In the wake of the Oct. 7 massacre, rising antisemitism worldwide, and a polarizing presidential race, Jews of all backgrounds feel isolated, divided and in desperate need of spaces for respectful discourse.
Sensing an acute need to address this issue among Jews, Rabbi Jeffrey Salkin, Sandra Lilienthal and Rabbi Ed Feinstein founded “Wisdom Without Walls: An online salon for Jewish ideas,” an innovative way to bring Jewish content to people’s homes through virtual conversations.
Salkin and Lilienthal now co-lead the organization. Their nimble Jewish startup is healing divisions among Jews through virtual conversations with leading Jewish scholars, authors and musicians.
“People are starved for intellectual and social engagement,” says Lilienthal, a Jewish educator with a doctorate in Jewish education. “We asked ourselves, how can we address that Jewishly?” Thus, Wisdom Without Walls was born.
Salkin, author of numerous books on religion and spirituality, adds that it is “our way to share Jewish wisdom in the digital age.”
Twice monthly, Wisdom Without Walls hosts a 90-minute conversation featuring prominent names and minds in the Jewish world. These conversations have been sold out, often with waiting lists. Upcoming sessions include Michael Berenbaum, director of the Sigi Ziering Institute (Aug. 28); Tablet senior editor Mark Oppenheimer (Oct. 29); and Grammy- and Emmy-nominated singer-songwriter Peter Himmelman (Dec. 18). Past conversations have featured Rabbi Yitz Greenberg, Jonathan Sarna and Rachel Korazim. A complete list of upcoming conversations is available on the website.
The founders intentionally chose the words “conversations.”
“Each session is just that—a conversation,” says Lilienthal. Salkin adds: “We don’t have speakers. Our conversation leaders listen as much as they speak, and we intentionally keep the number of registrants to less than a few dozen—so participants have the opportunity to interact not only with our conversation leaders but with each other.”
According to Salkin and Lilienthal, Jews living in major cities like New York and Chicago can attend any number of lectures and programs given by big-name speakers. However, that doesn’t mean they will interact with them. “Our conversations guarantee that you will,” says Lilienthal. And, their conversations deliver content to small Jewish communities who otherwise wouldn’t get prominent speakers. Salkin adds, “Wisdom Without Walls levels the intellectual playing field and allows our conversation leaders the opportunity to get to places they probably wouldn’t visit on an in-person tour.”
By creating an online space for thoughtful dialogue and diverse perspectives, Wisdom Without Walls provides a much-needed antidote to the divisiveness and isolation plaguing the Jewish community.
To join a conversation or speak with one of the leaders, see wisdomwithoutwalls.org. Media contact: Ellie Krasne-Cohen, ellie@elliekrasne.com.
