The American Diaspora needs a new unifying vision, as a network of individuals harnesses Jewish tradition to realize the human power for good in an increasingly complicated and fractured world. We are on the cusp of a Jewish awakening, inspired by Jewish practice but open to all. New possibilities abound. Lines of leadership are being redrawn, with clergy ceding power to a broadening cohort of Jewish professionals and lay leaders. Technology is enabling us to explore the possibility of communities based on shared interests and values, rather than shared neighborhoods. On-going efforts could enable pluralism to overtake denominationalism and create spaces for people who range from open-minded ultra-Orthodox to hyphenated heterodox to learn, grow, and explore Jewishly together. Israel can engage with the American Diaspora as a respected peer, rather than a vulnerable dependent. A multiracial, multigender, self-actualized Diaspora awaits us, as we center human needs and recognize that our people can no longer be defined by genetics, so much as by continual self-improvement through intentional practice, community, and belief in our higher purpose.
Nonfiction
Awakenings: American Jewish Transformations
- From the Publisher
September 1, 2021
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