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DIGITAL LIBRARY

CJPE's Digital Library includes articles and other writings about Jewish peoplehood covering diverse areas of Jewish life. Search the library using the search menu below.
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Nurturing Peoplehood Education in the 21st Century Calls for an Educational Revolution

Dr. Shlomi Ravid, Lisa Grant

The current challenge of Jewish Peoplehood is both conceptual and pedagogic.
Conceptually speaking for almost two thousand years Jewish Peoplehood was the only
framework that defined Jews and in which they were allowed to express themselves
as a collective.

For whom are we responsible?

Dr. Shlomi Ravid

Even a superficial review of modern Jewish history shows they embrace the opportunity to become active in numerous ways of making the world better (not the least of them – social activism)

What is Jewish Peoplehood? And is it the Right Question?
From Defining Peoplehood to Creating Peoplehood Capital

Dr. Shlomi Ravid

Peoplehood is a complex and not fully understood phenomenon. Furthermore,
those who feel a deep sense of responsibility to their people and are
concerned with the weakening of the sense of belonging, believe that if we are to work
for strengthening and teaching Peoplehood we need to at least understand and define
what it means.

The Hertog Study (Chabad on Campus)

Mark I. Rosen, Professor Steven M. Cohen, Arielle Levites, Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz

This study, commissioned and funded by the Hertog Foundation, and conducted by a team of academic researchers, was undertaken to learn about Chabad on Campus International, an organization that seeks to enhance Jewish identity and practice among Jewish college students at almost 200 American college campuses.

What are Peoplehood’s core enduring understandings?

Dr. Shlomi Ravid

The hope that a challenge to Jewish collective identity will be met with an appropriate educational response has not yet materialized.

Culture as an engine for reinvigorating
Jewish Peoplehood

Dr. Shlomi Ravid

Jewish culture and the arts play multiple roles in both the process of interpreting what Jewish peoplehood can mean and the challenge of nurturing a Jewish collective consciousness. It is about the shaping of the what of peoplehood and about the how of nurturing it.

Next Generation Advocacy

Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz, Dr. Daniel Chesir-Taran

In order to understand how organizations might best craft initiatives that most effectively target, recruit, train and retain leader advocates, the study surveyed participants and interviewed professionals and mentors involved in some key Israel advocacy organizations.

Best Practices of Organizations that Build Jewish Peoplehood

Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz, Dr. Shlomi Ravid

In the past thirty years transformative changes have occurred within veteran Jewish organizations and new forms of organized Jewish life are appearing.

Assessing the Impact of Senior Jewish Educators and Campus Entrepreneurs Initiative Interns on the Jewish Engagement of College Students (2008-2009)

Professor Steven M. Cohen, Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz, Dr. Jack Ukeles, Dr. Minna Wolf

One of the most exciting and welcome developments in Jewish life in North America at the beginning of the 21st century is the growth of extraordinary partnerships between energetic Jewish social entrepreneurs and innovative Jewish funders.

Assessing the Impact of Senior Jewish Educators and Campus Entrepreneurs Initiative Interns on the Jewish Engagement of College Students (2008-2010)

Professor Steven M. Cohen, Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz, Dr. Jack Ukeles, Dr. Minna Wolf

Through exposure to opportunities for Jewish involvement, including learning opportunities, this approach posits that young Jews will have “meaningful Jewish experiences” which will deepen their engagement with being Jewish and help them to advance on their individual Jewish journeys.

Jewish Peoplehood: The Israeli Challenge

Dr. Shlomi Ravid

The challenge of Jewish Peoplehood finds a unique manifestation in the case of Israel

The Jewish Impact of the Anne Sampson Jerusalem Journey (TJJ)

Professor Steven M. Cohen, Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz

Assessing Jewish growth among the non-Orthodox.

Building a Field

Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz

Pulling Jewish educators into and up the Israel education professional development ladder.

Nurturing Master Israel Educators

Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz

What it takes to climb the Israel education professionalization ladder.

