In a fragmented world, how do we navigate the tension between building inclusive communities and preserving the core commitments that define us?
In this thought-provoking presentation from July 5, 2016, Yehuda Kurtzer, President of the Shalom Hartman Institute, explores why the boundaries we draw in Jewish communal life are often strategic rather than inherently moral. Drawing on philosophical insights and the radical biblical concept that all humans are created in the image of God, Yehuda challenges us to separate what it means to be a Jew, a member of a Jewish community, and a part of the Jewish people.
This session is being re-shared in 2026 to complement the publication of Building Communities of Belonging, a resource from the Shalom Hartman Institute’s Kogod Research Center. This resource supports rabbis, educators, and communal leaders in strengthening their communities as they develop policies and practices around Jewish identity, including conversion and informal modes of Jewish affiliation.
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