Orthodoxy at a Turning Point: A National Conversation

Panel #3: New Generations, Old Institutions

Moderated by Gary Rosenblatt

Distinguished Guest Panel:

Jewish religious and social life has for many centuries perpetuated itself by means of institutions, for the building of which the Jews have historically demonstrated a kind of genius. Continuity has been premised on the affiliation of new generations to old institutions. What happens when that affiliation weakens? Will the glamorous search for personal satisfaction usurp the unglamorous work of maintenance and development? What are the social and spiritual consequences of the difference between a minyan and a shul? Can "customization" replace community?

Event Program

Event Audio (mp3)

Event Video (tbd)

Reading List

Want to know more before the event? Read these articles and show up on November 7 with questions!

Emergent Jewish Communities and Their Participants: Preliminary Findings from the 2007 National Spiritual Communities Study, by Steven Cohen, J. Shawn Landres, Elie Kaunfer, and Michelle Shain

Exploring the Generation Gap Among Jewish Leaders, by Gary Rosenblatt

Generation of Change: How Leaders in Their Twenties and Thirties Are Reshaping American Jewish Life, by Jack Wertheimer

The Real Crisis in American Judaism: Book Excerpt, by Rabbi Elie Kaunfer

Making Inspired Leaders: New Approaches to Jewish Leadership Development, by Dr. Erica Brown