A Playbook for Legacy Institutions That Want to Stay Relevant
It’s Shabbat morning in October 2018. On the other side of the river from our synagogue, Temple Israel of Boston, we’re gathered for Shabbat brunch in a Cambridge co-working space to explore the question: What is a soul? The group of young adults have wandered through wisdom drawn from Shabbat morning liturgy (Elohai Neshama), Mumford & Sons (Awake My Soul), and modern experiences (SoulCycle or “That’s soul crushing!”). Some participants ask about the soul of animals, some about the souls of the departed, some just listen to the conversation and nosh on the bagels. These curious young adults are what I’ve been calling “emergent seekers”. At morning’s end, our phones begin buzzing and the news of the tragic shooting at Tree of Life synagogue in […]
