The nearly 3,000 participants at the Jewish Federations of North America’s General Assembly in Denver this week heard from Natan Sharansky, chair of the Jewish Agency for Israel.

Sharansky discussed the need to nurture agents of change among young Jews in order to counteract challenges to the community.

“The best way to sell Judaism, to sell Jewishness to the young generation is to bring them to Israel,” said Sharansky, who called for 100,000 of these agents of change to be found in leadership training within programs like MASA, summer camps, and other efforts.

“Our obligation,” he said, “is not only to strengthen everyone’s Jewish identity, but to guarantee the future of the Jewish people. It’s not easy when every day there are a few hundred less Jews in the world.”

“This change cannot be brought only by us,” he added. “This change can be brought only if we have an army of young Jewish leaders devoted to this cause.”