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feinstein

A new Zionism waiting to be born

Power corrupts. But so too does powerlessness. The narrative of powerlessness, of perpetual helpless victimhood, corrupts moral vision. In his cover story, Rabbi Wolpe does a masterful job of diffusing the political arguments of Peter Beinart’s book, The Crisis of Zionism. But he does not address the fundamental and disconcerting questions at the heart of Beinart’s concern: How has the narrative of victimhood warped contemporary Zionism and American Jewish identity? How has it distorted our collective discourse? What new narratives are made possible by sovereignty in Israel and political power in the US? And what shall we do with all our power? Like the Wicked Son of the Haggadah, Beinart is castigated, but his question goes unanswered.

Looking for God in All the Wrong Places

Why is it that when Jews seek spiritual wisdom, they\’ll go almost anywhere except their own traditions? Look into any cult, any radical new therapy, any metaphysical society or meditating community, and you\’ll find Jews far beyond our proportion in the population. And should they come to Judaism, there is a thirst for the esoteric. \”I want to learn your spiritual secrets!\” an impassioned searcher says to me.\n

Achre 5757

A couple with whom I\’m close had their first child, so I ran to the bookstore to get them our favorite book on child care. I had forgotten the exact title (it was always \”the baby book\”) and the author\’s name, so I thought I\’d just scan the shelf until it turned up. Shelf? Try shelves — six of them, each 8 feet long and 10 feet high, and all on parenting. Need advice on building self-esteem, teaching morals, successful potty-training? There are volumes to teach it.

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More news and opinions than at a Shabbat dinner, right in your inbox.