Jewish Engagements in a Time of Crisis
This year, the AAR-WR has asked us to examine the timely question: How can religious groups, and Religious Studies, be a potent contributor to the public good amidst our current medical, social, economic, ecological, and political crises? We in Jewish Studies know that the storehouses of Jewish tradition, the methodological approaches of our sub-field, and the experiences of Jews throughout history offer a great deal of wisdom on these topics. How can we, as Jewish Studies scholars, bring our unique perspectives to bear on the Covid-19 pandemic and systemic problems illuminated in its wake?
We believe the following three areas to be especially salient: