Ruderman Summit on Philanthropy, Power and Democracy in the Jewish Community of the 21st Century Hebrew College April 2, 2017

Insights from the Jewish Past Askamot: Articles of Agreement Sefer Hashtarot: The Book of Contracts Much of Jewish public law had to do with interpreting the meaning of compacts

“In all matters of the community, no one part of the community is permitted to do as they please, unless the entire community consents. For the community are as partners in all communal responsibilities and in all communal appointments.”

The New World Quasi-Voluntary Communities Religious associations organized on a membership basis The Jewish response in the “New World” involved the adaption of the covenant principle through federative arrangements.

Building an American Communal System Historical Roots: Kehilah Model American Model: Federalism and Republicanism Balance of Power and the Separation of Power Voluntary Character of the Community Church (synagogue)-State (federation) National-Local Distribution of Authority and Power Lay-Professional Divisions of Responsibility

What was the Communal Order Designed to Accomplish? Managing the Distribution of Resources Representing the Community Establishing Communal Priorities Promoting the “Mythology” of One People, One Destiny

American Judaism as a Political System: Its Characteristics Power Centers: New York as the national “Jewish Capital” and Jerusalem as the global Jewish Capital Defining Power Relationships: Ben-Gurion-Blaustein Letters (1950) Defining Israel’s Relationship with the Diaspora

How We Decide: A Roadmap to Decision-Making Civic Tradition Religious Imperative Politically Essential Tribal Obligations

Categories of Jewish Decision-Making Communal Inter-Communal Local State National (Federal) Trans-National (Diaspora-Israel) International

What Constitutes a “Decision”? Majority-Minority Decision Making Consensus: Defining What Constitutes “Consensus” Competition: Campaigns and Ballots

Narrowing of the Playing Field: The End of the Communal Order Understand Passover, Chanukah, and Purim in this New Political Condition?

How did the Communal System Unravel? Civic Culture Jewish Marketplace

Civic Culture Technology and the Information Revolution Generational Transitions (Millennials: i.e. Religious Nones) Notions of Work and Education Robert Putnam on the Public Square (Bowling Alone)

The Jewish Marketplace 1985: American Jewry-Israel Crisis (Who is a Jew?) The Decline of the Consensus Model “Greatest” Jewish Generation Leaves the Communal Stage Transfer of Wealth and the Emergence of the New Donor Class Decline of the Legacy Order and the Emergence of Boutique Judaism

Distinctive Characteristics of the New Jewish Civic Culture Consumer Dominance within a Jewish Context Social Networking Privatized Judaism and the Decline of Denominational Judaism From One, Many: The Explosion in Choice The Emergence of a Jewish Aristocratic Class

Continued… Shift from Centralized Governance to Localized Management From Visionary Leadership to Institutional Maintenance Closures, Mergers and Consolidations (Madoff Effect) Culture of Experimentation and the Culture of “Free”

New Communal Paradigm Flattening Out of Communal Structures (2008-09 Economic Crisis) New Demographics Rise of the Single Issue Constituencies Creation of a Business Model

New Communal Order continued… Loss of Political Consensus and the Decline in Civility The New Jews New Generational Cohorts Technology and its Jewish Consequences The New Authoritarianism Loss of Memory and Meaning

The Second American Jewish Revolution Legacy Model Crisis Model Collective Responsibility “We Are One” Integrated Federation Responses Continuity/ Institutional Maintenance Multi-Institutional Focus Boutique Model Entrepreneurial Model Selective Engagement “Sovereign Self” Diffused Institutional Responses Innovation Experimentation Single Issue Constituencies

Continued… Legacy Model Boutique Model Generational Neutral Generic Marketing Peer Relationships Interlocking Networks Israel and Holocaust Central Organizing Principles Membership/ Dues Boutique Model Generational Nuanced Segmented Marketing Individualized Engagement Isolated Relationships Contemporary Themes Random Methods of Organizing Groups with Shared Interests

The New Jewish Political Reality Themes Jeffersonian Jews Jacksonian Jews World View America ought to use the resources of the international community in advancing its strategic interests. America has core interests that need to be defended and advanced. Identity Politics Jewish interests are aligned with certain universal causes and global concerns. Israel’s welfare must be seen in the context of America’s larger interests on the international stage. Jews seek to insure Israel’s security and as a strategic partner of the United States. Role of Government Finding congruence with the liberal political tradition, Jeffersonian Jews are seeking to employ government in the advancement of human rights and as the promoter of social activism. Joining the Republican perspective, that government ought to have a focused and limited agenda, Jacksonian Jews support a defined role for the state. Religion and Society The wall of separation between church and state protects this democracy from any one religion or religious ideas from dominating and influencing the political culture. Religion ought to be seen as core asset and value. Religious ideas and practices ought to be encouraged within the public square. Moral Outlook The society should welcome and celebrate alternative ideas, divergent social and cultural expressions. The social order ought to be maintained for the welfare of citizens. Behaviors and practices that violate the social norms of the culture should be rejected. Constitutionalism ought to define the limits of government activism.

The Questions Jews Are Asking Does the liberal Jewish mainstream share any common political ground with its more politically conservative co-religionists? What should our relationship be with the Jewish State? What, if any, are the common threads for a shared discussion around Israel? Who is permitted to critique Israel? What does it mean to be “Jewish” in a 21st century environment? Can we even be defined at this point as a community?

Challenges in the Moment Helping Jews who are in search of meaning Focusing on building points of connection among Jews Strengthening and growing the instruments of community Promoting models of communal experimentation Challenging the new anti-Semitism Re-imagining the Israel-Diaspora connection

Where Are We Now? Understanding the Communal Divide Are we still a community or are we in fact multiple communities? Uniting toward what end? Challenges facing our legacy institutions Strategies for future consideration: Confederations Bottom-Up Organizing Alternative Models of Community

Reflections and Directions