How can the Phoenix Jewish community strengthen itself? What are the necessary steps? What is the best path to follow?

These are some of the many questions that the Jewish Community Foundation hopes will be answered during its upcoming Jewish Community Conversation, scheduled for Sept. 11 at Arizona State University's Memorial Union in Tempe.

Signs are everywhere that the top-down model of Jewish communal life is done. (Given the "two Jews, three opinions" syndrome, it's probably amazing that it lasted as long as it did.)

The first portent was a simple trend in philanthropy in which donors increasingly wanted to invest directly in causes that interested them, rather than donating to a communal pot that would be divvied up by someone else - a federation or some other body.

The recent editorial (“Time to rebuild,” March 11) and the commentary by Rabbi Darren Kleinberg (“Toward renewal: incubator, all seated at table, listening,” April 22) published in the Jewish News of Greater Phoenix both speak directly to the growing concerns being expressed by many about the condition of our local Jewish community.

The Jewish News’ editorial concludes with: “There’s significant rebuilding to do. It’s time for new, fresh, smart, visionary leadership ready to try new things and prepare to stay the course — creating programs, identifying and nurturing funding sources, and reinventing our community.”