Starting Outreach With God and Torah

Zohran Mamdani - a politician who openly rejects Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state, yet insists that this has nothing to do with antisemitism - is now the mayor-elect of New York City. He points to a small number of Jewish supporters as evidence, while promoting a worldview in which Israel is framed as a genocidal, apartheid project.

New York is home to the largest Jewish community in the diaspora. When that city elects a proudly anti-Zionist mayor, it sends a message far beyond one municipality. It raises hard questions: What does it mean for Jewish security, for public discourse about Israel, and for the way younger Jews understand the connection between antisemitism and anti-Zionism? Does this moment push more Jews to consider aliyah, or does it demand that they stay and push back? And what does kiruv look like in an atmosphere saturated with hostility, confusion, and ideological pressure?

My guest confronts these questions every day. Rabbi Mark Wildes is the founder of Manhattan Jewish Experience, which has spent decades helping unaffiliated Jews in their 20s and 30s build a deeper relationship with Torah, Shabbat, and the Jewish people. In our conversation, we talk about what he fears will tangibly change on the ground as a result of Mamdani's election, why the supposed split between anti-Zionism and antisemitism is so dangerous, and how Rabbi Wildes speaks to students who are center-left, skeptical about Israel, or openly anti-Zionist.

We also discuss his new book, The Jewish Experience: why he chose to organize basic Judaism around the concepts of God, Torah, prayer, Shabbat, chesed, and tikkun olam; why Shabbat and Jewish wisdom are the best first steps for Jews who feel worn down by the headlines; and how to reclaim tikkun olam from its political distortions without abandoning the real Torah value behind it.

We also look at "spreadsheet kiruv," which emphasizes metrics in determining how successful an outreach program is; how outreach can avoid treating people as projects, and why one small act — a Shabbat meal, a class, even a moment of being pulled into a dance circle — can change a Jewish life in ways none of us may even recognize.

This is a wide-ranging conversation that touches on so many aspects of kiruv, including ma'amarei Chazal, politics, Pet Sounds, and Sgt. Pepper.

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We're excited to announce that we at Jewish Coffee House are continuing to expand the conversation by bringing you—our listeners—into the mix. Introducing JCH Q&A, an exciting new podcast where listener-submitted questions are answered in a thoughtful, honest, and engaging way. We plan to dive deep into your pressing hashkafic, political, and philosophical questions. We will address the ideas that matter, the issues that challange us, and the topics that spark real curiosity.

To submit a question for our first episode, you must be a member of the JCH Podcast WhatsApp Community. (Join here.) No question is off limits, and all submissions will remain anonymous. We're looking forward to answering your questions on our first episode!

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Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com