Global Day of Jewish Learning

Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz

This evaluation found that the Global Day filled a unique niche, providing a platform that promotes global Jewish belonging and peoplehood through a focus on Jewish learning and Talmud.

The challenges of peoplehood 4.0

Dr. Shlomi Ravid

Rather than build Peoplehood on the connection to Israel, it should begin with Peoplehood as the foundation for the Jewish local communal enterprise (it did work for 1800 years). The challenge is to develop our collective consciousness as a Jewish sensibility.

Peoplehood is here to be re-envisioned

Dr. Shlomi Ravid

American Jews are phasing out of the Peoplehood paradigm that dominated the post WW2 and Six Day War era

Jewish Peoplehood Education: Framing the Field

Dr. Shlomi Ravid, Varda Rafaeli

The intention was to take the conversation about what
is Peoplehood to the next level of how to make Peoplehood in practice happen.

How do we embrace Pluralism while keeping Us whole?

Dr. Shlomi Ravid

Sustaining a sense of Peoplehood in an age framed by the value of pluralism presents a real challenge. Jews today differ on core Jewish issues. Sustaining a sense of commonality in that environment becomes increasingly complex.

Towards an Old-New Zionist Paradigm

Dr. Shlomi Ravid

The time has come to recognize the 70 faces of Zionism. To open the door for every Jew who cares about Israel to choose his or her Zionism and to participate in the important conversation regarding the Zionist vision and future.

Toward a Pluralistic Form of Peoplehood

Dr. Shlomi Ravid

The growing interest we have been witnessing in the notion of peoplehood in recent years is, in my opinion, an attempt at sustaining a sense of Jewish unity in a Jewishly pluralistic world.

Between Mifgash and Shlichut

Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz

Paradigms in Contemporary Zionist Education and the Question of the Ideological Relationship between Israel and Diaspora

Charity Begins at Home but should not end there

Dr. Shlomi Ravid

A hundred years later, though much has changed the debate between caring for "your own" and
Tikkun Olam is heating up again.

Measuring the Success of an Israel Trip

Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz

Increasing numbers of Diaspora Jewish
organizations are sending their members or
constituents to Israel.

A Peoplehood Based Zionism – Towards a 21st Century Zionist Destiny

Dr. Shlomi Ravid

In recent years however, there is a new shift towards a Peoplehood-based Zionism

Summary of Research for PEP and PEASP (Pardes)

Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz

This report summarizes Pardes’s unique approach to training Jewish educators and highlights key learnings from a thorough survey.

Assessing the Impact of Senior Jewish Educators and Campus Entrepreneurs

Professor Steven M. Cohen, Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz, Dr. Jack Ukeles, Dr. Minna Wolf

Through the use of Senior Jewish Educators and Campus Entrepreneur Initiative interns, the innovation seeks to engage students outside the traditional Hillel venues and outside the profile of those students typically reached by Hillel, as well as those students who have had Jewish experiences in their past but are not currently engaged in Jewish life.

Circle of Fellows #2 - Peoplehood, Areivut, and the Limits of Pluralism

Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz

September 24, 2024
Peoplehood, Areivut, and the Limits of Pluralism. The Israel-Hamas War and its Impact on Pluralism in Jewish Communities

Furthering Pluralistic Jewish Education in Israel

Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz, Stephen Markowitz

Looking at the conditions for sustaining pluralistic Jewish education.

AMHSI Impact Evaluation

Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz, Stephen Markowitz, Eitan Melchior

This research report is written as part of larger strategic evaluation currently conducted by AMHSI to understand the changes taking place in the American Jewish community and the manner in which AMHSI should respond.

Israel in RAVSAK Schools

Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz

Exploring the role of Israel and Zionism education.

Mixed Heritage Couples: Becoming Active Participants in Jewish Life

Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz, Jake Gillis

Embark is a cohort-based initiative that empowers mixed-heritage and interfaith couples to explore and integrate Jewish life in ways that feel authentic and meaningful. The 2024 evaluation assesses Embark’s impact, demonstrating its success in supporting participants' transition from passive observers to active participants in Jewish life.

