On Monday, May 12, from 10 am to 12 pm, the Boulder JCC will host a vital and thought-provoking program exploring the complex ideological divisions emerging within American Jewish communities. As societal shifts and challenges to democratic norms deepen, this session invites participants to engage with questions central to Jewish identity, political engagement, and communal responsibility.

Titled "Safety, Power, and Responsibility: Rethinking Jewish Thriving in a Fractured Democracy", the session will be led by Rabbi Dr. Joshua Ladon, a nationally respected scholar and educator from the Shalom Hartman Institute of North America. The conversation will examine the historical and contemporary models of Jewish security and the evolving ideological frameworks that shape today’s debates around Zionism, Israel, and Jewish political life in the U.S.

For generations, American Jews have shared mainly commitments to liberalism, equality, and inclusivity. However, growing polarization—both in the U.S. and within Jewish communal discourse—has prompted difficult but necessary questions: What does safety look like for Jewish communities today? How should Jews wield power ethically? And how can deeply held values help bridge widening ideological divides?

This session is designed to offer historical and intellectual context and encourage participants to imagine new models for Jewish flourishing that remain rooted in enduring traditions while responding to a changing world.

Rabbi Dr. Joshua Ladon brings a wealth of experience to this conversation. As Vice President, West Coast and Senior Faculty at the Shalom Hartman Institute, he has helped shape some of North America's most influential educational programs for Jewish leaders. A graduate of Washington University in St. Louis, Rabbi Ladon spent seven years living in Jerusalem, where he earned an MA in Jewish Thought from Tel Aviv University and received rabbinic ordination from the Shalom Hartman Institute. He holds a doctorate in Jewish Education from the Jewish Theological Seminary and teaches in the Interreligious Studies Program at the Graduate Theological Union. His writing has appeared in The New Republic, Religion Dispatches, and Sh’ma: A Journal of Jewish Ideas, among other publications.

This program is offered in partnership with the Shalom Hartman Institute and JEWISHcolorado. Community members of all backgrounds and viewpoints are welcome to attend and participate in what promises to be a rich and respectful dialogue. To register for the event, please visit the Boulder JCC website.