Interfaith Opportunity Summit Philadelphia - October 26, 2016 New Initiatives: Outcomes and Measures of Success Wendy Rosov Founder and Principal, Rosov Consulting
Program Descriptions Your Community Initiative Started 2011 Honeymoon Israel Trips Started 2015
Shared Strategies High-touch Relationship Building Safe Space/ Non-Judgmental Local Community- Based Programs
Program Reach: Cities InterfaithFamily/ Your Community Initiative Both Boston Honeymoon Israel Philadelphia Chicago New York City Cleveland San Francisco San Diego Los Angeles Phoenix Atlanta Denver/Boulder Washington DC
Interfaith Family/Your Community Initiative Short-Term Outcomes Interfaith families and couples Become aware of and connect with Jewish community resources Learn how to talk about the place of religion in their lives and about Jewish traditions Learn how/why to integrate aspects of Jewish life and community into their lives Develop skills to navigate the Jewish communal landscape Connect more with other Jewishly engaged interfaith couples Organizations Refer members to interfaith resources Use inclusive language and explicitly communicate welcome Attend to the needs of interfaith families (through educational programs?) Implement inclusive policies Express level of satisfaction with IFF/YCI staff, mentors, and volunteers
Honeymoon Israel Short-Term Outcomes Couple considers themselves a Jewish family Both partners feel part of the Jewish people, and that connection is a source of meaning in their lives Couple/family incorporates Jewish traditions, culture, activities, and/or ongoing exploration into their lives on a regular basis Couple engages in and builds their lives with Jewish community, including local microcommunities of Honeymoon Israel couples and/or organized Jewish communities Both partners feel a connection to the land, state and people of Israel
Developing Instrumentation Interviews with Participants and Stakeholders Theory of Change/Logic Model Research and/or Other Studies in the Field Surveys & Interview Protocols Conversations with Program Leadership
Language is Important We want to acknowledge that your family may practice religions other than Judaism and we deeply respect that. This survey, however, will focus primarily on outcomes related to the Jewish community. We want to acknowledge that your family may engage in religious traditions other than or in addition to Jewish ones and we deeply respect that. This survey, however, will focus primarily on outcomes related to Jewish life and the Jewish community.
Language is Important Thank you for joining the Honeymoon Israel family. We are excited to have you on this trip and would like to learn a little bit more about you, and the role that Jewish life and Jewish community currently play in your life and the life of your family. Thank you for joining the Honeymoon Israel family. Whether you were born Jewish, chose Judaism recently, or chose a Jewish partner we welcome you! You are part of our big family, and we are excited to show you around our family home Israel. Below we have some questions about what you may look forward to in this trip, and about your current place in relation to our big Jewish family.
Language is Important To what extent do you agree with the following statements? Participating in IFF services, programs, and opportunities helped me and my family Assure the partner who is not Jewish that his/her cultural and religious traditions are valued and respected Assure the partner from a different faith background that his/her cultural and religious traditions are valued and respected
Language is Important Which of the two statements below comes closer to describing the current role of religious differences in your relationship with your partner? Which of the two statements below comes closer to describing what is true in your relationship with your partner? A: In most cases, I prefer for my partner and me to discuss our differences on religious issues as they pertain to our family because it makes our relationship stronger. OR B: In most cases, I prefer my partner and me to avoid discussing our differences on religious issues as they pertain to our family because it puts a strain on our relationship.
Interfaith Family/Your Community Initiative Data Sources 715 survey responses 30 interviews with couples were partners in an interfaith family 12 were interviews with both partners in same conversation
Honeymoon Israel Data Sources 296 survey respondents 34 total interviews 58% Response Rate 3 9 21 post-trip interviews 6 13 post-trip interviews
Interventions aimed at shifting the couple dynamic are most impactful What Did We Learn?
Interfaith couples experience a leveling of the playing field What Did We Learn? Honeymoon Israel
Where only the Jewish partner initiated Jewish activities before, an equal partnership emerges after the trip What Did We Learn? Honeymoon Israel
Couples no longer avoid discussing their religious or cultural differences What Did We Learn? Honeymoon Israel
Couples talk more frequently about doing Jewish things What Did We Learn? Honeymoon Israel
Couples learn how to integrate traditions in a way that works for both partners What Did We Learn? Interfaith Family/Your Community Initiative
Couples feel better able to discuss their religious and cultural differences What Did We Learn? Interfaith Family/Your Community Initiative
Couples improve relationships with the in-laws on both sides of the family What Did We Learn? Interfaith Family/Your Community Initiative
Looking Back and Looking Ahead Working Theory of Change/Logic Models Evaluation at the Start Language is Important Opportunities for Further Study
Wendy Rosov wendy@rosovconsulting.com www.rosovconsulting.com