Jewish peoplehood
Encyclopedia
Jewish peoplehood is the awareness of the underlying unity that makes an individual Jew a part of the Jewish people.
The concept of peoplehood has a double meaning. The first is descriptive, as a concept factually describing the existence of the Jews
as a people. The second is normative, as a value that describes the feeling of belonging and commitment to the Jewish people.
Some believe that the concept of Jewish Peoplehood is a paradigm shift in Jewish life. Insisting that the mainstream of Jewish life is focused on Zionism, they argue that Jewish life should instead focus on Jewish Peoplehood.
Others maintain that the concept of Peoplehood, or "Klal Yisrael" has permeated Jewish life for millennia, and to focus on it does not constitute a shift. Indeed, Jews have been extremely effective in sustaining for over 2,000 years, a sense of joint responsibility towards their people and its members.
At the same time, the concepts of Peoplehood and Zionism are not necessarily at odds with one another. The very concept of defining Judaism as a people or a "civilization", opens the doors to include a wide variety of values within the context of Judaism.
, Prophets and Writings, Jews are variously referred to as a congregation, a nation, children of Israel or even a kingdom, all implying a connection among people.
"And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your seed after you in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God to you, and to your seed after you". Genesis 17:7/8
"There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from those of every people". Esther
3:8
"In each generation every individual should feel as thou he or she had actually been redeemed from Egypt
". The Haggadah
"Kol yisrael arevim zeh bazeh" – "All Israel are sureties for one another". Talmud
Shevuot 39a
, a 20th century Jewish thinker, who was searching for a term that would enable him to describe the complex nature of Jewish belonging. Once the State of Israel was founded, he rejected the concept of nationhood as it had become too closely identified with statehood, and replaced it with the Peoplehood concept.
Kaplan’s definition of Judaism
as "an evolving religious civilization" illumines his understanding of the centrality of Peoplehood in the Jewish religion.
Describing Judaism as a religious civilization emphasizes the idea that Jewish people have sought "to make [their] collective experience yield meaning for the enrichment of the life of the individual Jew and for the spiritual greatness of the Jewish people." The civilizational definition also makes possible the acceptance by Judaism of the principles of unity in diversity and continuity in change. It is moreover a reminder of the fact that Judaism consists of much that cannot be pigeonholed into the category of religion in modern times, "paradoxical as it may sound, the spiritual regeneration of the Jewish people demands that religion cease to be its sole preoccupation." In the sense that existence precedes essence and life takes precedence over thought, Judaism exists for the sake of the Jewish people rather than the Jewish people existing for the sake of Judaism.
Kaplan's purpose in developing the Jewish Peoplehood idea was to create a vision broad enough to include everyone who identified as a Jew regardless of one's approach to that identity.
, the Israel Ministry for Education, the Diaspora Museum, the Avi Chai Foundation, the American Jewish Committee
and many other smaller organizations are either introducing the Peoplehood concept as an organizing principle in their organizations or initiating high profile programming with an explicit focus on Jewish Peoplehood.
Natan Sharansky
, the Jewish Agency’s chairman, declared that the agency’s traditional Zionist mission had outlived its usefulness. In his new capacity, he has made Israel education and promoting Jewish Peoplehood a priority, particularly among the young.
The three unifying principles of the Jewish Peoplehood theory:
In combination, these three principles imbue the Peoplehood concept with coherence and offer an added value to organizations that wish to create programs “that build Jewish Peoplehood” in a sustainable and measurable way.
The four distinct positions regarding Jewish Peoplehood:
For some critics Jewish Peoplehood is still an amorphous and abstract concept that presents an optional ideological approach towards the Jewish collective. Others wonder if it is too weak of a foundation on which to base Jewish collective identity, especially since the vision of Peoplehood is not predicated on having any kind of religious or spiritual identity.
The concept of peoplehood has a double meaning. The first is descriptive, as a concept factually describing the existence of the Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
as a people. The second is normative, as a value that describes the feeling of belonging and commitment to the Jewish people.
Some believe that the concept of Jewish Peoplehood is a paradigm shift in Jewish life. Insisting that the mainstream of Jewish life is focused on Zionism, they argue that Jewish life should instead focus on Jewish Peoplehood.
Others maintain that the concept of Peoplehood, or "Klal Yisrael" has permeated Jewish life for millennia, and to focus on it does not constitute a shift. Indeed, Jews have been extremely effective in sustaining for over 2,000 years, a sense of joint responsibility towards their people and its members.
