Report on the Institute's Work
Institute for Jewish Ideas and Ideals
Progress Report
June 2008
From Rabbi Marc D. Angel, Director
The Institute for Jewish Ideas and Ideals opened in October
2007. These past eight months have been busy and productive, and I thank all
who have supported and encouraged the work of the Institute. Through your
contributions, you help foster an intellectually vibrant, compassionate and
inclusive Orthodox Judaism.
WEBSITE:
www.jewishideas.org
array of authors; responsa; articles by me (in the Min haMuvhar section). The website includes an online store, which is
expected to be in full operation within the next month.
We have been receiving more and more visits to the website.
As of the end of May, we had nearly 2600 visits per month—mostly from the
States
and several dozen other countries as well.
INTERNATIONAL RABBINIC FELLOWSHIP:
The Institute has spearheaded the formation of a new
Orthodox rabbinic organization, that shares the vision of promoting a vibrant,
diverse, intellectually alive, compassionate and inclusive Orthodoxy. I have
worked with Rabbi Avi Weiss (of the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale and President
of Yeshivat Chovevei Torah) to bring this organization into existence. We
sponsored a preliminary conference
29-30, 2007
to which 33 rabbis came. It was a powerful and meaningful event. The group
decided that we should move forward to create a new rabbinic organization. We
sponsored the inaugural conference of the International Rabbinic Fellowship,
also in
rabbis attended, including six from
We had rabbis from throughout the
from
and from
The conference was rich in content and lively in discussion
and debate. We formed committees; are working on a mission statement and core
values; are developing criteria for membership; and are also laying the
groundwork for turning the
dynamic, pro-active Orthodox rabbinic voice.
One of our goals is to establish an international Beth Din, with bases
in
York
issues of our time. We have meetings scheduled in
York
the course of this summer to advance this process.
We are hoping that the International Rabbinic Fellowship
will have several hundred members within the first years. While the Institute
has played a key role in the organization and development of the
and while I am co-chair along with Rabbi Avi Weiss, our plan is to have the
develop into an independent and self-sustaining organization. This will
obviously take some time—but we are moving in the proper direction. We are
blessed with an outstanding group of rabbis who are working with us.
CONVERSATIONS, THE INSTITUTE’S
journal of the Institute for Jewish Ideas and Ideals. Supported by a grant from
the S. Daniel Abraham Foundation, Conversations will focus on major themes
confronting our community. The first issue relates to the role of Orthodoxy
within the general Jewish community. The second issue, due out in September, is
on the theme Orthodoxy and Social Justice. The third issue, due out in January,
will focus on Orthodoxy and Religious Leadership. We print 5000 copies of each
issue, and have had an overwhelmingly positive response from our many readers.
The journal has attracted articles from a diverse group of
writers, scholars, rabbis and communal activists. It is lively,
thought-provoking—it generates discussions and conversations. Conversations provides the community—Orthodox
and non-Orthodox alike—with a forum that demonstrates the intellectual
vibrancy, diversity and creativity within the Orthodox Jewish world.
CONFERENCES
The Institute sponsored a conference on March 2, at
Congregation Shearith
in
in a non-Jewish World: Rights and Responsibilities. Nearly 120 people attended
the morning shiur, beth midrash session, luncheon, and afternoon symposium. On
May 4, a large crowd attended a brunch program, also at Shearith
on the conversion crisis, featuring Prof. Benjamin Ish-Shalom, chairman of the
conversion authority in
We have been involved in events and scholar-in-residence
programs in
Spring
as well as in
American Sephardi Federation at the Center for Jewish History.
OUTREACH:
who have been seeking an intellectually attractive Orthodoxy. We have given
guidance to numerous individuals seeking advice on conversion to Judaism.
During the coming year, we hope to establish an email
network that will reach out to college students. As they confront their own
spiritual struggles, we want to be helpful in providing guidance and counseling,
reading materials, and other resources that will strengthen their Jewish
knowledge and commitment.
PUBLICATIONS:
The Institute has distributed various books through our
online store. Currently, the Institute is actively distributing my new book, a
novel, The Search Committee, published by Urim Publications in
The novel is about a Lithuanian-style yeshiva which is seeking a new Rosh
Yeshiva. The two candidates represent different philosophies of Torah
education, role of women in Orthodoxy, approach to modernity etc. The issues
raised in the novel relate directly to the issues of concern to the Institute.
We are in the midst of preparing several works for
publication. As these works near completion, more details will be available
about them. I am hopeful that we will be ready to publish them during 2009.
growing; that is spread throughout the
States
and
Members receive publications from the Institute, and also have access to the
Members Forum on the website; and receive discounts on purchases through our
online store. Members have been helpful in introducing others to the work of the
Institute by sponsoring gatherings in their homes; by sending copies of
Conversations; by referring people to our website www.jewishideas.org.
nearly $625,000 toward our initial goal of one million dollars. This is
certainly a good start, but we still have a way to go to reach our goal. We
thank those individuals and foundations who have made substantial grants to the
Institute; and we thank those who have supported the Institute through the
various levels of membership.
it to be able to undertake new initiatives, it is vital that it be placed on a
sound financial footing. This will be accomplished through major gifts, as well
as through the further expansion of our membership base of support.
non-authoritarian modern Orthodoxy. Thank you for your role in advancing these
ideas and ideals.
