As I began to think about the question of what activities connect the Jewish People, it seemed quite straightforward to me. Then I made the mistake of doing a little more research into the concept of “Peoplehood.” Suddenly, things weren’t quite so simple.

Throughout the Torah and other key Jewish texts, Jews are variously described as a congregation, a nation, children of Israel, or even a kingdom – all implying a connection among people. In the 1930’s, Mordecai Kaplan further developed the Jewish Peoplehood idea in an effort to create a vision broad enough to include everyone who identified as a Jew regardless of individual approaches to that identity.

Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz and Ari Engelberg argue in their 2007 paper “A Framework for Strategic Thinking About Jewish Peoplehood” that the use of the concept by Jewish organizations stems from an ideological vacuum that developed in both the United States and Israel beginning in the 1970s, but whose impact is only now being felt. Kopelowitz and Engelberg outline three key principles of agreement between Jewish intellectuals writing about the concept of Jewish Peoplehood:

1. A multi-dimensional experience – The concept of Jewish Peoplehood assumes an understanding of Jewish belonging that is multidimensional.
2. Rejection of strong ideology – Strong ideological frameworks that over emphasize one dimension of the larger Jewish experience are not an acceptable starting point for understanding how individuals connect to the Jewish People.
3. Connections between Jews, not Jewish identity – Those concerned with the Jewish Peoplehood concept do not focus on the identity of individuals, but rather on the nature of connections between Jews. The concern is with common elements and frameworks that enable Jews to connect with one another both emotionally and socially.

While the intellectual debate concerning the concept of Peoplehood is interesting, it has not necessarily led to a coherent program of activities that build Jewish Peoplehood in a sustainable and measurable way. What do “Peoplehood practices” actually look like? For critics, Jewish Peoplehood is still an amorphous and abstract concept that presents an optional ideological approach towards the Jewish collective. They argue that “Peoplehood” is too weak a foundation on which to base Jewish collective identity, especially since the concept is not predicated on having any kind of religious or spiritual identity.

To return to the question: what activities could I engage in that would make me feel like I am part of the Jewish people? While my personal practice of Judaism – Torah study and prayer, for example – reflect my individual identity as a Jew, Peoplehood activities reflect my identity as a member of a community. Such activities put emphasis on and further my relationship with other Jews. They may include:

• Becoming involved with a synagogue
• Joining a Chavurah
• Attending lectures and events focused on Jewish learning
• Engaging in outreach activities within the Jewish community
• Contributing financially to Jewish causes and through temple membership
• Embracing the cultural aspects of Jewish life – food, music, art
• Including other Jews in celebrating Shabbat in the home
• Staying informed about the politics and issues affecting Israel
• Supporting Holocaust remembrance
• Identifying as a Jew when opportunities arise in social situations

All of these activities are very easy to undertake when living in a place where Jewish communities and institutions exist. But how does one engage in this way in the absence of a synagogue or local Jewish community? What if you were to find yourself a stranger in a place devoid of Jewish life? Living in a place like Ghana, this question is very real to me. Here are some ideas that I have come-up with to recognise this reality and still feel part of the Jewish community:

• Become involved with a synagogue online and in your time zone. Do more than just lurk: contact the membership coordinator and let them know you are out there and that you want to connect.
• The online Jewish world is incredibly vibrant and diverse. Search and bookmark. Challenge yourself to find a new online resource every week to supplement your weekly Torah readings.
• Leverage social media. Put yourself out there as a Jew on Facebook and Twitter, like and follow Jewish groups, rabbis, and causes that interest you and make you think. Join in the conversation. Reach-out, chat, and message.
• Celebrate Shabbat in your home, NO MATTER WHAT. In the absence of community, increasing home observance supports your connection to Judaism.
• Start a blog about your Jewish life and follow the blogs of other Jews in the same circumstances.
• Identify as a Jew and be open to relationships with other Jews that may express their Judaism differently. You may learn something and so might they. Ask the administrative officers of Embassies, High Commissions, International Organisations, and Chambers of Commerce in your area to post a message on your behalf inviting Jews to contact you for Shabbat or holiday celebrations.

Paradoxically, it is sometimes in the absence of Jewish community that we realise just how valuable such community can be. Isolation forces you to be aware of your Judaism, to have your Jewish radar on, and to be creative in your approach to connecting with your People. It leads you to meeting Jews you otherwise might have ignored, attending services that otherwise might have never been on your agenda, and sometimes experiencing your Judaism is an uncomfortable way. Being a Jew in a place where Jews are typically absent produces an instant connection among Jews who happen to meet, and a welcome to Jews just passing through. It awakens your connection to a common history, worldview and struggle. It is a reminder of your membership in a larger community, that of the Jewish People.

Engelberg, Ari and Kopelowitz, Ezra. "A Strategic Framework for Thinking About Peoplehood." Nadav Foundation. (Viewed October 18, 2013). http://www.nadavfund.org.il/Peoplehood_Position_Paper.pdf