LUGAR: how to deprogram a synagogue

Abstract

This essay is a reflection on the various interpretations of "being Jewish" in today's world, borrowing the term from the Austrian-Brazilian philosopher Vilém Flusser (1920-1991). It is designed to underline the notion of the Jewish people as historical beings and to differentiate it from a temporal entity, by creating a stimulating space for many aspects of understanding the Jewish existential condition and its ramifications in the material world. As a result, the goal is to highlight the numerous ways of identifying and recognizing oneself as a Jewish person in the context of a diverse and multidimensional culture. It begins with an awareness of the synagogue (Beit Haknesset) as a place of study and community, as well as the basic importance of its space in the Jewish communal, religious, traditional, and cultural life. Overall, this essay will try to highlight the diversity of Jewish groups within the community – from ultra-Orthodox to progressive – while always keeping the concept of "synagogue" in mind. Lastly, it is necessary to emphasize that this essay seeks to outline positive and affirmative ways of recognizing oneself as Jewish in a diaspora context.