One2One 2023/24: Grappling with the Fallout from October 7th

Dr. Hadar Franco Galor

One2One recruits Jewish teens from Israel, North America and other countries, who are paired and provided with a platform that enables them to meet one another for one-on-one conversations in English. With just five meetings these teens from different countries, who did not know each other, report new friendships and a positive contribution to their conversational English.

Assessing the Impact of Senior Jewish Educators and Campus Entrepreneurs Initiative Interns on the Jewish Engagement of College Students (2009-2010)

Professor Steven M. Cohen, Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz, Dr. Jack Ukeles, Dr. Minna Wolf

Through the use of Senior Jewish Educators, and Campus Entrepreneur Initiative interns, the innovation seeks to engage students outside the traditional Hillel venues and outside the profile of those students typically reached by Hillel, as well as those students who have had Jewish experiences in their past but are not currently engaged in Jewish life.

How to Determine a "Successful Jewish Education" for Secular Jews in Israeli Mamlachti Schools

Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz, Meir Yoffee, Barak Weiss

This paper represents the first stage of a two stage project for creating “educational measures”
that will enable conceptualization of “excellence” and evaluation of “success” in the area of
Jewish cultural education in the Israeli Mamlachti (non-Orthodox) school system.

Building the global JCC movement. JCC global evaluation report for 2019-2024 & Strategic recommendations for 2025-2029

Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz, Dr. Iris Posklinsky

The JCC Global Strategic Plan 2025-2029, developed by Research Success Technologies (ReST), provides a data-driven roadmap for strengthening Jewish Peoplehood, global connectivity, and local resilience through leadership development, peer collaboration, and crisis response.

Responding to the Fallout from October 7th: From Crisis to Opportunity

Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz, Dr. Iris Posklinsky, Dr. Jonathan Golden, Jake Gillis

A Survey of Jewish Educators and Engagement Professionals

Journeys to Israel

Professor Steven M. Cohen, Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz

To what extent, how, & for whom does Masa Israel participation affect Jewish involvement and Israel?
attachment?

Evaluation of the Pardes Educators Alumni Support Project

Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz, Stephen Markowitz

The Pardes Educators Program (PEP) is a two year program consisting of advanced Jewish text learning and education that takes place at the Pardes Institute in Jerusalem.

Israeli Staff in American Jewish Summer Camps

Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz, Dr. Dr. Minna Wolf

What is the role of an Israeli staff member in an American Jewish summer camp?

Peoplehood in the 21st Century and our Obligation to Refugees

Dr. Shlomi Ravid

The intent of this publication, created in collaboration with HIAS was to initiate a public conversation on Jewish responsibility to refugees and the nature of the 21st century Peoplehood.

Assessing Outcomes in Israel Education

Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz

This paper tackles the question from the perspective of research conducted for program evaluation or strategic planning.

The Hertog Study (Chabad on Campus)

Mark I. Rosen, Professor Steven M. Cohen, Arielle Levites, Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz

This study, commissioned and funded by the Hertog Foundation, and conducted by a team of academic researchers, was undertaken to learn about Chabad on Campus International, an organization that seeks to enhance Jewish identity and practice among Jewish college students at almost 200 American college campuses.

Making Peoplehood Work: The Institutional Challenge

Dr. Shlomi Ravid

Most people mistakenly view Peoplehood as a global, amorphous and abstract concept that presents an optional ideological approach towards the Jewish collective.

Three Ways by Which Jews Connect to the Jewish People

Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz

Dr. Kopelowitz outlines here how Jews over the last two centuries have refashioned the nature of their connections with each other, and have passed from a traditionalist perspective of Jewish belonging to various redefinitions of what constitutes the Jewish collective.

Who is the Young Secular Israeli Jew

Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz

There is much handwringing among the lead-
ership of Israeli and Diaspora Jewry about the
“Jewishness” of young Israeli Jews in general
and their commitment to the relationship with
Diaspora Jewry in particular.

Best Practices of Organizations that Build Jewish Peoplehood

Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz, Dr. Shlomi Ravid

In the past thirty years transformative changes have occurred within veteran Jewish organizations and new forms of organized Jewish life are appearing.

