Office of Jewish Community Affairs of Staten Island response to UJA NY Jewish Community Study

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - May 3, 2013 - PRLog -- As part of their mission to provide a forum for volunteers and community leaders on Staten Island to gather, the Office of Jewish Community Affairs (OJCA) invited Jewish and Non-Jewish Staten Island community members familiar with the highlights of the eight county New York Study to respond and develop strategies to grow the Staten Island New York Jewish Community.  This forum was an open opportunity for those who attended the Facts and Figures meeting hosted by the OJCA on April 11th as well as those aware of the highlights of the Study to engage in dialogue regarding the impact of the findings.


Held on April 30th at the JCC of Staten Island Bernikow Center, the open discussion was moderated and facilitated by board members of the OJCA. Important highlights of the study were discussed and questions were raised concerning future studies.  The group of over 15 Jewish Community leaders discussed how to revitalize the Staten Island Jewish community with new ideas on how to engage Jewish youth and grow organizational capacity.  The collective responses will be presented to the UJA in a written report.

It is a goal of the OJCA to connect the Jewish Community and work in unison toward a success.  According to Staten Island Community leader and Founding Board Member Henry Salmon, "Jewish Organizations working together will result in actions with much greater impact on the community than working independently." OJCA Board member Wayne Greenberg also stated "As Staten Island Jewish organizations come together and focus their efforts on common goals; we will all reap the benefits of a flourishing community."

The OJCA of Staten Island was established in 2010.  Their mission is to offer referrals for all Jewish needs, facilitate borough-wide Jewish community events, extend outreach to the unaffiliated and provide a forum for volunteers and community leaders to gather.  The Office of Jewish Community Affairs can be found online at www.jewishinfostatenisland.org, www.facebook.com/JewishCommunityAffairsStatenIsland/info and Twitter:@ojcasi