top of page

CJPE Circle of Fellows #1, July 16 2024

The Implications of the Fallout from October 7th for Jewish Education: Insights from the CJPE Circle of Fellows.

On October 7th, the Hamas invasion of Israel sent shockwaves through Jewish communities worldwide, prompting an urgent need for reflection and response. The Circle of Fellows session on July 16, 2024, convened by the Center for Jewish Peoplehood Education (CJPE), brought together 19 educational leaders to discuss the immediate and long-term implications of this crisis. 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.

Zoom screen shot of meeting

"Innovative Peoplehood driven engagement strategies are crucial for navigating deep disagreements and polarization with the goal of mutual caring between Jews..."

Executive Summary

Speakers, including Osnat Fox, Dr. Samantha Vinokor-Meinrath, and Dr. Shlomi Ravid, addressed the emotional and practical challenges faced by the Jewish community in the wake of October 7th.

Fox outlined the three phases of response: silence, intense action, and a current stagnant phase marked by a heavy emotional toll and increasing divisiveness. She emphasized the need for a peoplehood approach to strengthen identity and resilience. Vinokor-Meinrath highlighted the rapid mobilization required post-invasion, the shift from a thriving American Jewish community to one that now feels vulnerable, and the importance of fostering self-confidence and pride in Jewish identity. Ravid discussed the broader challenges to Jewish peoplehood and Zionism, stressing the need for a balanced approach to self-defense and social justice, and the urgency of fostering a pluralistic peoplehood.

The ensuing discussion and learning highlighted the significant challenges and opportunities for Jewish educators. In particular the conversation highlighted a shared feeling of a need to develop an approach that can tackle increasing divisiveness and generational shifts in a manner that recognizes diversity and views pluralism as an asset rather than a problem. The aspiration is for a conceptual and pedagogic approach that addresses the multiple challenges educators are facing. 

Key takeaways included the necessity of fostering a common moral vision that transcends individual differences and aligns with the broader goals of pluralistic Jewish peoplehood. The discussion underscored the need to find ways to include diverse political and religious views constructively. Creating spaces where difficult conversations can occur without fear of exclusion is essential for fostering a genuinely pluralistic community. True pluralism involves respecting and understanding diversity within the Jewish community, emphasizing educational encounters that allow for various perspectives to be expressed and comprehended.

From the Fellows discussion emerged a strategic response. Innovative Peoplehood driven engagement strategies are crucial for navigating deep disagreements and polarization with the goal of mutual caring between Jews. Participants emphasized the importance of non-dialogic engagement, through music and song, intentional use of silence, and communal service, to create spaces for empathy, meaningful interaction and understanding. Engagement that focuses on being in the presence of other Jews, lays the basis for more intensive verbal engagement on core issues that are also potentially divisive. One example, proposed by Jonothan Golden, is the use of reflective writing exercises, as a practical way to build on the feeling of connections and mutual empathy despite differing backgrounds. Those writing exercises can then feed into active discussions focused on acting to address a common challenge or goal that also includes consideration of differing ideological positions.  This practice can lead to more productive dialogue and deeper understanding, helping to counteract the reactive nature of contemporary discourse.

In conclusion, the discussion highlighted that by embracing a multifaceted approach, which includes innovative engagement strategies and a commitment to fostering a common moral vision, the Jewish community can build a resilient and unified peoplehood. This approach honors diversity and fosters a sense of collective responsibility, helping to navigate the complexities of modern Jewish identity and community dynamics.

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.

bottom of page