At the same time, the concepts of Peoplehood and Zionism are not necessarily at odds with one another. The very concept of defining Judaism as a people or a "civilization", opens the doors to include a wide variety of values within the context of Judaism.
Jewish writings
The idea of the existence of a distinctive Jewish people or Peoplehood is biblical in its origin. Throughout the TorahTorah
Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five books of the bible—Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five...
, Prophets and Writings, Jews are variously referred to as a congregation, a nation, children of Israel or even a kingdom, all implying a connection among people.
"And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your seed after you in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God to you, and to your seed after you". Genesis 17:7/8
"There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from those of every people". Esther
Esther
Esther , born Hadassah, is the eponymous heroine of the Biblical Book of Esther.According to the Bible, she was a Jewish queen of the Persian king Ahasuerus...
3:8
"In each generation every individual should feel as thou he or she had actually been redeemed from Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
". The Haggadah
"Kol yisrael arevim zeh bazeh" – "All Israel are sureties for one another". Talmud
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
Shevuot 39a
Mordecai Kaplan
The first significant use of the Peoplehood concept was by Mordecai KaplanMordecai Kaplan
Mordecai Menahem Kaplan , was a rabbi, essayist and Jewish educator and the co-founder of Reconstructionist Judaism along with his son-in-law Ira Eisenstein.-Life and work:...
, a 20th century Jewish thinker, who was searching for a term that would enable him to describe the complex nature of Jewish belonging. Once the State of Israel was founded, he rejected the concept of nationhood as it had become too closely identified with statehood, and replaced it with the Peoplehood concept.
Kaplan’s definition of Judaism
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
as "an evolving religious civilization" illumines his understanding of the centrality of Peoplehood in the Jewish religion.
Describing Judaism as a religious civilization emphasizes the idea that Jewish people have sought "to make [their] collective experience yield meaning for the enrichment of the life of the individual Jew and for the spiritual greatness of the Jewish people." The civilizational definition also makes possible the acceptance by Judaism of the principles of unity in diversity and continuity in change. It is moreover a reminder of the fact that Judaism consists of much that cannot be pigeonholed into the category of religion in modern times, "paradoxical as it may sound, the spiritual regeneration of the Jewish people demands that religion cease to be its sole preoccupation." In the sense that existence precedes essence and life takes precedence over thought, Judaism exists for the sake of the Jewish people rather than the Jewish people existing for the sake of Judaism.
Kaplan's purpose in developing the Jewish Peoplehood idea was to create a vision broad enough to include everyone who identified as a Jew regardless of one's approach to that identity.
In modern Jewish life
The intensive use by Jewish organizations of the Peoplehood concept and intellectual interest in the topic began in 2000. Major organizations such as the Jewish Federations of North America, the JFNA New York Federation, the Jewish Agency for IsraelJewish Agency for Israel
The Jewish Agency for Israel , also known as the Sochnut or JAFI, served as the organization in charge of immigration and absorption of Jews from the Diaspora into the state of Israel.-History:...
, the Israel Ministry for Education, the Diaspora Museum, the Avi Chai Foundation, the American Jewish Committee
American Jewish Committee
The American Jewish Committee was "founded in 1906 with the aim of rallying all sections of American Jewry to defend the rights of Jews all over the world...
and many other smaller organizations are either introducing the Peoplehood concept as an organizing principle in their organizations or initiating high profile programming with an explicit focus on Jewish Peoplehood.
Natan Sharansky
Natan Sharansky
Natan Sharansky was born in Stalino, Soviet Union on 20 January 1948 to a Jewish family. He graduated with a degree in applied mathematics from Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology. As a child, he was a chess prodigy. He performed in simultaneous and blindfold displays, usually against...
, the Jewish Agency’s chairman, declared that the agency’s traditional Zionist mission had outlived its usefulness. In his new capacity, he has made Israel education and promoting Jewish Peoplehood a priority, particularly among the young.
Key characteristics
Alongside the use of the Peoplehood concept by Jewish organizations, there is a parallel growth of intellectual interest in the topic since 2000. The intellectual discussion asks: What is "Jewish Peoplehood"? What are the key characteristics that distinguish Jewish Peoplehood from other concepts?Areas of agreement
The areas of agreement between Jewish intellectuals writing about the concept of Jewish Peoplehood point to three principles:The three unifying principles of the Jewish Peoplehood theory:
- A multidimensional experience of Jewish belonging – The concept of Jewish Peoplehood assumes an understanding of Jewish belonging that is multidimensional.
