OPINION: Being Jewish today is all about connectivity
Jewish Learning Exchange CEO Rabbi Benjy Morgan on how social media has become as important as the synagogue as a means for our communities to connect.
A glance at the headlines shows just how vital social media has become as a means to connect. With over 329 million total global users, Twitter is one of the most iconic features of our generation. The United Nations, presidents and governments have all engaged with Elon Musk’s proposed changes following his recent acquisition of the platform, and reading this has prompted me to reflect on what it truly means to be Jewish in an age of connectivity.
For many, Judaism has a certain confinement to it. Some regard studying Judaism’s texts to be our main religious endeavour. Others see prayer as occupying the primary place on the hierarchy of values. Yet still, people find it hard to relate to these activities in the 21st century.
I will often ask students, “if I say ‘Judaism’ what word comes to mind?” The overwhelming answer is “no”. “No” to going out on Friday night, “no” to eating like everyone else. It seems more about restrictions than connections.
In today’s generation, with such a vast array of choices and opportunities afforded by technology, we need to form a deep, personal, and rich attachment to our Judaism – one of celebration and connectivity.
Jason, a graduate student, once quipped to me, “prayer isn’t for me.” Yet Jason meditated every day. I fired back, “Jason, if I gave you 26 meditations of gratitude daily, would you be interested?” “Yes, please Rabbi!”
I photocopied the morning blessings of gratitude from the siddur, expressing thanks for being awake, having clothing, being able to see, and handed them to him. Jason never “prayed” again. Instead, he truly connected to his Judaism through an entirely new, refreshing prism.
Most people feel disconnected from prayer, but millions are connecting to mindfulness and meditation through social media. Jewish prayer is supposed to be a meditative experience, where we can focus inward on what we need, creating a dialogue with God both personally and together with those around us.
The Jewish mystics speak about the 613 commandments serving as 613 cords stringing us together and strengthening our relationships, be it heavenwards or towards those around us. Judaism, with all its laws and traditions, are strings of connection which we can use to live an informed life, filled with relevance and deeper meaning. In 2022, this fact is clearer than ever.
Nowadays, our lives are a whole complex of strings and cords, a vortex of connectivity. Our instant news updates connect us to global affairs almost instantaneously. Social networks intertwine us into conversations with people across the world. The dizzying pace of our work lives join us to dozens of industries and technologies. We live what seems like hyper-connected lives, and we all yearn for even more genuine and deep connections.
Knowing all this, our Jewish engagement should be holistic and wholesome – fit for our modern age. We need to focus on the vast array of Jewish experiences that are open to us, offering our youth the opportunities to connect to their incredible community and peers through ways many don’t even know are available. At the JLE, we provide an educational experience for Jews of all religious levels. Jewish education must be intertwined with social opportunities, communal events, deep discussions, and an exploration of our rich history – all placed into the context of our lives. Our diverse range of initiatives, be it educational, social, communal, or one-on-one sessions, are all cords to connect!
Jews today should use the whole gamut of communal and social life to engage. If tugged, these strings of connectivity can allow us to live the most fulfilled lives as 21st century Jews and grant a “blue-tick verification” of more meaningful and enriched experiences.
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