Where can we find joy, kindness, and hope in democracy — especially in difficult times? In this conversation, Aaron Dorfman, Founder and Executive Director of A More Perfect Union, speaks with the esteemed Rabbi Sharon Brous of IKAR and Rabbi Jacob J. Schacter of Yeshiva University about what 250 years of Jewish life in America can teach us about democracy today. Together they reflect on the freedoms American democracy has made possible for Jewish communities — and the responsibilities that come with them. Drawing on Jewish teachings about human dignity, responsibility, and compassion, they explore a deeper truth: democracy is sustained not only by institutions or elections, but by how we treat one another. Sometimes the most powerful civic act is choosing hope, courage, and kindness. Topics discussed: Jewish values, democracy, civic responsibility, kindness, rule of law, American Jewish history, polarization, coalition building.

Political violence is becoming more visible – and, in some spaces, more normalized. In this conversation, A More Perfect Union Executive Director Aaron Dorfman speaks with former Pennsylvania Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar and Philadelphia City Commissioner Seth Bluestein about what’s driving this moment, how antisemitism intersects with political extremism, and why civic leadership requires a clear rejection of violence.