What does it mean to belong to the Jewish people in an era of deepening division?In this thought-provoking episode of the Z3 Podcast, host Rabbi Amitai Fraiman is joined by Rabbi Shai Held and Dr. Mijal Bitton as they dive into an expansive conversation on Jewish identity, communal leadership, and the challenges of navigating ideological diversity, especially in the wake of October 7. Together, they grapple with tensions between inclusion and boundary-setting, the evolving role of Israel in Jewish life, and what it means to foster belonging in both liberal and traditional communities. This is a candid and deeply reflective dialogue on the enduring commitment to Klal Yisrael. Watch now to dive into this meaningful conversation between Jewish communal leaders.About Our GuestsDr. Mijal Bitton is a spiritual leader, public intellectual, and sociologist. She serves as the Rosh Kehilla of the Downtown Minyan in NYC and is Scholar in Residence at the Maimonides Fund. A Visiting Researcher at NYU Wagner, she directs pioneering research on Sephardic and Mizrahi Jews in the United States. Bitton is an alumna of the Wexner Graduate Fellowship, a New Pluralist Field Builder, and a Sacks Scholar. In the wake of October 7, she is deeply committed to renewing Jewish solidarity and building vibrant, inclusive Jewish life. She was a featured speaker at the historic March for Israel in Washington, D.C. She co-hosts the podcast Wondering Jews and shares weekly reflections on Jewish life, identity, and resilience in her Substack newsletter, Committed.Rabbi Shai Held, one of the most influential Jewish thinkers and leaders in America, is President and Dean of the Hadar Institute in New York City. Rabbi Held received the prestigious Covenant Award for Excellence in Jewish Education, and has been named multiple times to Newsweek’s list of the most influential rabbis in America and to the Forward's list of the most prominent Jews in the world. He is the author of Abraham Joshua Heschel: The Call of Transcendence (2013) and The Heart of Torah: Essays on the Weekly Torah Portion (2017). His new book, Judaism is About Love, was published by Farrar, Straus, & Giroux in March 2024.Chapters(00:00 ) Introduction(10:48 ) Understanding Community and Leadership(16:45 ) Redefining Love and Enemies(22:50 ) Softening the Binary in Community Conversations(28:54 ) Humanity in Political Discourse(35:52 ) The Nature of Ideological Boundaries(43:49 ) The Complexity of Gatekeeping in Jewish Identity(48:52 ) Secularization and the Role of Israel in Jewish Life(55:52 ) Balancing Community Standards and Inclusivity(01:01:57 ) Navigating Complex Identities and Boundaries(01:06:49 ) The Challenge of Inclusivity in American Jewish Life(01:19:46 ) Finding Hope Amidst Challenges in Jewish Communities