Workshop: Jewish Identity - A Psychological Exploration

Have you ever felt too Jewish?  Not Jewish enough?  How we each make sense of being a Jew is deeply personal, and not part of our everyday conversations.  For six weeks, Kavana will create a safe and lively forum to discuss issues of Jewish identity amongst friends old and new.  This collaborative workshop will be co-facilitated by Kavana partners Dr. Dan Rosen, psychologist and identity scholar, and Dr. Noam Pianko, a Jewish historian.  The topics for each of the six sessions are:

1.  Identifying Identity – What is identity?  Using psychological frameworks, we will begin to define the term identity in its many dimensions (e.g., career, family, culture), and the degree of importance these hold in your life.

2.  The Multidimensionality of Jewish Identity – What defines a Jew?  We will consider the many ways people can be Jewish (e.g., religion, ethnicity, spirituality), with special attention given to how these identities operate in your life.

3.  The Development of Jewish Identity – Are you the same Jew now as at 13?  We will explore the dynamic nature of Jewish identity in the lives of participants through consideration of developmental models, life stages, and contextual factors.

4.  The Impact of Marginalization – Are we victims?  We will discuss whether the psychological stress of being marginalized/oppressed/discriminated against is related to one’s sense of identity through consideration of personal and familial experiences.

5.  How Jews Became White Folks – How good do you have it?  We will explore how Jews have emerged to become a privileged people in America and the impact of this new status on yourself and your family.

6.  From Intersecting Identities to Meaning & Purpose – American Jew or Jewish American?  We will consider how “being Jewish” informs your sense of self,  including when and how this “self” is in harmony or conflict with other salient identities.