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Articles
The Second Tuesday in November: Reflections on America and its Jewish Voters
The Times of Israel
November 14, 2022
This past Tuesday, November 8th, was seen by many to likely be a transformative moment in American politics. Regardless of the specific results, the election process itself is providing us with some important learning outcomes and is introducing us to certain new realities about our nation and our society. As we knew, while we remain a divided polity, a degree of political balance appears to be one of the core outcomes of this contest.
Managing Hate: Perspectives on Confronting Antisemitism in America
The Times of Israel
November 6, 2022
If the earlier article, published on these pages several days ago, focused on methods of treatment of antisemitism employed by the Jewish community in the early decades of the last century and what we might take away from this encounter,[1] here attention is being given to dealing with the realities of experiencing hate, managing and defining such behaviors and expressions, both on a personal and communal basis.
The Past as a Prelude: Fighting anti-Semitism in the 21st Century
The Times of israel
November 4, 2022
The “treatment” of anti-Semitism was one of the original terms employed by the “defense agencies” when dealing with hatred and prejudice in the 1930’s. Ideas such as “containment” entered the vocabulary of that era, as such negative behaviors as anti-Semitism were handled as if they were diseases, to be “eradicated”.
Trendspotting from L.A.
eJewish Philanthropy
October 21, 2022
Will Los Angeles demographic trends define the American Jewish future? While this supposition may be difficult to confirm, the recently released L.A. Jewish Population Study should nonetheless be seen as a major research undertaking likely to impact policy and practice in this community and beyond.[1] If indeed the West today is setting the cultural and social motifs of this society, then the data here may have some long-term defining influence in shaping 21st-century American Jewish life!
Challenging times, critical moments: Rosh Hashanah 5783
eJewish Philanthropy
September 21, 2022
The Jewish New Year symbolizes a time of reflection, as we personally and collectively assess our individual relationships and examine the state of our community. Each fall, these Days of Awe afford us that special period of reflection on the Jewish condition. Few cultures or civilizations are provided with this space for such a personal assessment. The genius of Judaism is found in its calendar, setting aside time for this form of self-encounter.
Once upon a community: Where did it go and how do we reclaim it?
eJewish Philanthropy
August 15, 2022
Who’s in? An exploration of the changing Jewish religious economy
eJewish Philanthropy
July 27, 2022
Abortion and More: The Supreme Court and America’s Jews
The Times of Israel
July 1, 2022
These are challenging times for America and its citizens. The depth of the divisions are significant. There has emerged a contest over what America represents. This is as much a cultural contest as it is political one. The basis of these contemporary tensions are not framed in the moment but in fact take this nation back to its founding. Whether we focus on the question of race, the relationship of the state to its religious moorings, or the issue of how the founders understand liberty and equality, the nation’s very identity and character are being reframed by the Supreme Court’s most recent decisions.
The End of Jewish Peoplehood: An American Perspective
The Times of Israel
June 26, 2022
A few years ago, I prepared an essay entitled, “The End of the Jewish Century, 1918-2018.”[1] In that article, I raised the question of whether this moment might signal the beginning of the end of Jewish peoplehood? As I catalogued the reasons for this profound change, along with what new possibilities might lay ahead. I noted that “Jewish coherence appears to have come undone.” If at one time we saw ourselves, as Abraham Joshua Heschel had suggested, as God’s stake in human history, we are today in search of our collective identity.
Insights into the changing Jewish political marketplace
eJewish Philanthropy
June 3, 2022
Are we seeing new voter behaviors?
Politics represents an extension of who we are.[1] All of the social forces acting upon us serve to define our political outlook. Within the Jewish political context, we know that religious affiliation, ethnic orientation, generational status and one’s urban-suburban status are all key influencers in shaping both voting patterns and candidate giving.