Dec. program to answer the question ‘Why do Jewish?’

In an era when we can choose our own identities, why might we choose to identify as Jews?

On Dec. 1, on Zoom, Zack Bodner answers this question and others in his presentation, which has the same title as his new book: “Why Do Jewish? A Manifesto for 21st Century Jewish Peoplehood.”

Bodner, the CEO of the Oshman Family Jewish Community Center, in Palo Alto, California, also discusses how to have a more meaningful life; the next era for Jews, Jewish Peoplehood 4.0, a road map for the 21st century; and “the next big Jewish idea.”

In addition to providing an accessible guide for anyone looking for answers to life’s most important questions, Bodner will consider how Jewish institutions should orient themselves in this new age. He proposes a creative framework for “doing Jewish” based on an acronym from the Yiddish word tachlis, which means “getting down to brass tacks.”

Bodner will also suggest programs and points of view that will attract Jews to “do Jewish.” His ideas have driven the programming at his JCC for the past several years and heavily influenced programs at many other JCCs and other institutions.

Zack Bodner is a seeker, writer, storyteller, community organizer and, above all else, a doer. He has been CEO of the Oshman Family JCC for a decade, and before that, he worked for 14 years at AIPAC. He is a MOTH storyteller and TEDx presenter.

Putting his ideas into practice at the Oshman JCC, Bodner oversaw the creation of a new Center for Social Impact (www.paloaltojcc.org/csi), launched the Taube Center for Jewish Peoplehood (www.paloaltojcc.org/jewish-life) and began hosting an annual conference called Zionism 3.0, which became The Z3 Project (www.z3project.org), a global effort to reimagine Diaspora-Israel relations.

“Why Do Jewish? A Manifesto for 21st Century Jewish Peoplehood” will be presented at no charge on Zoom on Thursday, Dec. 1, at 7 p.m., as part of the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island’s Behind The Book Series and in cooperation with the Jewish Book Council. For more information, contact Larry Katz, Alliance director of Jewish life and learning, at 401-421-4111 or lkatz@jewishallianceri.org.

To register for the program and get the Zoom link, go to www.jewishallianceri.org/why-do-jewish.

LARRY KATZ (lkatz@jewishallianceri.org) is the director of Jewish life and learning at the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island.