What constitutes the Jewish collective Identity? Explore the roots and essence of Jewish collective belonging based on the covenant of fate, which binds Jews together through a shared history, and the covenant of destiny, which connects them through a shared purpose in the future.

Judaism is an all-encompassing system that is much broader than just a religion, a nationality or an ethnicity. In fact, Judaism is a rich and multi-faceted civilization made up of rituals, customs and culture, languages, values, texts, connection to a homeland, institutions to strengthen community … and more. One of the fascinating things about Jewish civilization is the way it integrates its global and historic expression with the dynamic local manifestations in Jewish communities throughout the world today.

The State of Israel from a Peoplehood perspective is the vision and venture of the Jewish People. Creating the State was the central project of the Jews in the 20th century. Jews from all over the world united to fight for and rebuild the homeland of the Jews. Jews today, even if they don’t live in Israel, hold “virtual shares” in the State. Every Jew has a role to play and a responsibility in shaping Israel’s future. At times they may feel like they want to donate and at times like they want to criticize. But the point is that Israel is seen as a product of a global Jewish partnership in which both sides give and take.

In the 21st Century the Jewish People is facing more than ever an inherent tension between the particularistic need of sustaining a thriving Jewish people and the Universalist call to contribute to Tikkun Olam throughout the world. In the end, being part of the Jewish People today calls for a balanced approach. Considering all the relevant issues and values, and making thoughtful, just decisions.

The Jewish People of the 21st century is amazingly diverse. Jews today differ on practically every issue: They practice Judaism differently, interpret Jewish values differently and view their relations with the Jewish People differently. They also belong to different nationalities, speak different languages and share different rituals. So what is to keep the Jewish People whole? The answer may reside in the need to adjust to a pluralistic paradigm that assumes that while Jews may not be uniform, they can still be united through their hearts and minds and the joint desire to make the world a better place. That they are all connected, by their shared history and their shared vision. And so, every Jew can contribute his or her unique passions and energy to shaping the Jewish future.

Explore the concept that "all Jews are responsible for each other", a key component of Jewish collective belonging. This video introduces the core Jewish value of mutual responsibility and teaches that Jewish communities, through time and space, have always been built around the needs of the collective. Explore more about this concept in the Jewish Peoplehood Education Toolkit, where you will find a wealth of resources devoted to this theme.