Peoplehood Education – A Work in Progress

Dr. Shlomi Ravid

A richer and more nuanced understanding of the concept of Peoplehood can and should influence our educational goals and help us to better and more effectively address today’s challenges

Assessing the Impact of Senior Jewish Educators and Campus Entrepreneurs Initiative Interns on the Jewish Engagement of College Students (2008-2009)

Professor Steven M. Cohen, Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz, Dr. Jack Ukeles, Dr. Minna Wolf

One of the most exciting and welcome developments in Jewish life in North America at the beginning of the 21st century is the growth of extraordinary partnerships between energetic Jewish social entrepreneurs and innovative Jewish funders.

Assessing the Impact of Senior Jewish Educators and Campus Entrepreneurs Initiative Interns on the Jewish Engagement of College Students (2008-2010)

Professor Steven M. Cohen, Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz, Dr. Jack Ukeles, Dr. Minna Wolf

Through exposure to opportunities for Jewish involvement, including learning opportunities, this approach posits that young Jews will have “meaningful Jewish experiences” which will deepen their engagement with being Jewish and help them to advance on their individual Jewish journeys.

The Jewish Impact of the Anne Sampson Jerusalem Journey (TJJ)

Professor Steven M. Cohen, Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz

Assessing Jewish growth among the non-Orthodox.

Nurturing Master Israel Educators

Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz

What it takes to climb the Israel education professionalization ladder.

The Dimensions of Time in Israel Education

Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz

How do we think of time as it impacts Israel Education?

Israel Education in Practice

Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz, Dr. Minna Wolf

With this interview sample, we seek to describe Israel education at its best, in a variety of American Jewish education contexts.

The Jewish Education of Today's Jewish Leadership

Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz

This report shows, with a focus on Jewish leaders, that the investment in Jewish education is vital to
American Jewry’s future.

The age of local peoplehood is here

Dr. Shlomi Ravid

in recent decades internal rifts and ideological disagreements threaten the continuity of Jewish Peoplehood

Between Defining Peoplehood and Exploring its Meaning

Dr. Shlomi Ravid

Peoplehood is the consciousness that constitutes our collective being, our ever evolving civilization, our aspiration to improve the world and our sense of solidarity and mutual responsibility.

Philanthropy – The Bridge to future Peoplehood

Dr. Shlomi Ravid

We have witnessed a rise in individual philanthropy and a decline in collective giving, accompanied by a diversification of the giving.

Toward a Pluralistic Form of Peoplehood

Dr. Shlomi Ravid

The growing interest we have been witnessing in the notion of peoplehood in recent years is, in my opinion, an attempt at sustaining a sense of Jewish unity in a Jewishly pluralistic world.

Something I discovered while unpacking the concept of peoplehood

Dr. Shlomi Ravid

While Jewish unity does not and cannot depend on some fake sense of consensus regarding core ideological issues, it can be based on our collective interest in the issues themselves

Ethno-Religious vs. Religious Ritual

Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz

A look at a learning ritual that brings together American and Israeli Orthodox and Non-Orthodox Jews

Social Justice and Peoplehood

Dr. Shlomi Ravid

In recent decades, particularly in North America, pursuing social justice and Tikun Olam has become central to the Jewish conversation.

A 21st Century Peoplehood with Tikkun Olam at its Heart - What does it mean and how is it done?

Dr. Shlomi Ravid

In the last few decades, we have been witnessing a significant rise in the Jewish public's interest in the notion of Tikkun Olam. The shift in focus - from catering to the “good of the Jews”, to seeking to bring justice and help to communities in need, coupled with the call to personally serve that cause, represents no less than a paradigm shift.

Don't Focus on Mitzvot

Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz

There is an expectation that people can move between the peoplehood belief system and the mitzvot of everyday life in a clean way, like Haredim aspire to do with religion.

Nurturing Peoplehood Education in the 21st Century Calls for an Educational Revolution

Dr. Shlomi Ravid, Lisa Grant

The current challenge of Jewish Peoplehood is both conceptual and pedagogic.
Conceptually speaking for almost two thousand years Jewish Peoplehood was the only
framework that defined Jews and in which they were allowed to express themselves
as a collective.

