Daniel Gordis
October 7: The Return of History
If we knew anything at all about Jewish—and even recent Israeli—history, why were we so surprised on October 7?
Sharansky’s Exodus
Witnessing the modern exodus of Jews from Ethiopia to Israel—different than his own but no less stirring—reminded Sharansky of what he’d told himself in his darkest days in prison: “Your history did not begin with your birth or with the birth of the Soviet regime. You are continuing an exodus that began in Egypt. History is with you.”
A Failure of Reimagination?
We once worried about the faith of young American Jews; now we worry about their politics. It’s part of a long historical development we should resist because Judaism-as-politics isn’t enough.
Tradition, Creativity, and Cognitive Dissonance
What are the conditions for a Jewish intellectual renaissance? Disagreement is one, inconsistency might be another; look at the early Zionists.
Cognitive Dissonance
Gordis replies to his critics and outlines his positive vision for the future. His proposal may surprise you.
Conservative Judaism: A Requiem
In 1971, 41 percent of American Jews were part of the Conservative movement. Today it's 18 percent and falling fast. What happened? Maybe its leaders never knew what Conservative Judaism was really about.