“How do we find the space ... where people come and can carve out a Jewish identity free from expectations, free ideological considerations, just to taste and experiment?”— Dr. Elliott MalametWhen does identity become not a means of differentiation, but a cumbersome weight that prevents creativity, curiosity, and adaptability?What would it look like if we could create a space for young people to carve out a Jewish identity that spoke to their own human, emotional experiences?In this episode of the Living Jewishly podcast, Dr. Elliott Malamet interviews Ruth Chitiz about her journey of learning to own her own Judaism and how she ultimately came to think about her own Jewish practice. Jewish texts and teachings ought to pay homage to the integrity of the human being as a whole — and Ruth believes that the High Holidays are perfectly positioned to explore this human dimension, particularly the story of Passover. “We’ve taken a lot of creativity when it comes to Haggadah writing, and I think we should use that as a model to build more Jewish texts and feel empowered to not beholden to the texts of the past,” she says. “The writers of the Talmud were very creative.” Without jettisoning our rich denominational history, she would love to see Jewish leadership become more bold and curious, and to take more risks.The Jewish Calendar is ideally set up in a way to access emotional, human experiences that we may not otherwise tap into in our secular lives. It’s up to us to make Rosh Hashanah about more than pouring honey on an apple and sharing a meal with family. How do we make it an enriched and deeply meaningful experience? In this episode, you’ll discover: The hidden emotional tensions underlying Rosh Hashanah and Yom KippurHow to make the High Holidays more spiritually meaningfulWhy so many people feel emotionally disconnected from the Liturgy — and how we can better relate“If I could ask for one thing to be changed … it would be to have my Jewish practice reflect the rich, emotional experience of being a person.”— Ruth Chitiz Highlights: 00:37 Introducing Ruth Chitiz01:05 Navigating denominational divisions02:29 Celebrating our full humanness in our practice04:41 The emotional experience of the High Holidays06:05 The tension of Rosh Hashanah & Yom Kippur07:58 How do we repackage our High Holidays?09:09 How do we relate to the Liturgy?10:13 Sustaining our introspection11:30 Unforgiveability15:01 Timing for forgiveness15:32 The balance between sharing and refraining16:51 Recap & outro Links: N/A To get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:Visit our website: https://livingjewishly.org Follow us on Instagram: @living.jewishlyWatch us on YouTube: Living Jewishlyor send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org. Shalom!
