#TrendingJewish 24: The New American Judaism

March 14th, 2019 · 50 mins 16 secs

About this Episode

Noted historian Jack Wertheimer, who is affiliated with the Conservative movement, discusses his newest book The New American Judaism: How Jews Practice Their Religion Today. Wertheimer discusses his research into how “ordinary” Jews are experiencing Judaism in the 21st century. He talks about synagogue efforts to revitalize services, the emergence of new communities and the observance of Judaism in unconventional spaces, such as the annual Burning Man music festival. Considered something of a traditionalist who has sounded alarms about certain trends within American Jewry, in this conversation he talks about his encounters with dozens of vibrant communities and innovative rabbis, wondering if their efforts will be enough to stem the tide of disaffiliation.

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This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at ReconstructingJudaism.org.

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