The Case for Jewish Peoplehood by Erica Brown

The Case for Jewish Peoplehood by Erica Brown

Peoplehood--everyone's talking about it. But what does it actually mean and why is it important to the future of Judaism?

Why is this conversation important? Why does it merit your attention? If you care about Jewish identity and community, then you know that we have no trouble identifying the problems that fragmentize us as a people but have far less success identifying that which unites us. Without a unifying, collective notion of Jewish identity that is meaningful and robust, it is virtually impossible to make a strong case for Jewish continuity.
--from the Introduction

This call to Jewish community explores the purpose, possibilities and limitations of peoplehood as a unifying concept of community for a people struggling profoundly with Jewish identity. It defines what peoplehood is--and is not--and explores both collective and personal Jewish identity and the nature of identity construction.

Drawing on history, sacred texts and contemporary scholarship, The Case for Jewish Peoplehood identifies some of the obstacles that challenge a shared notion of peoplehood: personal choices, construct of membership and boundaries, growth of Jewish illiteracy, identity fragmentation between Israeli and Diaspora Jewry and the generational divide affecting traditionalists, baby boomers and generations X and Y.

To help you join the conversation, the authors support a vision for the future and provide practical guidance and recommendations for getting there.

Dr. Misha Galperin is CEO and president of Jewish Agency International Development and former CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington. Dr. Galperin serves on several non-profit boards and was previously COO of UJA-Federation of New York, the world's largest local philanthropy. He has a PhD in clinical psychology and has written about and spoken widely on the issues of Jewish identity, values and community. He was born in Odessa, Ukraine, and immigrated to the United States in 1976 with his family at age eighteen. He is author of Reimagining Leadership in Jewish Organizations: Ten Practical Lessons to Help You Implement Change and Achieve Your Goals and coauthor of The Case for Jewish Peoplehood: Can We Be One? (both Jewish Lights).