This pedagogy for Jewish Peoplehood begins at the edges, where Jewish difference is most pronounced and most uncomfortable. It invites learners to engage those they perceive as “other” through a series of questions that highlight true differences in background, practice, and identity, and at the same time seek to build empathy and connection through recognition and mutual respect. By adopting this posture of curiosity, participants can move from positions of defensiveness to openness and even be surprised by shared experiences and areas of agreement.
March 2026
36 Questions that Lead to Peoplehood: A Practice for Increasing Empathy and Connection in a Fractured Jewish World
To adopt a posture of curiosity is to engage those we perceive as “other” through questions that build empathy and connection in a divided world.
Jeni is CEO of the Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture. She was ordained by the Jewish Theological Seminary of America and earned her PhD in Education and Jewish Studies from NYU. A Wexner Graduate Fellow/Davidson scholar, she has done extensive research on the development of clergy education and the formation of Jewish identity.
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