When is a website not a website? No, that’s not a setup for a joke, though it clearly could be. It’s the spirit in which Clal boldly built, and now proudly launches, our new website.
In a world where websites are as common as, well… websites, we knew this one had to be much more. We are excited to share with you a site that is more than a site. It’s an invitation to taste, see, and benefit from the next steps being taken by Clal, the country’s longest serving organization whose primary commitment is to deep and principled pluralism — religious, intellectual, communal and institutional. To taste, see and benefit from the eternally enriching creative power of Jewish wisdom, and its ability to help people flourish in their lives.
Clal is evolving, and we invite you to continue that journey with us if we have already been part of your life, and to join us if this is your first introduction to our organization. There is more room than ever before, and that is perhaps the most exciting part of this new iteration of Clal.
Our mission is to “Make Jewish a Public Good” — a resource which serves more and more people, Jewish and otherwise, wherever they may be in their lives. The common denominator in each case being how the ethos, ethics, wisdoms and traditions which have emerged across thousands of years of Jewish life, can help add meaning, purpose and value to our personal lives, communal institutions and public culture. That is what we mean by Jewish as a public good.
In fact, this may sound more revolutionary than evolutionary to some, and in some ways, we are sure that it is. Of course, even that distinction is really in the eyes of the beholder — an insight as old as the Genesis story in which creation, followed by radical destruction, and then equally radical reconstruction are all part of a single grand drama whose purpose, from the very beginning, was to nurture the infinite value of every human being. Not to mention that Clal was founded by Rabbi Yitz Greenberg and Elie Wiesel as a way to rise to that challenge, and inspire others to do the same — both within Jewish life, and far beyond.
To bring Jewish wisdom to even more places, for an ever-widening range of audiences, while continuing to nurture the inner life of both individuals and the larger Jewish community — to see those tasks not only as complimentary, but deeply intertwined — has been a part of who we are, not only from the beginning of Clal, but even from how we imagine the beginning of time. Our new site introduces all-comers to that evolution-revolution, and we are thrilled to share it with you.
Step inside and discover more about what we mean by “Making Jewish a Public Good,” and how that commitment means that there is more of a place at Clal for you than you probably realize, however you describe yourself spiritually, intellectually or politically.
Spend a moment exploring GLEAN, our incubator which is nurturing and developing some of the boldest and most creative innovators in the worlds of faith, social welfare, and communal wellbeing. See what happens when those innovators’ visions and skills are brought together with a depth of tradition and married to cutting edge work being done at some of the nation’s most elite universities and business schools.
If you are among those seeking great rabbis spanning both the nations and the philosophical, or are wondering what it looks like when 200- plus such rabbis join together in a network committed to serving as widely and as deeply as possible, you must check out the Rabbis Without Borders section of the new site. Find a rabbi with one of our newest tools, Rabbi Careers, or find rabbinic insight and inspiration through the Rabbis Without Borders blog.
And speaking of Media, whether you are already part of the 100,000-plus hits we get each month at The Wisdom Daily or not, if you want wise, creative, and sometimes proactive content addressing everything from the biggest stories in the news and how to get above the typical shout-fest which accompanies them, to living a wiser and happier life — all from a spiritual-but-not-necessarily religious perspective, you must check out The Wisdom Daily and see how it takes “Making Jewish a Public Good” to a whole new level.
“But wait,” as they say on TV, “There’s more!” waiting for you on our new site. There is information ranging from our ongoing leadership development and institutional renewal work with legacy institutions in Jewish life, to soon-to-launch initiatives regarding Israel, and how we can bridge divides across multiple religious communities, as we raise up a generation of leaders who lead with both deep commitment and genuine openness to those who see the world differently than they do. That’s hard enough to do anywhere, but we are doing it in Israel with the Stand and See Fellowship for emerging Christian leaders.
We hope that you will not only spend some time “playing” on our new site, but also that you will find one or two places on it that you can call home, or which you can incorporate into whatever other places already feel like home to you. You see, you, dear reader, are part of the public which Jewish is meant to serve, and we look forward to doing just that in the months and years ahead, as we create the next chapter in the great story that is Clal.
0 Comments on "Welcome To Clal’s Next Stage"