- Rejection of any dominant ideology, which over emphasizes one dimension of Jewishness - Strong ideological frameworks that over emphasize one dimension of the larger Jewish experience are not an acceptable starting point for understanding how individuals connect to the Jewish People.
- Focus on the nature of the connection between Jews and not on the Jewish Identity - Those concerned with the Jewish Peoplehood concept do not focus on the identity of individuals, but rather on the nature of connections between Jews. The concern is with common elements and frameworks that enable Jews to connect with one another both emotionally and socially.
In combination, these three principles imbue the Peoplehood concept with coherence and offer an added value to organizations that wish to create programs “that build Jewish Peoplehood” in a sustainable and measurable way.
Different perspectives
There are several variants of the communitarian position among intellectuals writing about Jewish Peoplehood. The common denominator is the desire to find common ground upon which connections between Jews are built.The four distinct positions regarding Jewish Peoplehood:
- Peoplehood as a common destiny.
- Peoplehood as a shared mission with an emphasis on Tikkun OlamTikkun olamTikkun olam is a Hebrew phrase that means "repairing the world." In Judaism, the concept of tikkun olam originated in the early rabbinic period...
. - Peoplehood as a shared kinship and mutual responsibility.
- Peoplehood as an obligation.
For some critics Jewish Peoplehood is still an amorphous and abstract concept that presents an optional ideological approach towards the Jewish collective. Others wonder if it is too weak of a foundation on which to base Jewish collective identity, especially since the vision of Peoplehood is not predicated on having any kind of religious or spiritual identity.
External links
- Policy publications on Jewish peoplehood at the Berman Jewish Policy Archive
- Jewish Peoplehood Resources by the NADAV Foundation
- http://books.google.co.il/books?id=IVWityYQ6m0C&pg=PA51&lpg=PA51&dq=mordecai+kaplan+peoplehood&source=bl&ots=TavwmBpTUv&sig=gbAzR_uUrMXHGlD8pbGdmCer8DQ&hl=iw&ei=1RBcS8fwJKaInQOg2dmiAg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CAwQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=mordecai%20kaplan%20peoplehood&f=falseDynamic Judaism: the essential writings by Mordechai M. Kaplan, Edited and with Introductions by Emanuel S. Goldsmith and Mel Scult]
- Rabbi Mordechai Kaplan
- Jewish Peoplehood Index
- Be'chol Lashon – In Every Toung
- Peoplehood Research Blog
- Jewish Peoplehood HUB
- Envisioning Jewish Peoplehood
- http://images.google.co.il/imgres?imgurl=http://www.bh.org.il/Data/Uploads/OUR%2520STORY%2520CURRICULUM_1_1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.bh.org.il/mfs-curriculum.aspx&usg=__nPQX9mUzIUOjKuPsNpf6uaElhA4=&h=643&w=455&sz=120&hl=iw&start=8&um=1&tbnid=DNU1CeWG4XU8LM:&tbnh=137&tbnw=97&prev=/images%3Fq%3DJewish%2BPeoplehood%26hl%3Diw%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1The International School for Jewish Peoplehood Studies (SJPS)]
Books
- The Case for Jewish Peoplehood: Can We Be One?, by Erica BrownErica BrownErica Brown is an American Jewish writer and educator who lectures widely on subjects of Jewish interest. She is scholar-in-residence for the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, and a consultant to other Jewish organizations. Her "Weekly Jewish Wisdom" column has appeared regularly in The...
, Misha Galperin, and Joseph TelushkinJoseph TelushkinJoseph Telushkin is an American rabbi, lecturer, and author.-Biography:Telushkin attended the Yeshiva of Flatbush, was ordained at Yeshiva University, and studied Jewish history at Columbia University....
, 2009 - Jewish Peoplehood: Change and Challenge, (Reference Library of Jewish Intellectual History) by Ezra Kopelowitz and Menachem Reviv, 2008
- The future of Jewish peoplehood, by Arthur WaskowArthur WaskowArthur Ocean Waskow, born Arthur I. Waskow, is an American author, political activist, and rabbi associated with the Jewish Renewal movement.-Education and early career:...
(1977)