The collective Jewish conversation necessary for addressing the challenges of the post-Oct. 7 war reality is stuck. The need to maintain unity and avoid internal conflict in the face of a complex and conflictual reality has paralyzed the Jewish collective ethos conversation. Questions such as how to manage the tensions between defending Israel and being sensitive to the moral ramifications of the war, of how to draw a distinction between supporting the Israelis and their government policies, of what are the boundaries of the Jewish tent, become increasingly difficult to address. Instead of creative, future-oriented thinking, we see mostly processed expressions of an outdated paradigm. 

At a moment that demands vision, courage and wisdom — sources of hope, purpose and comfort — we are falling back on familiar but insufficient frameworks.

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In this short article, I propose a different approach that may open a path forward. It begins with reframing Jewish Peoplehood.

Two tiers of Jewish Peoplehood

Jewish Peoplehood rests on two interconnected tiers: the constitutive tier and the operational tier.

The constitutive tier frames the essence of Jewish collectivity. At its foundation lie two core covenants: the covenant of fate, expressed in kol Yisrael areivim zeh bazeh — the idea that all Jews are responsible for one another; and the covenant of destiny, which frames the unique Jewish ethos and the belief that the Jewish people share a collective mission.

These covenants define what Jewish Peoplehood is and what makes it unique among collective identities.

The operational tier translates these abstract values into concrete communal structures — the how of peoplehood. These include:

• The communal–civilizational enterprise that sustains Jewish life and ensures its future
• Zionism as the framework for Jewish national expression
• Pluralism as the method for turning core values into practical and political guidelines
• Tikkun olam as the expression of the Jewish commitment to the broader world
• Jewish education as a collective priority, and others.

These principles give structure and form to Jewish civilization. They operationalize the spirit of peoplehood while allowing for diversity, adaptability and creativity. They turn the abstract foundational covenants into a holistic collective framework that enables the Jewish social and communal enterprise. At this tier collective goals and policies at both the local and global levels are being framed.

Most contemporary conversations about peoplehood take place at this second tier. Because it is shaped by ideology and practice, it naturally invites disagreement and competing interpretations. The pluralistic approach has kept Jewish collectivity intact, and open to changes and adaptation. Usually, the debates remained within the boundaries of the core covenants, but at times they challenged them.

Why we must return to the foundations

The events of Oct. 7, 2023 and the ensuing war have left Jews not only insecure about their future but also ideologically torn and confused. This kind of crisis requires returning to the basics: What defines us as a people? What matters to us? Why is belonging to the Jewish people meaningful and purposeful?

I propose shifting the conversation back to the constitutive values of Jewish Peoplehood:

• What does Jewish mutual responsibility mean today?
• What elements of our ethos are essential to us?
• How do we navigate tensions between fate and destiny when they arise?

Throughout history, Jews have adapted their core commitments to new realities. We must do so again. Without clarity about who we are and what we stand for, we cannot build a coherent collective identity.

Focusing on the foundational tier also creates a space where most Jews can find common ground. While interpretations differ, the vast majority believe in Jewish collective responsibility and in a shared ethical ethos. This foundational space offers an opportunity for dialogue, connection and strengthening our collective identity. It allows us to dwell on what is good and powerful in our shared story.

Consider a recent concrete example: I heard a Haredi activist claim last week on Israeli TV that most Haredi Jews are anti-Zionist. Rather than debating Zionism — a conversation that often leads nowhere — I would be far more interested in discussing with him Haredi understandings of areivut and of our collective ethos. These conversations can illuminate both shared commitments and real differences. They can open the door to dialogue and perhaps to the recognition that, despite disagreements, we share a sense of joint fate and destiny that can enable cooperation.

Anchoring the future in the core covenants

This approach will not solve all the challenges facing the Jewish people today. But grounding our communal life in the core covenants of peoplehood can create a more civil, engaged and constructive environment for addressing them. It recenters what truly matters and guides how those values should shape policy and communal priorities.

There are, and always will be, multiple visions of Jewish Peoplehood. Some emphasize responsibility; others emphasize ethos. Some are conservative, others progressive. All peoplehoods evolve through contestation. But the only way to ensure the integrity and success of that evolution is to anchor it in the constitutive values that define us.

The time for a serious peoplehood conversation is now. It is this conversation that can help us find a way out of today’s crisis.

Shlomi Ravid is the founding director of the Center for Jewish Peoplehood Education and the editor of The Peoplehood Papers.