Global Jewish Identity
Jewish Communities Worldwide Explore Diverse Cultural Identity and Political Realities
Anonymous
Key Points
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Qesher was launched during the COVID-19 pandemic after Dóra Korányi’s Jewish-quarter tours in Budapest and Sebastián Mizrahi’s Sephardic heritage tours in Spain were suspended; the founders initially organized five online lectures before expanding the project.
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The Qesher project gained substantial interest from North American Jews seeking to understand the present-day history of the countries from which their families originated, prompting the lecture series to grow into the book within months.
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The AfD was founded in 2013 as a euroskeptic party focused primarily on opposition to Germany’s handling of the Eurozone crisis, but later moved sharply toward nationalist, anti-immigration and populist positions.
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Reliable U.S. conversion totals are unavailable because major Jewish denominations do not maintain official records of people who convert; however, Reform movement leader Rabbi Rick Jacobs said about 3,000 people a year take the movement’s introductory Judaism course.
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Conversion candidates may be explicitly asked by a rabbinical court to accept the difficulties associated with Jewish life, including antisemitism and anti-Israel rhetoric; one candidate described in the article struggled specifically with accepting Israel as a symbol of Jewish perseverance and independence.
Jewish communities worldwide are reckoning with identity in new ways. Qesher, a digital platform launched during COVID-19, now documents the histories of Jewish communities in Uganda, India, Cuba, and Curaçao—places often left out of mainstream Jewish narratives. Meanwhile, Germany's rise of the nationalist Alternative for Germany party has alarmed Jewish leaders over its anti-immigration stance and resistance to historical accountability for Nazi crimes.
In the United States, conversion to Judaism is gaining interest among prospective converts, who face tough questions about antisemitism, Israel, and what it means to join the Jewish people. Rabbi Rick Jacobs of the Reform movement reports about 3,000 people yearly take introductory Judaism courses, though exact conversion totals remain unclear since major denominations don't keep official records.
A Pandemic Sparked Global Jewish History Project
Qesher began when tours by founders Dóra Korányi and Sebastián Mizrahi stopped during lockdown. Korányi had led Jewish-quarter walks in Budapest; Mizrahi had guided Sephardic heritage tours in Spain. They pivoted to five online lectures about overlooked Jewish communities worldwide. The response was immediate: North American Jews hungry to understand their ancestral homelands joined in droves.
Within months, the lecture series expanded into a published book. The project now spans continents and captures stories from diaspora communities that mainstream Jewish institutions rarely highlight. Today, Qesher serves as a bridge for diaspora Jews seeking to reconnect with their family histories and cultural roots.
Germany's Far-Right Party Alarms Jewish Leaders
The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has shifted dramatically since its 2013 founding. It began as a euroskeptic movement opposing Germany's eurozone policies. But over a decade, it veered sharply toward nationalist, anti-immigration, and populist positions that worry Jewish communities. Jewish leaders cite the party's resistance to historical accountability for Nazi-era crimes as especially troubling.
The AfD's rise threatens more than one group. Jewish organizations fear its policies could weaken protections for all minorities and undermine democratic norms. The party's anti-immigration rhetoric also collides with historical lessons about scapegoating vulnerable populations during political instability.
Americans Converting to Judaism Face Hard Questions
Conversion to Judaism in the US is growing. Educators and rabbis say interest is rising, especially among younger Americans drawn to Jewish culture, values, and community. But the path is not simple. Rabbinical courts often require conversion candidates to explicitly accept the hardships tied to Jewish identity: antisemitism, anti-Israel rhetoric, and the weight of historical persecution.
One candidate struggled with accepting Israel as a symbol of Jewish perseverance and independence. Others grapple with antisemitism they've witnessed or experienced after deciding to convert. The Reform movement processed about 3,000 new students through introductory courses annually, though formal conversion statistics remain unavailable since major denominations don't publish these numbers.
Hidden Histories Reshape Jewish Identity Narratives
Jewish identity has never been monolithic, yet mainstream histories often treat it that way. Communities in Uganda, India, Cuba, and Curaçao have thrived for centuries with distinct traditions, practices, and cultural markers. Qesher's new book elevates these overlooked stories, showing that Jewishness takes many forms across geography and time.
For diaspora Jews in North America, these alternative narratives offer a mirror. They help answer personal questions: Who are my people? Where do I come from? What does it mean to be Jewish today? By centering marginalized communities, Qesher redefines what it means to belong to the Jewish people worldwide.
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