In The News
Opinion | Why it’s hard for American Jews to talk about democracy — and why we absolutely must
Why might conversations about democracy feel so difficult within the American Jewish community today? In this opinion piece, A More Perfect Union’s Aaron Dorfman and the Shalom Hartman Institute’s Yehuda Kurtzer explore the historical and communal dynamics behind that hesitation and why this moment calls for renewed courage and clarity. The health of American democracy and the vitality of Jewish communal life may depend on it.
Dialogue Across Difference: A Vital Tool for Jewish Community and Beyond
As polarization deepens across society, many Jewish educators and leaders are investing in dialogue across difference. In this feature from Sight Line, The Covenant Foundation’s digital journal, leaders across the field share how structured conversation can build empathy, strengthen relationships, and help communities navigate difficult issues constructively. A More Perfect Union’s Jeremy Bannett joins other Jewish community leaders in reflecting on the role dialogue can play in strengthening relationships across communities.
A More Perfect Union boosts faith250 clusters with new microgrants
A More Perfect Union is introducing $1,000 microgrants to help faith250 bring congregations together ahead of America’s 250th anniversary. As a national multifaith initiative, faith250 supports communities as they prepare for this milestone with civic learning, reflection, and relationship-building. The new grants will help local clusters bring Jewish organizations together with neighbors of all traditions to spark collaboration and deepen civic spirit. From study sessions to public celebrations, we’re proud to help clusters create moments that strengthen the civic foundations at the heart of this anniversary year.
Opinion | One lesson of NYC’s mayoral election: Rabbis’ political endorsements come with a cost
In the days following a hard-fought election, New York — and the rest of this country — will need voices of healing. We’ll need rabbis who can bring people back together across divides; who can remind us that belonging is bigger than partisanship and that our covenant with one another endures longer than any term in office. If we can remember that, we can reclaim something that feels radical in this polarized moment: the possibility of conversation, deliberation, and principled debate, even among those who disagree.
Written by:
Aaron Dorfman, A More Perfect Union
Civics Education for American Jews: A Conversation
Over the 2024-2025 academic year, the Shalom Hartman Institute of North America and A More Perfect Union have jointly convened a research seminar on American Jewish Civics Education. In Sources Journal, Aaron Dorfman, Rabbi Mark Gottlieb, and Dr. Rivka Press Schwartz discuss the unique challenges and importance of civics education for the American Jewish community. They offer insightful dialogue and fresh perspectives on cultivating civic virtue in an increasingly polarized society.
Opinion | Defunding and demonizing the government's faith-based partners will make its job harder
A recent assault on Lutheran social service organizations by the newly created Department of Government Efficiency signals a dangerous precedent for all faith-based nonprofits serving vulnerable populations. In this joint opinion piece, the authors explain why these actions threaten both religious freedom and effective public-private partnerships.
Co-written by:
Aaron Dorfman, A More Perfect Union
Amanda Tyler, the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty
Jennifer Walker Thomas, Mormon Women for Ethical Government
Jewish nonprofits warn federal funding freeze may threaten social services and security programs
This article quotes advice from A More Perfect Union's Sofi Hersher Andorsky, providing context and guidance for Jewish organizations grappling with new presidential administration’s recently announced federal funding freeze.
“There is a world in which blanket cuts to federal grants and programs, while potentially illegal, are not intended to police or punish. In this case, however, the Trump Administration clearly noted the pause is intended to enforce ideological conformity — loudly making clear that this is about falling in line.”
Adapting Podcast: Judaism’s Role in Democracy
Aaron Dorfman joins host David Bryfman, CEO of the Jewish Education Project, on the Adapting Podcast to discuss the importance of Jewish responsibility in the context of democracy, and how Judaism is always aspirational, just like America.
Contrasting Truths: The Aspirations and Limitations of American Democracy
This essay, published in T’ruah’s thought leadership journal Fragments, explores the origins, aspirations, and limitations of both liberal democracy as a concept and American democracy as a tangible manifestation. It argues for a dialectical approach to our current challenges — ie. accepting that democracy is both the fairest, most inherently just system of governance currently available, and that it's also capable of producing and tolerating great injustice.