Creating a Sustainable Sense of Peoplehood: Towards a Pedagogy of commitment

Dr. Shlomi Ravid, Lisa Grant

In the past decade, instilling a sense of belonging and responsibility for the Jewish
People has increasingly become part of the expressed agenda of Jewish educational
institutions and programs including schools, camps, Hillel, and Taglit.

Circle of Fellows # 1 - The Implications of the Fallout from October 7th for Jewish Education

Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz

On October 7th, the Hamas invasion of Israel sent shockwaves through Jewish communities worldwide,
prompting an urgent need for reflection and response. The session provided a platform to explore the challenges faced by Jewish educators and to develop strategies for fostering resilience, identity, and communal unity in the wake of the invasion.

Peoplehood is here to be re-envisioned

Dr. Shlomi Ravid

American Jews are phasing out of the Peoplehood paradigm that dominated the post WW2 and Six Day War era

High School Israel Experience Programs

Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz, Dr. Minna Wolf, Stephen Markowitz

In these fluid times, MAKOM's mission is to empower Jewish educators, rabbis, arts and community
leaders to develop deep, sophisticated, and honest Israel programming through
both hugging and wrestling.

AMHSI Impact Evaluation

Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz, Stephen Markowitz, Eitan Melchior

This research report is written as part of larger strategic evaluation currently conducted by AMHSI to understand the changes taking place in the American Jewish community and the manner in which AMHSI should respond.

Ein Prat Evaluation (2011-2012)

Professor Steven M. Cohen, Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz, Dr. Minna Wolf

This report seeks to assess the impact of the Ein Prat experience upon young adult learners, and through them to its contribution to Israeli society.

One2One Evaluation – 2023/24

Dr. Hadar Franco Galor

One2One recruits Jewish teens from Israel, North America and other countries, who are paired and provided with a platform that enables them to meet one another for one-on-one conversations in English. With just five meetings these teens from different countries, who did not know each other, report new friendships and a positive contribution to their conversational English.

Learning Torah

Rabbi Scott Aaron, Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz

Engaging young adult Jews is a subject of much discussion in the Jewish community of
late and increasingly of programmatic funding as well.

Engaging the Persuadable Majority: Influencing Public Opinion on Israel Through Social Media

Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz

This study investigates the effectiveness of ISRAEL21c's efforts to influence young American adults (ages 18-25) towards Israel.

Developing a Global Leadership Network

Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz

In the past decade, with the support of UJA Federation of New York, JCC Global is focusing on cultivating partners at local JCCs, who serve as change agents for deepening their JCC's involvement with Jewish Peoplehood and the global JCC network.

The Alumni of JCHS 2023 Survey Report

Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz

The 2023 JCHS Alumni Survey, conducted in the summer of 2023, continues a longstanding series of JCHS alumni
surveys spanning nearly 15 years.

The Limmud International Study

Professor Steven M. Cohen, Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz

The story of Limmud is undoubtedly a story of diversity,
success and growth.

Responding to this historical moment.

Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz

Jewish Educators, Clergy, Engagement Professionals, And The War In Israel

The Jewish Education of Today's Jewish Leadership (2022)

Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz

Jewish education – be it day schools, overnight camps, Israel travel, campus engagement or other modalities – has helped forge a committed Jewish lay and professional leadership, as well as an engaged Jewish public.

The Goodman Camping Initiative for Modern Israeli History

Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz, Natalie Weiss

The manner in which a camp implement the Goodman programs likely interacts with the various factors described in this report to produce higher and lower impact on campers.

CJPE

The Center for Jewish Peoplehood Education serves as a resource and catalyst for developing the field of Jewish Peoplehood. It also serves as the central entity to address the challenges of Jewish Peoplehood education. CJPE offers institutions and individuals the resources and support to obtain professional development, content and programmatic development. It will achieve this through research, resource and content development, evaluation, convening, lectures, and mentoring and consulting.

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