“To “be” a Jew is to be departing from oneself, cast out into a world of the non-Jew, bound to make one’s way ethically and politically precisely there within a world of irreversible heterogeneity.” (Butler 2012, p. 15)

What does it mean to live as a Jew in diaspora—and what might that mean politically, spiritually, and relationally today? We will attempt to establish a definition of diaspora before exploring Judith Butler’s powerful writing on diaspora as our foundation and launching point. We’ll ground ourselves in their work, using it as a lens to explore Jewish identity, peoplehood, and the experience of being a Jew in diaspora. Alongside Butler, we’ll bring in traditional Jewish texts and contemporary thinkers to deepen and complicate the conversation. Together, we’ll ask: How do we relate to non-Jews around us? What does it mean to be part of a people, scattered but connected? Expect rich discussion, critical frameworks, and new ways to think about your own place in the Jewish story

Rachel Florman is pursuing her MDiv at Harvard Divinity School with a focus on diasporic Jewish community formation and faith-based activism. She is also a class host and intern with the House of Learning here at Lehrhaus! When she’s not working or studying, you can find Rachel hunting down Camberville’s best gluten free desserts and volunteering with her local abortion fund.