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On October 7th, 2023
the world shifted for Jews everywhere

As we come to the anniversary of that horrible day, the Kaplan Center stands with you in pain and in hope.

Some of Kaplan’s ideas to guide you:

“The God of Israel is also the God of all mankind. We see on all sides conflicts between nations, between religions, between races. Nevertheless we hold to the faith that God intends mankind to be one. We believe that the day will come when God’s law of justice, peace and brotherhood will prevail on earth and His unity will be manifest in the unity of mankind.”
– The High Holiday Prayerbook, Prayers for Rosh Hashannah, Vol I,
Jewish Reconstructionist Foundation, 1948, page 136

“[The goals of Zionism should be] to reconstitute our peoplehood, reclaim our ancient homeland and revitalize our Jewish way of life. Each of these three objectives should be pursued with the end in view, both in Israel and in the Diaspora, of developing such interpersonal and intergroup relations as are likely to help us become more fully human. That is to be our religion and our mission.”
– Mordecai Kaplan, A New Zionism, 1955

Here are tools to discover more about the situation, historically and emotionally, from our friends and partners, to use for yourselves, your children, your grandchildren and your friends. We hope these will take you to places of understanding.

• “Kaplan and Israel: A New, New Zionism”

• “Kaplan, Reconstructionism, & Democracy”

• “Kaplan, Zionism, and Us”

• Israel Talmud Page with Commentary

More thoughtful articles for the anniversary of October 7th on Evolve

May the POWER that makes for salvation inspire leadership throughout the world.

May CHANGE come to a land riddled with holiness,

May PEACE inspire us more than war.

Throughout this website we offer many resources about Mordecai Kaplan’s influential writings and philosophy and how Kaplan’s legacy continues to be woven through contemporary thought and practice.

What’s New ? מה חדש

It is often observed that for Mordecai Kaplan democracy was the religion of America. 

The Kaplan Center appreciates our grant from A More Perfect Union: Jewish Partnership for Democracy. This grant allows us to embark on a “religious” journey from this February through next October. Each month we will select and distribute to our friends and partners a passage from Mordecai Kaplan or one of his students and collaborators.

This month features an excerpt from Kaplan’s “Salvation through Labor,” a prayer for the Sabbath before Labor Day, adapted from the writings of A.D. Gordon (1945).

In the day that is to come, you will be given, O man, a new spirit, and be stirred by new feelings, by a new hunger, not a hunger for bread nor a thirst for riches, but a hunger and thirst for work.

And you will take pleasure in all the work that you do.

You will give heed to do all your work as part of Nature, as part of the work of the universe and its expansiveness.

And when you pause for a moment to straighten your back, and to take a deep breath, it is not only air that you will inhale; you will breathe in also a subtle something that will fructify your feeling and thinking, and add life and light to your spirit.

You will have moments when your whole being seems to dissolve into the Infinite.

VOTE

  • How do you envision the connection between work and change?
  • What are the many ways in which we can understand work?  How do you feel about the idea Kaplan fosters that engaging in labor is a way of engaging with the Divine? Does this change any dissatisfaction you might have with the ongoing struggle to create justice for all within our current democracy?
  • Does democracy by definition require continuous change?  What about our political structure do you think creates a continuous move away from stasis? Is this a good thing? 
  • How might you use Kaplan’s words as inspiration for yourself, your workplace, your communities?
Join the Conversation…

Explore the Kaplan Center’s latest resources

In Conversation: Israel
Kaplan and Democracy
Contemporary Talmud Pages

Webinars and More

Explore our upcoming webinars for 5875 (2024-25)

Revaluating the Unetanah Tokef:

What Kind of Tzedaka Softens the Harsh Degree? with author Amy Schiller and Rabbi Mordechai Liebling

September 17, 2024

Watch Webinar

Tribute Honoring Mel Scult’s 90th birthday

Sunday, December 8, 2024
1pm Eastern Standard Time

More Info Webinar Registration
Upcoming Webinars
Past Webinars

Kaplanian Scholarship

Looking to deepen your knowledge of Mordecai Kaplan’s life and philosophy?  

Read Articles

Visit Reconstructing Judaism to explore the way Kaplan’s influence has become woven deeply into the fabric of a major North American Jewish movement.

Kaplanian Voices

Our Kaplanian voices series seeks to sensitize us to the unique ways many of us experience the very notion of Peoplehood  in 2023. Below are excerpts from conversation between Rabbis Jeffrey Eisenstat, founding director of our movement’s Camp Havaya, and former camp counselors about their initial exposures to the philosophies of Mordecai Kaplan a decade ago and its present meaning to them as young adult Jews in their thirties.

Yael Kurganoff on the power of Camp Havaya connections to Israel
Josh Davidson on the essence of peoplehood
Watch Full Conversation and Other Interviews

Visit the Ira Eisenstein portal where you will find….

  • Introductions by Rabbi Richard Hirsh to Ira Eisenstein’s books Creative Judaism and What We Mean by Religion with digital copies of those currently out-of-print volumes now available on our website
  • Explore the full set of resources related to teaching Mordecai Kaplan through Ira Eisenstein’s writings with these resources
  • Reflections about Ira Eisenstein as theologian and wise leader by Rabbis Dennis Sasso and Jeffrey Schein
  • A recording of Rabbi Eisenstein’s contributions that was hosted by the SAJ:Judaism that Stands For All as part of its centenary celebration
Explore

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Throughout this website we offer many resources about Mordecai Kaplan’s influential writings and philosophy and how Kaplan’s legacy continues to be woven through contemporary thought and practice.