13 Generational and Cultural Constructions of Jewish Peoplehood

Abstract

This chapter examines the implications of transformed, and highly gendered, new constructions of Jewish peoplehood among younger American Jews. Attachment to Jewish people has been a cornerstone, not only of Jewish communal functioning but also personal Jewish identity, for much of Jewish history and well into the modern era. Recent research shows that strong ethnic feeling is a central aspect of attachment to Jewishness of many young Jews, but they perceive cultural expressions as the core of their ethnic connections. Rather than identifying exclusively with American Jewishness, younger American Jews have been profoundly affected by globalism. The fusion of Jewish and international cultures gives young Jewish cultural leaders a way to express their Judaism. Just as young Jewish artists use musical media to explore Judaism and push against conventional boundaries, young Jewish religious leaders express their religious identities and spiritual goals and challenge conventional American Jewish models in worship environments. Keywords: American Jews; cultural expressions; ethnic connections; Jewish cultural leaders; Jewish identity; Jewish peoplehood; Jewish religious leaders; Judaism