The Samuel Bronfman Foundation regularly sponsors luncheon forums to discuss issues of interest to the Jewish community.
The Sacred in Contemporary Jewish Life
May 11, 2010
Rabbi Donniel Hartman
The notions of living a life shaped by the sacred and holy have historically been one of the essential aspirations of Jewish life. What meaning do these categories have today? What role can they play in shaping contemporary Jewish life for the individual and the collective? Watch the video.
The State of the Jewish Collective
February 17, 2010
With panelists Kathy Manning and Jerry Silverman
Over the last decade, large-scale Jewish institutions have sought to adapt and respond to the new challenges and opportunities of twenty-first century American Jewish life. How might these institutions use their understanding of today’s Jewish landscape to create a collective strategy for fostering a culture of Jewish renaissance?
Elevating Jewish Ethics
October 19, 2009
With panelists Rabbi Joseph Telushkin, and Alana Newhouse
The Jewish community has recently been plagued by a series of damaging and highly publicized scandals. The impact of these troubling events has been felt across the spectrum of Jewish life, including the community’s perceptions of trust, transparency, and leadership. How might we elevate the importance of Jewish ethics and values within the community in a way that simultaneously creates a more welcoming and open environment?
Renaissance in a Time of Ration: A Vision for the Future
May 12, 2009
Richard Joel and Wayne Firestone, moderated by Rabbi Sharon Cohen Anisfeld
Over the last year the Jewish community has entered into a challenging period, which has been driven by a sudden reduction of communal resources and a broad anxiety about its future trajectory. How might the communities we build on college campuses serve as incubators for supporting and revitalizing the Jewish community of tomorrow?
Cooperation and Conflict: Relations between African Americans and Jews from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to Barack Obama
January 14, 2009
With panelists Rabbi Marc Schneier and Martin Luther King III, moderated by Rabbi Andy Bachman
The early civil rights era in America is often looked upon as the golden age of positive relationships and strong coalitions between the African American and Jewish communities. How did the recent election of Barack Obama help to reinforce and build new bridges of cooperation between these two communities?
Talent, Trend or Marketing: Exploring Jewish Writing in the
American Mainstream
October 27, 2008
With panelists Rebecca Goldstein and Jonathan Rosen, moderated by Professor Jeremy Dauber
Over the past decade a new wave of Jewish writers has appeared to achieve an unprecedented level of success and popularity in the American mainstream. Are we witnessing an astounding renaissance in Jewish literature or does the current market for Jewish themed books represent a more thorough integration of Jewish culture and life into mainstream American narratives?
After Bush: The Middle East, Israel and the Presidential Elections
April 29, 2008
Presented by David Makovsky, Senior Fellow and Director of The Washington Institute's Project on the Middle East Peach Process
The next American President will face potential conflicting interests on issues ranging from energy needs and regional stability, to a reassessment of the war on terror and the possibility of negotiations with Iran. What will this mean for US foreign policy in the Middle East? And what differences, if any, can we expect for a Democratic or Republic Presidency?
Do Rallies Still Matter? Purposeful Activism in the 21st Century
January 30, 2008
With panelists Ruth Messinger and Rabbi Avi Weiss, moderated by Daniel Septimus of MyJewishLearning.com
The rise of the internet, social networks, decreases in American anti-Semitism and a growing interest in global human rights causes are redefining the scope and nature of Jewish activism. How has this generation changed the work of Jewish social activists, and what does it mean for the Jewish community and the world today?
Why isn’t My Rabbi More…?: The American Rabbinate and What it Means Today
October 17, 2007
With Panelists Rabbi Sharon Cohen-Anisfeld, Alisa Doctoroff and Rabbi Kenneth Hain, moderated by Dr. Michelle Friedman
The American rabbinate has undergone considerable changes in the last forty years. What was once viewed as an untouchable figurehead who presided over large congregations is evolving into a pastoral leader who is responsible for myriad social intellectual and spiritual activities. How has the rabbinate responded to these and other happenings and what does it mean for American Jewry today?