Why Do Jewish? A Manifesto for 21st Century Jewish Peoplehood

by Zack Bodner

How do I live a more meaningful life? How might I feel more connected to others, to the world around me, to the past and the future? In an era when we can choose our own identities, why might we choose to identify as Jews? These are just some of the questions Zack Bodner addresses as he thoughtfully shifts from asking “Why be Jewish?” to “Why do Jewish?” After laying out a compelling answer to that question, he goes on to explain what Jewish Peoplehood is and why he believes we are in the throes of an evolution to the next Jewish Peoplehood 4.0. He also provides a road map for how to do Jewish in the twentyfirst century ― including proposing “the next big Jewish idea. Insisting that taking action is what matters most, Bodner proposes a creative new framework for doing Jewish based on an acronym from the Yiddish word TACHLIS, which means “getting down to brass tacks.” Through a combination of personal stories, insights from some of the world’s greatest teachers, and contemporary analysis, Why Do Jewish? takes one of our oldest wisdom traditions and provides an accessible guide for anyone looking for answers to life’s most important questions.

Genres: Jewish, Judaism, Nonfiction

241 pages, Hardcover

Published November 25, 2021

Reviews

[Liam · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting look at what an evolving Judaism could look like. The core of the book revolved around Bodner's Tachlis movement. Which I think holds a lot of promise for a future of Judaism here in America.

[Keith Raffel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bodner serves as the head of a Jewish community center located smack dab in the middle of Silicon Valley. What better place to envision a new and successful version of American Judaism for the 21st century and beyond? His enthusiasm, learning, ambition, perspective, and vision cannot fail to generate real excitement in any reader who keeps an open mind.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

why do Jewish ?

Zack Bodner answers the why, what and how in an entertaining and meaningful way. He helps
us understand how the Jewish people have continued to keep the core elements of this 4000 year old tradition while always adapting to the times