Critical Conversations: Community Responsibility in the Age of COVID

Critical Conversations is an annual Spertus Institute program inspired by Judaism’s embrace of civil discourse. The series brings together high-profile experts and activists to address the most critical issues of the day. Critical Conversations is generously funded by the late Eric Joss.

This year, our presenters will focus on community responsibility—within and beyond Jewish life.

Sunday, April 10 | 7 pm–8:30 pm CT

This year’s Critical Conversations will take place online. Free thanks to generous donor and sponsor support. Advance registration required. Closed captioning provided.

The pandemic has forced an array of longstanding issues to the forefront, making questions of community ever more critical.

What do we mean by questions of community? Who is in and who is out? How do we prioritize limited resources, even such basics as food and medication? What is the cost of lionizing some and villainizing others to reinforce norms?

In this program we will examine the sharp edges by which communities are defined and enlivened, how the pandemic has affected our notion of community responsibility, and how these issues shape our future.

Sign up at spertus.edu/conversation to learn about this year’s presenters as confirmed and reserve your spot.

Thank you to our sponsors

Educators and Thought Leaders

Peoplehood Education

Congratulations to Spertus faculty members Dr. Dean P. Bell and Dr. Shlomi Ravid on the publication of Peoplehood Education— Goals, Pedagogy, and Outcomes.

Ravid and Bell co-edited the volume, which includes contributions from Spertus Dean and Chief Academic Officer Dr. Keren E. Fraiman and faculty members Rabbi Dr. Scott Aaron and Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz among the fourteen featured articles.

Through a lens of applied education, the articles explore questions of Jewish collective belonging, global community, and mutual responsibility. Visit jpeoplehood.org for a copy of the publication or to learn more.