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A History of Jewish Belonging

JL;DR SUMMARY Moshe Taragin's article explores the multifaceted nature of Jewish communal identity through the concept of belonging, addressed via three distinct entities—eidah, Yisrael, and kahal. A way out west there was a fella, fella I want to tell you about, fella by the name of Jeff Lebowski. At least, that was the handle his lovin' parents gave him, but he never had much use for it himself. This Lebowski, he called himself the Dude. Now, Dude, that's a name no one would self-apply where I come from. But then, there was a lot about the Dude that didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. And a lot about where he lived, likewise. But then again, maybe that's why I found the place s'durned innarestin'.

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Tags

Jewish HistoryIdentity CrisisAm YisraelJewish BelongingCollective ResponsibilityKorban PesachKahalRabbi SoloveitchikCommunal IdentityEidah

Places mentioned

Yerushalayim, Jerusalem, Israel
"Likewise, every seven years, we gathered in Yerushalayim to rekindle the spirit of Yom HaKahal through the ceremony of Hakhel, a reenactment of that foundational moment of unity."
Poland
"The abolition of the super-kahal in Poland in the late 18th century."
United States
"Whatever remained of kahal life would soon fade as Jewish life in America reached unprecedented heights."
Hungary
"The kahal drama of 19th-century Hungary serves as a perfect example of how the emergence of different denominations hindered the integrity of the kahal."
Russian Federation
"Through a series of decrees, various Russian tsars gradually weakened the kahals authority, seeking to place Jewish communities under direct imperial rule."

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Cairo Item ID 78154
Cairo Source ID 13
Retrieved 2026-03-21 05:30:50 UTC
Curated 2026-03-21 08:30:41 UTC