What time is it? A Jewish call to protect democracy in America
American Jews across the political spectrum have the power to choose to protect and strengthen our democracy in this moment, even in the face of feelings of abandonment, hopelessness, and anger.
Written by: Jeremy Bannett
Standing together for our democracy
This opinion piece written by A More Perfect Union’s Aaron Dorfman and Protect Democracy’s Justin Florence makes the case for strengthening civil society.
A More Perfect Union: What’s at Stake
Aaron Dorfman joins host Yehuda Kurtzer, President of Shalom Hartman Institute, on the Identity/Crisis Podcast to discuss what's at stake in this election and how A More Perfect Union is mobilizing the American Jewish community to strengthen U.S. democracy.
A More Perfect Union Funds Nearly 80 Jewish Orgs with Democracy-Focused Grants
A More Perfect Union, a Jewish organization working to protect and strengthen democracy in the U.S., today announced that it has granted over $112,000 in Ignition Grants to 77 Jewish organizations committed to ensuring free, fair, safe, and accessible elections and supporting American democracy in 2024.
Defending democracy doesn’t start or stop with an election
With eight weeks to go until Election Day 2024, we find ourselves once again in an unprecedented political moment. The assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump and the emergence of Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee have both turbocharged an already momentous election and contributed to our collective sense of political instability. While the headlines focus on the candidates during the home stretch of their campaigns, our attention must be simultaneously rooted in something more fundamental—the health of the underlying democratic institutions that make free and fair elections possible.
Written by: Aaron Dorfman
Partner Beth El honors poll workers, defends democracy on Shabbat
In a bid to promote civic engagement, Beth El Phoenix recently hosted two of the state’s highest officials to discuss democracy and honored poll workers during Shabbat.
Faith-Based Funding Can Help Protect Democracy
A More Perfect Union’s Aaron Dorfman joins Kristen Cambell and Josh Rolnick in this opinion piece arguing for greater philanthropic investment in faith-based, pro-democracy work.
LTE: Being Jewish in America
On December 31, 2023, the New York Times published Aaron Dorfman’s letter to the editor in response to a column by Bret Stephens (please note it is the fourth letter down on the webpage). Here is an excerpt:
For nearly two and a half centuries, even amid painful setbacks, the United States has offered one of the last, best places to be Jewish — not because it catered to Jews, but because its democratic pluralism, albeit aspirational and imperfect from the beginning, allowed minorities like ours an opportunity to live freely. When that democratic pluralism struggles, we shouldn’t prematurely mourn its loss. We should repair it instead.
New Jewish org wants to ensure election past is not prologue for 2024 and beyond
A More Perfect Union, a relatively new national organization, is stepping into the election fray to encourage Jewish groups and individuals to get more directly involved in democracy and ensure that the past is not prologue. One piece of that is visiting democratic institutions and learning about the democratic process firsthand.
In collaboration with the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Phoenix (JCRC), A More Perfect Union invited Jewish religious and community leaders, and other interested parties, to tour the Maricopa County Tabulation and Election Center (MCTEC) on Friday, Dec. 1.
Written by: Shannon Levitt
Democracy as the Foundation that Grounds Us
American democracy – the rights it affords to its citizens and the protections it affords to minorities – has created a foundation upon which we have built an incredible network of sustaining institutions and vibrant communities. Through these groups, we speak, we assemble, we petition, we observe, all loudly and proudly in the public square. As we have seen since October 7, 2023, this is the foundation on which we assert and defend ourselves. This is the foundation we must ensure stays intact.
Written by: Sofi Hersher Andorsky
Unlikely Allies: Bringing Voices Together
Aaron Dorfman joins host Michelle W. Malkin on It’s Who You Know! The Podcast to discuss A More Perfect Union’s work in promoting positive collaborative conversations and preserving democracy in America.