% / 44.44%
Page 2
When Kosher food is served at community events,
what level is acceptable for yourself?39.44% (28) / 60.56% (43) 80.65% (25) / 19.35% (6)
Kashruth – Question 18
To get “Buy-in” to the “Kosher Tolerance & Inclusiveness” policy, the
compromise position needs to take all of these thoughts into account
Responses
Yes - Used under the
supervision of a Local
Rabbi who takes
responsibility for the
Kashrut
Yes - Used without
preparation
supervision, as long as
all Kosher
Certified ingredients
are used, and Kashrut
cooking and serving
rules are followed
Yes - Only used under
the supervision of a
certified Mashgiach
/ 71 BI / 31 IHM people who
gave one or more opinions35.21% (25) / 6.45% (2) 26.76% (19) / 9.68% (3) 7.04% (5) / 0.00% (0)
/ 49 BI / 5 IHM opinions
(Sum = 100%)51.02% / 40.00% 38.78% / 60.00% 10.20% / 0.00%
Page 4
Is a Kosher Certified Community Kitchen Facility
important to you?30.99% (22) / 69.01% (49) 83.37% (26) / 16.13% (5)
Recommendations
Chairs All 3
Working Groups
Working Group 1
(4 Members)
-
Talmud Torah
Consolidation
Approve motion to set up 3 working groups
Working Group 2
(10 Members)
-
Centralized Community
Building Operations
+ 1 Joint member
+ Unaffiliated
+ Representatives
from all Kingston
Jewish Organizations
Kashruth – Some Thoughts
The community should develop a “Kashruth Tolerance and Inclusiveness”
policy for a common facility and all sanctioned events.
The policy should be a part of a marketing effort to generate additional
revenue steams from both inside and outside the community.
Possible new revenue sources; • Unaffiliated community members
• New community members moving to Kingston for economic reasons
• Non-Kingston Jewish Organizations looking for an out of town retreat venue, which have a
need of a community facility, and Kosher Food
• Transient students from Queens University, St. Lawrence College, the Royal Military
College and the parents who financially support them
The survey response gives the Kingston Jewish Community a way forward to
develop and implement a “Kosher Tolerance & Inclusiveness” policy.
A Local Rabbi should be the Community Kashrut authority to;
1. Ensure all products and preparation follow the principles of kashrut
2. Document guidelines and ensure that all community members are
aware by posting;
A. Physically – in the Community Kosher Kitchen
A. Electronically – on an approved Community Website
Recommendations
Ensure that a Community Kosher Kitchen is available as part of the “Kosher Tolerance & Inclusiveness” effort
Working Group 3
(6 Members)
-
Kosher
Inclusiveness
Religious Activities
• Find alternate ways of participating in services that do
not involve attending a traditional service
• Reduce length of services
• Offer some different concurrent programing
Child Care
• Offer childcare or children’s programming during
services and events
Recommendations
Have the appropriate working groups identify ways to address community needs
RecommendationRead the Details for Additional Insights
Working Group 1
Talmud Torah
Consolidation
Working Group 2
Consolidated
Community Building
Operations
Working Group 3
Kosher Tolerance
& Inclusiveness
All Working Groups
http://bit.ly/Grow_Kingston_Survey_Results
Website
Read and Refer to
PLEASE NOTE
All ICONS on this page are linked to their
supporting data on the KJC Website
RecommendationSubmit a joint proposal to Queens School of BusinessShould be approved by KJC, BI, IHM
Details on MBAS 891
Organization Commitments
• Be available for periodic phone
calls and e-mails from students
• Have a first initial meeting with
the student group to discuss the
work they will be doing
• Provide any relevant data the
students need to complete the
project
• Assign a dedicated contact
person to provide information,
answer questions throughout the
project, and receive status update
• Maximum of 2-4 interactions with
the students in-person or
remotely (approximately 4-6
hours over the duration of the
project
• Recent e-mails received by the Kingston Jewish Council have shown there are coreligionists looking to relocate to Kingston.
• The affordability of the area and vibrancy of the community could be a great drawing card for Jews currently living in Jewish communities with a higher cost of living.
• In order to grow the Kingston Jewish Community, we need to ensure that more of our children return to Kingston after their post-secondary education, and that more students who come to Kingston for post-secondary education stay on.
• If we are to make a difference as a community and retain our youth and attract professionals from across Canada and the world, we need to come together to make a plan.
• Our recent Grow Kingston survey resulted in the formation of 3 working groups to build this plan
• Consolidation of Jewish Supplementary School Education – K - 8
• Centralized Community Building Operations
• Kosher Tolerance & Inclusiveness
• The 3 Major Boards in the Kingston Jewish Community, and 2 Kingston University Jewish Student Engagement organizations are looking for assistance from the Queens Business School – MBAS 891 – Individual Project Course, to be part of these working groups and to solidify our business and marketing strategy for implementation in November 2018.
• Sponsors;
DRAFT: Project Proposal Letter
• Change is needed for the Kingston Jewish Community to be viable for the immediate future.
• By taking a collaborative community approach, we have the opportunity to unlock the full potential of the historic investment made by the Kingston Jewish Community over the last 100 years.
• It is critical that the community strengthen relations with the transient student community, and the centrally/donor funded organizations which currently support student outreach.
• By creating a unified community hub for the Kingston Jewish Community, there is an opportunity to reduce costs and increase revenues.
• With the proper marketing, the Kingston Jewish Community has the potential to; • Attract;
• New young Jewish Families who find housing costs in the Greater Toronto Hamilton Area too high
• Academics / PHd candidates who are looking for a vibrant community in a respected university town
• Retirement aged Jews who have family on opposite sides of the 401/416 (Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa)
• Generate revenue by;
• becoming the “meeting place” for the Jews in the 4XX corridor (e.g. March of the Living Retreat, Shabbatons)
• being welcoming to the parents who financially support students attending Queens, RMC and St. Lawrence
• The Kingston Jewish Community must continue its outreach to the unaffiliated and be involved with the wider Kingston Community
Some final thoughts
Questions?
Top Related