Exploring Shavuot: Reimagining Jewish Education with David Bryfman

What does it mean to receive the Torah in the modern world? This week on Common Faith, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Jon Frankel explore the meaning of Shavuot—the holiday commemorating the giving of the Torah—and ask what Jewish education should look like in an age shaped by distraction, polarization, and personal choice. Rabbi Cosgrove reflects on the Torah as a “love letter” between God and the Jewish people: something inherited, wrestled with, and reinterpreted by every generation. They are joined by David Bryfman, CEO of The Jewish Education Project and one of today’s leading voices in Jewish education. Drawing from his new book, Heroism and Hope: Recharging Israel Education in a Post-October 7th World, Bryfman challenges longstanding assumptions about Hebrew school, Israel education, and how Jewish identity is formed today. The conversation tackles everything from Jewish joy and experiential learning to campus antisemitism, social media, and the impact of October 7th on young Jews. Together, they explore whether Jewish education can move beyond fear and obligation toward something more enduring: curiosity, confidence, meaning, and belonging.   David Bryfman:https://www.jewishedproject.org/ His Book: https://www.amazon.com/Heroism-Hope-Recharging-Education-Post-October/dp/B0GZBH6QLL   Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove: https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove https://x.com/RabbiCosgrove Park Avenue Synagogue:https://www.pasyn.org https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/# Jon Frankel: https://www.instagram.com/skifrankel Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.