Rabbi Michael Shields
One of the questions I have been wrestling with in recent years is this: How do we help young Jewish adults build a meaningful, informed, and enduring connection to Israel?
For many young Jews today, Israel is not simply a topic to study. It is part of an ongoing conversation about identity, peoplehood, history, values, and belonging. Since October 7, many have found themselves searching for opportunities to learn more, ask difficult questions, deepen their understanding, and develop the confidence to speak about Israel in increasingly challenging environments.
That is one of the reasons I was excited to help bring Reform Alumni for Israel (RAFI) to Denver.
RAFI is part of the broader ReCharge Judaism movement based at Stephen Wise Synagogue in New York City. The initiative was created to engage young Jewish adults through meaningful Israel education, leadership development, advocacy, travel opportunities, and community-building. Inspired by this vision, we are working to establish and grow a RAFI chapter here in Colorado.
I did not create RAFI, but I saw tremendous potential in the model and wanted to help bring it to our community. My goal has been to create opportunities for young Jewish adults in Denver to engage with Israel in thoughtful, substantive, and empowering ways while building relationships with peers who share a commitment to Jewish life and the Jewish future, and sees the Modern State of Israel, the Land of Israel, and the People Israel as integral to that future.
At its core, RAFI is about engagement.
It is about creating spaces where young Jews can deepen their understanding of Israel’s history, complexity, diversity, achievements, and challenges. It is about exploring Israel not as a headline or a political talking point, but as the homeland of the Jewish people and one of the most remarkable stories in modern Jewish history.
Participants engage with Israel’s extraordinary diversity, its culture, innovation, democracy, and contributions to the world. They learn about the realities facing Israel today and develop the knowledge and confidence necessary to engage in meaningful conversations and effective advocacy.
Just as importantly, RAFI helps participants recognize that they are not alone.
Many young Jewish adults are looking for community with others who care deeply about Israel and the future of the Jewish people. Through learning, dialogue, leadership opportunities, and shared experiences, relationships are formed that strengthen both individual participants and the broader Jewish community.
Like a braided challah, each participant brings unique experiences, perspectives, and questions. When those voices come together, they create a stronger and more resilient community capable of learning, growing, and advocating together.
As we look ahead, my hope is that RAFI Denver will continue to grow as a hub for Israel engagement, learning, and leadership development. I hope we will welcome more young adults into the conversation, create opportunities for deeper learning and travel, and help cultivate a generation of Jews who feel knowledgeable, connected, and confident in their relationship with Israel.
At the same time, I believe there is an opportunity for something even larger. While RAFI is specifically designed for young adults ages 22-35, the need for thoughtful Israel learning, meaningful engagement, and strong advocacy extends across every generation of our congregation. Temple Sinai has always been a community that cares deeply about Israel, and I would love to see us continue building opportunities for congregants of all ages to learn together, wrestle with difficult questions together, celebrate Israel’s achievements together, and stand with Israel together.
This effort is part of a broader vision for Jewish life in Denver and at Temple Sinai. We need spaces where people can strengthen their Jewish identity, build meaningful friendships, and develop the knowledge and confidence to engage thoughtfully with Israel and the challenges facing the Jewish people.
I am grateful to the leadership of ReCharge Judaism and RAFI for creating this opportunity and to the many young adults who are helping bring it to life here in Colorado. Together, we are not simply launching a program. We are planting the seeds of a community of learners, advocates, travelers, and leaders who care deeply about Israel and the Jewish future.
If you are a Jewish young adult between the ages of 22 and 35, I would love to connect with you about RAFI.
And if you are a little “wiser” than 35 and share a passion for Israel, Jewish learning, and advocacy, I would love to hear from you as well. As we continue strengthening Temple Sinai’s connection to Israel, we will need thoughtful leaders, learners, advocates, and relationship-builders from every generation. Please reach out to me at rabbishields@sinaidenver.org if you would like to help us imagine what that future could look like.
The future of Israel engagement will not be built by any one program or any one generation. It will be built by a community learning together, supporting one another, and strengthening the bonds that connect us to the Jewish people, to one another, and to Israel.