Still Grateful, Still Flourishing: Being Jewish in America at 250 |
Tree of Life Synagogue … Colleyville … Poway.
Pro-Hamas demonstrations on campus. A New York City mayor who believes that Israel has no right to exist as a Jewish state. Record-high numbers of antisemitic incidents reported across the country.
It’s no wonder that so many of our friends have decided to make aliyah, feeling that there is no future for American Jewry. And others who have passports in hand, ready to flee the country if matters get any worse.
So as America marks its 250th anniversary of birth, why am I still optimistic about the future of American Jewry?
When we talk about what it means to be Jewish in America today, it’s important to begin with honesty. There is no question that antisemitism has increased, and it is something we must take seriously. But at the same time, it is just as important—if not more so—to step back and look at the larger picture.
Because the larger story of Jewish life in America is not one of fear. It is one of extraordinary opportunity, vibrancy, and blessing.
For most of Jewish history, Jews struggled simply to survive as Jews—to practice openly, to build communities, to pass traditions on to the next generation. In America, we have something our........