Research and Publications

As ideas go, "peoplehood" is thin, and wide, and best kept that way: not an end in itself but a vessel for the discussion of substantive values, beliefs, and ideals. more>

As ideas go, "peoplehood" is thin, and wide, and best kept that way: not an end in itself but a vessel for the discussion of substantive values, beliefs, and ideals. read>

The Peoplehood Index project is pleased to present this study conducted for the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington. This study can be seen in two contexts. more>

The Peoplehood Index project is pleased to present this study conducted for the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington. This study can be seen in two contexts. First and foremost, the results of this study provide a planning tool for the research department of the Washington, DC federation, with related interest for Jewish community federations and organizations around the country. Secondly, this study should be read in the context of a larger effort to develop the Peoplehood Index (PI), an 18-months old effort to create a general measure of cohesiveness of the Jewish people, and to provide a quantitative reference point documenting the state of intra-Jewish relations the world over. read>

Sometime after the publication of the National Jewish Population Survey of 1990, a sense of dread spread over many American Jews. more>

Sometime after the publication of the National Jewish Population Survey of 1990, a sense of dread spread over many American Jews. The survey revealed a steep increase in intermarriage, and Jewish leadership grew fearful that Jewish identity would weaken and with each new generation American Jewish continuity would be at increasing risk. read>

The phrase “Jewish Peoplehood” has resurfaced lately, and predictably, one response has been to try to define it and articulate a theory and practice of the concept. more>

The phrase “Jewish Peoplehood” has resurfaced lately, and predictably, one response has been to try to define it and articulate a theory and practice of the concept. If that impulse succeeds, institutions will ultimately erect barriers between what Peoplehood includes for their purposes and what it doesn’t. That would be regrettable for a number of reasons, starting with the irony of taking the word “Peoplehood” out of the hands of the very people it is meant to embrace. read>

Signaling the beginning of a shift in direction, 11th- and 12th-graders preparing for the national history matriculation exam this year for the first time were required to study a unit on American Jewry's contribution to the Jewish people after the Holocaust. more>

Signaling the beginning of a shift in direction, 11th- and 12th-graders preparing for the national history matriculation exam this year for the first time were required to study a unit on American Jewry's contribution to the Jewish people after the Holocaust. read>

Much has been written of late regarding the Jewish Agency’s new focus on Jewish peoplehood and what that means for the broader Jewish world. more>

Much has been written of late regarding the Jewish Agency’s new focus on Jewish peoplehood and what that means for the broader Jewish world. Recent articles have charged that the Jewish Agency’s understanding of Jewish peoplehood is tantamount to secular, ethnic Judaism and that will be inadequate as the basis of strong Jewish identity. read>

The authors argue that dramatic historical change is underway, which is reflected in the manner that the best Jewish organizations are changing their approach to Jewish community building and education. more>

The authors argue that dramatic historical change is underway, which is reflected in the manner that the best Jewish organizations are changing their approach to Jewish community building and education. Over the past thirty years transformative changes have occurred within veteran Jewish organizations and new forms of organized Jewish life are appearing. The research report is based on interviews which were conducted from September through December 2009 with 36 contacts at 22 organizations working in six countries. read>

Peoplehood—everyone’s talking about it. But what does it actually mean and why is it important to the future of Judaism? “Why is this conversation important? Why does it merit your attention? If you care about Jewish identity and community, then you know that we have no trouble identifying the problems that fragmentize us as a people but have far less success identifying that which unites us. more>

Peoplehood—everyone’s talking about it. But what does it actually mean and why is it important to the future of Judaism? “Why is this conversation important? Why does it merit your attention? If you care about Jewish identity and community, then you know that we have no trouble identifying the problems that fragmentize us as a people but have far less success identifying that which unites us. Without a unifying, collective notion of Jewish identity that is meaningful and robust, it is virtually impossible to make a strong case for Jewish continuity.” —from the Introduction This call to Jewish community explores the purpose, possibilities, and limitations of peoplehood as a unifying concept of community for a people struggling profoundly with Jewish identity. It defines what peoplehood is—and is not—and explores both collective and personal Jewish identity and the nature of identity construction. Drawing on history, sacred texts and contemporary scholarship, The Case for Jewish Peoplehood identifies some of the obstacles that challenge a shared notion of peoplehood: personal choices, construct of membership and boundaries, growth of Jewish illiteracy, identity fragmentation between Israeli and Diaspora Jewry, and the generational divide affecting traditionalists, baby boomers, and generations X and Y. To help you join the conversation, the authors support a vision for the future and provide practical guidance and recommendations for getting there. read>

Jewish Peoplehood is a relatively new concept denoting an indelible connection between all Jews that spans both time and distance. In order to explore this multi-dimensional concept and better understand its usage by global Jewish organizations and foundations, the Nadav Foundation commissioned the Platforma Consulting Group to prepare a document: A Framework for Strategic Thinking About Jewish Peoplehood. more>

Jewish Peoplehood is a relatively new concept denoting an indelible connection between all Jews that spans both time and distance. In order to explore this multi-dimensional concept and better understand its usage by global Jewish organizations and foundations, the Nadav Foundation commissioned the Platforma Consulting Group to prepare a document: A Framework for Strategic Thinking About Jewish Peoplehood. The paper gives an historical overview of the concept, presents different intellectual approaches to its understanding and discusses the connection between theory and practice in the field of Jewish Peoplehood. read>