Playlist Judaism: Making Choices for a Vital Future"Every Jewish institution," writes Kerry Olitzky, "is undergoing significant change and is in danger of becoming irrelevant to the majority of North American Jews. All these institutions will have to reimagine themselves if they are to survive and grow. And the most numerous of these institutes is also the most vulnerable: the synagogue." The synagogue as we know it developed in response to a variety of needs, often in an attempt to create new communities for education and assembly as populations moved from urban centers to the suburbs. These needs have changed, and the synagogue is no longer the center of social and professional life. Change is necessary, but what a synagogue that serves the new needs of American Jewish religious life look like? In Playlist Judaism, Kerry Olitzky offers provocative proposals to help synagogues face today s challenges, from turning the synagogue inside out so that it is reaching out to the community around it, to recognizing intermarriage as an opportunity for synagogues, and encouraging synagogues not to forget the Boomers. It is an engaging look at what creative thinking has to offer congregations today. In his foreword, Ron Wolfson says that the book will provide "leadership teams with a plethora of practical proposals to chart an exciting and engaging future for their congregations." |
Contents
| 1 | |
Chapter 1 Playlist Judaism
| 7 |
Chapter 2 Turning the Synagogue Inside Out
| 21 |
Chapter 3 The Marketplace of Ideas
| 37 |
Chapter 4 Intermarriage as an Opportunity Not a Problem
| 51 |
Chapter 5 Dont Forget the Boomers
| 69 |
Chapter 6 The Dream of Israel
| 83 |
Chapter 7 Why Be Jewish?
| 95 |
Chapter 8 Leading the Jewish Community into the Future
| 107 |
Chapter 9 Big Tent Judaism
| 117 |
Notes
| 125 |
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Common terms and phrases
adult affiliated American Jewish community American Jews argue bar or bat Barclays Center bat mitzvah become Big Tent Judaism Birthright Israel boomers called chapter clergy congregation convert to Judaism culture David Wolpe engage families with young gogue Hanukkah Hebrew High Holiday inclusive Jewish community individual inside interest interfaith families intermarried families Israeli iTunes store Jay Z Jewish communal institutions Jewish history Jewish identity Jewish institutions Jewish leaders Jewish religious Jewish thought Kabbalah Centre leadership life-cycle events life’s lives marketplace of ideas marry mezuzah Napster Nashuva needs non-Jewish North American Jewish Olitzky organized Jewish community Outreach parents participants particularly partner Playlist Judaism potential prayer programs Public Space Judaism Questions for Synagogue Rabbi religion ritual secular Shabbat Shalom Hartman Institute Space Judaism events spiritual Sukkat Shalom sukkot syna synagogue leaders synagogue’s target population volunteer Wolpe worship