Insofar as democracy is essential to man’s becoming fully human, it is a religious no less than a political ideal.
Reconstructionist Judaism has, throughout its history, venerated American democracy, elevating representative government to a religious value — while remaining determined to rectify its shortcomings. Democracy, Reconstructionists have long taught, offers an unprecedented opportunity for Jewish civilization to flourish. At the same time, be it in the 1930s, 50s or today, Reconstructionists have especially feared authoritarianism and what it means for Jews and all people.
America’s national elections are weeks away, and many members of our communities are balancing a sense of optimism and concern over the fragility of the democratic experiment. Reconstructing Judaism is offering a variety of resources and programs aimed to highlight the connection between Reconstructionism and democracy, explore paths forward and bolster resilience when participating in the democratic process — and following the news — can be trying.
“The Season of Our Democracy” includes essays, virtual events and podcasts. Some of the resources connect to the intellect, others nourish the heart and spirit.
“Evolve: Groundbreaking Jewish Conversations” published two landmark essays exploring the past, present and future of the Reconstructionist connection to democracy, paying close attention to the thought of the movement’s intellectual founder, Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan. The first is by Rabbi Deborah Waxman, Ph.D., the second by Rabbi William Plevan, Ph.D.
That same day, Evolve debuted a symposium — a collection of 27 essays — built around On Tyranny: 20 Lessons from the 20th Century, a slim, memorable 2017 book by Yale historian Timothy Snyder.
Ritualwell is an extensive online resource that has published thousands of prayers, poems, ceremonies and songs. On Sept. 11 at 12 p.m. EDT, Ritualwell will host the live virtual event, “Resilience Boost: Spiritual Tools for the Election Season” which will focus on Jewish values connected to the pursuit of justice and remember the lives lost 23 years ago. Registrants will receive the Resilience Boost ebook, a curation of Ritualwell poems, prayers and meditations related to advocacy, activism and voting. Participants can also opt in for weekly texts or emails containing meditations that cultivate equanimity and hope during the weeks leading to the election.
ReconstructingJudaism.org has published a new web page of Election Day and democracy resources.
For further reading, learn about Rabbi William Plevan’s work as the 2023-24 Democracy Fellow at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.
