Danielle V. Minson — Raising the Bar
Cincinnati 2020 in 2017: Ariella Cohen
Each installment in this series features a different perspective on Cincinnati 2020, the Jewish community’s visionary plan for building an exceptional future. This week, we hear from Ariella Cohen, the Federation volunteer who spearheaded Beyond 2020, an initiative to engage young adults in the Cincinnati Jewish community.
What is your current involvement, both in regards to Beyond 2020 and Cincinnati 2020?
I am the creator of the Beyond 2020 initiative. The idea of Beyond 2020 came to me after the Cincinnati 2020 Leaders Forum in 2015, where there was a clear need to strengthen young adult engagement in our community.
Through Beyond 2020, we have reached about 300 young adults in our community. We met with small groups of people and had discussions about how we identify as Jews and what we want to see our Jewish community look like. These parlor meetings culminated in a large gathering on April 25 at the New Riff Distillery in Northern Kentucky, where more than 150 people shared food, drinks, and ideas, and celebrated our accomplishment to mobilize the young Jewish community in Cincinnati.
How did you first get involved in or hear about Cincinnati 2020? What is your role now?
Because I have been involved in Cincinnati 2020 since its conception, I can’t actually remember when I first heard about it. It’s exciting that our community is taking action to create innovative, collaborative, and inclusive programs to help build and support people now and in the years to come.
What does Cincinnati 2020 mean to you, given your involvement with Beyond 2020?
Beyond 2020 is an initiative I truly believe in, and I will continue to work towards achieving the desired outcomes. Based on research on the changing demographics and desires of the Jewish community, it has become obvious that we need to listen to what young adults want and need in order to be, or stay, engaged. One goal of this initiative is to unify young people who have their own ways of being Jewish, but who are all committed to maintaining a vibrant Jewish community. Another goal is to share ideas about how we can continue to grow and build our community around our shared values.
Why should Cincinnati 2020 and Beyond 2020 be important to the community?
As we continue the discussion about what we want our community to look like, it is imperative that young voices are heard among the many other voices being represented through Cincinnati 2020. Beyond 2020 has been a successful platform to begin formulating and implementing our vision of what we would like the community to be. It is a way for us to share our vision with one another and be given an opportunity to engage with the community in the many different ways that fit our interests. It’s really the same as the main goal of Cincinnati 2020—which is “More Jews, More Engaged,” and we are working hard to ensure that happens.
How can we help others understand the importance of Cincinnati 2020?
My motto throughout this process has been, “just show up.” For those who are uncomfortable, unaware how, or even unwilling to engage in the community, showing up is a low-risk first step. We hope people will come to understand and appreciate all the amazing things our community has to offer, but just showing up is the perfect initial approach. We need new people to show up so that everyone’s voice is represented when we discuss how we will shape the community in the years to come. So to anyone reading this right now, please just show up!
What does the future of Beyond 2020 look like?
There are so many takeaways from Beyond 2020 already. The list of ideas that have been generated is pages long! Now it is our job to analyze, prioritize, and build on those ideas. Interestingly, in the small parlor meetings, a few of the same big ideas for ways to engage young people kept coming up. Those are what we’re trying to achieve first.
Has Cincinnati 2020 been successful so far? Both when it comes to Beyond 2020, and otherwise?
There is great energy around Cincinnati 2020! People in the community are excited and motivated to help build on our already amazing Cincinnati Jewish community. Beyond 2020 reached a wide array of voices in our community, and it gave more than 300 young people a platform to share their insights about areas for growth. That information will help us identify which programs we should create and continue to cultivate in the coming years.
Do you have a related anecdote you could share?
Standing in a room with 150 of my peers, I began talking to a girl who is brand new to Cincinnati. She didn’t know anybody at the event, and she told me that she waited in the parking lot for a little while, unsure if she should even come inside. After the program, everyone began to schmooze. People stayed so long we were actually asked to leave New Riff! As the room began to clear, I noticed this girl still engaged in conversation with new friends. She was the last to leave. I left feeling that if nothing else, at least one person came to the event uncomfortable and left with new friends and a sense of belonging. That is our Cincinnati Jewish community, and I am so proud to be a part of it.
What do you hope the community accomplishes through Cincinnati 2020 in the next five years?
I hope that together we continue to make great strides in creating a fully inclusive and innovative community of people who feel welcomed and motivated by the great work that is happening in our collective Cincinnati Jewish community. I hope that others in Cincinnati will join in these efforts and just show up!
Cincinnati 2020 is our community’s collaboration to build an engaged and empowered Jewish community by the year 2020.
