Fein argues that the tensions between particularism and universalism can and should never be resolved. He believes that this is a tension that is “meant not only to challenge us but also to enliven us.” He believes Rabbi Hillel’s statements, “If I am not for myself, who will be for me?” and “If I am…
Josh Feigelson suggests addressing the issue posed in this volume through “Big Questions,” Big which provide the possibility of creating new dynamics and new paradigms. “If we are to renew a sense of peoplehood, we have to renew a language and ethic of responsibility. And doing that starts with asking bigger questions … that animate…
Ellenson shows that within Judaism there have always been universalistic and particularistic dimensions, starting with the concept of covenant (brit) in the Bible. “This notion maintains that God stands in relationship with all people.” These dual dimensions are also displayed in the idea of Tikkun Olam, a concept that also binds Jews to God. “The…
Bitton argues for a “balanced particularism” that allows one to continue to contribute to all of humanity. “This vision of Jewish particularism does not assume that there is something ‘better’ about Jews than non-Jews,” but simply, that the Jewish people are one family, with a shared history, destiny and humanity. She believes that universalism only…
Aaron suggests that even two centuries after the Enlightenment, Jews still struggle within the group about “whether our Jewish world is one of universal innovation or particular corruption.” He proposes that instead of asking, “for whom are we responsible?”, we ask, “what is our responsibility to each other?” He suggests we focus on “what we…
This (12th) volume of the Peoplehood Papers “grapples with the tension between sustaining the Jewish People and contributing to Universal goals. Finding new ways of contributing to the world has become part of the search for a new meaning for being Jewish. The Jewish people are seeking meaningful answers to the question, “why Jewish” or…
Originally published in eJewishPhilanthropy, Levy & Chivo tell about a community call to discuss the Peoplehood crisis that brought out almost 800 participants within the Seattle area. A strategic roadmap was proposed at the meeting, including: (i) adult education aimed at self-transformation (starting with leaders of any Jewish institution); (ii) incorporation of peoplehood in school…
Looking back on an article she wrote almost a decade ago (“The Mitzvot of Peoplehood”) where she posed the question, “I’m a member of the Jewish People, so what should I do when I wake up in the morning?”, Wilf offers five potential avenues of action to nurture a sense of belonging to a Jewish…
Schwarz reports on the program he directs, the Rene Cassin Fellowship Program (RCFP), a yearlong program on Judaism and human rights for young adults with hubs in New York, London and Jerusalem. He believes that the “lesson for those who care about strengthening the Jewish people is…to meet today’s young adults where they are at…
Schusterman shares her family foundation’s approach towards the development of a virtuous cycle of vibrant Jewish life. “If we are successful, we will see a time when the vast majority of young people readily participate in Jewish life, draw on Jewish values to inform their worldviews and take on leadership roles in their communities. We…
Porat is the director of the NY-IL connections office of the UJA Federation of New York, which oversees joint programs that partner NY and Israel-based institutions, with the aim of enhancing connections and nurturing Jewish Peoplehood. All programs include a mifgash (encounter) element. He highlights what happens as a result of including a mifgash experience…
Pianko proposes a paradigm shift, from nationhood to neighborhood. Peoplehood based on a neighborhood rather than a nationhood model promotes understanding of Jewish collectivity as the sum of divergent processes of Jewish exploration and community building. “Neighborhoods” broadly construed, either in-person or via focused global networks, create a platform for engagement, meaning, creation, and innovation,…
Flint points to an untapped resource of global Peoplehood change agents: individual Jews who relocated to other countries on the globe. Using the examples of Israelis who reside abroad and Olim who moved to Israel, she proposes that our goal should be to cultivate and nurture those individuals who can serve as “living bridges,” and…
Goldwater and Ravid focus their response broadly on education. They introduce the Toolkit for Peoplehood Education, acknowledging that there is an identity crisis requiring a holistic educational approach, facilitated by educators as key change agents for assuring a strong and rich Jewish collective future. It reflects their conviction that the response should be practical, proactive…
In responding to the task at hand of how to change the Jewish landscape to one that is nuturing to the collective, Brown proposes bringing a national version of Limmud to the United States. He believes that a strong, national Limmud is the perfect vehicle to connect, and engage young American Jewish adults in Jewish…
When the challenges of Jewish Peoplehood emerged in the Jewish world, most efforts went into trying to understand the meaning and significance of Jewish Peoplehood in the present. Some lead questions included: what does peoplehood mean today? Why is it important? How do we define it? Later, Jewish organizations and leaders asked: How do we…
Taylor considers challenges in measuring success of educational initiatives in the context of Peoplehood education in pluralistic settings. ” When evaluating success, it is especially important to be mindful of the wide range of starting points learners might have and the wide range of changes they might undergo as a result of a particular program.”…
As head of an organization for religious freedom and equality in Israel, Regev focuses on the threat to a sense of Peoplehood brought on by the lack of religious pluralism in Israel. He points to the conflict between Israel’s unifying role for world Jewry and its current laws that discriminate against “the overwhelming majority of…
Muszkat-Barkan discusses the challenge of Jewish educators to teach through a pluralistic lens by using the example of her own public Orthodox education in Israel. She sees enhancing a sense of peoplehood in a world of diverse Jewish identities as one of the greatest challenges to educators from all Jewish streams. But, she believes that,…
Moses argues that after the Holocaust there was an overarching notion of Jewish solidarity that “fueled Jewish identity and community development for generations. However, “over time, we have come to realize that our differences are profound and enduring, and that as a people we would be naïve to believe that these differences could be subservient…
