According to the dictionary, the word “ideate” means to “form an idea of; imagine or conceive”. Ideation is also a term to describe a stage during design thinking, a modern planning technique to solve problems. I feel like that is exactly what a group of our young adults has done in the creation of a new initiative called YAD Clubs (YAD is our Federation’s Young Adult Division).
YAD Clubs are trying to help our Pittsburgh area young adults get to know each other and build “micro Jewish communities”. The concept is straightforward. Young adults, who have a specific interest, develop a program series and invite other young adults who share that interest. For example, one of the clubs is a Game Night Shabbat group. Interested individuals gather to celebrate Shabbat, play games and be with each other. A second club is a bartending group where those interested in learning mixology get together at a local bar. One other club is a Fitness Club. This past week, this group met at Orangetheory in Shadyside. You can see a picture of the more than 30 people who attended on Facebook.
Kol hakavod (congratulations) to our young adults for helping our Federation and our community find great ways to help members of our growing millennial population find their personal pathways to Jewish communal connections.
Shabbat Shalom.