We are excited to announce our Symposium on Judaism and Democracy, which will be held on Thursday, June 2 in New York City. This gathering will be a first step to develop new intellectual frameworks for how Judaism relates and can contribute to the preservation and reimagining of multiracial democracy in America.
After an opening panel, this program will be broken down into three tracks:
- Academic Research and Scholarship (“Study”) — This track will focus on developing new ideas, answering questions like, “What does Judaism (defined broadly) have to offer to the modern questions and problems of creating and sustaining a healthy, multiracial American democracy?”
- Education and Pedagogy (“Teach”) — This track will focus on creating educational curricula and methods that better engage the broader Jewish community in learning how to grow and sustain healthy, multiracial American democracy. What needs to be understood that isn’t being properly taught/communicated about American democracy?
- Activism and Public Messaging (“Do”) — This track will focus on strategies to increase and deepen Jewish communal engagement with activism on the many issues related to the preservation and reimagining of U.S. democracy. How do we make sure more people are aware of and involved with the exciting and essential projects, campaigns and other work that Jewish social justice organizations are moving forward?
Sign up for a track here. Applications are due April 1.
Schedule (subject to change):
- 9:00 — Registration
- 9:30 — Welcome and introductory panel
- 11:00 — Work groups start
- Working lunch
- 3:30 — Reconvene for presentations
- 4:30 — What if? Imagining a future coalition
- 5:00 — Thanks and goodbye
The symposium is a joint project of the Avodah Institute for Social Change, JTS’s Hendel Center for Ethics and Justice, Hebrew Union College, Reconstructing Judaism’s Center for Jewish Ethics, and T’ruah.
Register here. Applications due April 1.
