“Which brand of Judaism has the most credibility on which topic? How did you know?”

I asked the new president of a growing synagogue about their brand. “Young couples are our brand,” she said. “Young couples with children.” “That’s not your brand,” I said. “That’s your target. Create a brand whose reason for being appeals to young couples. Let them own a concept instead of joining the synagogue.”

Consider: 1) A Talmud class in the laws of mikvah, 2) A lecture about extant Jewish manuscripts, Or 3) a lecture: “How Jewish life is relevant and joyful.” Which brand of Judaism has the most credibility on which topic? How did you know?

Jesse Cogan, “The Branding of Jewish Education”, The Jewish Week (9 September 2016), 19.