May 10, 2026 | 23 Iyar 5786

Last month on April 14, The Miller Center partnered with Interfaith America to host “Lighting the Way: Jewish Reflections on Pluralism, Democracy, and Religious Liberty at America’s 250th.” This panel discussion featured Rabbi David Saperstein, founder of the Religious Action Center, Amy Spitalnick, CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, and Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz, founder of Uri L’Tzedek. Together they drew on years of experience working at the intersection of religion and democracy to explore the American Jewish community’s unique role in strengthening pluralism, upholding religious liberty and protecting democracy.

Panelists also reflected on how October 7th and the 2024 presidential election are reshaping the civic landscape for American Jews. Miller Center Director Rabbi Or Rose moderated the panel, which was introduced by President Rabbi Sharon Cohen Anisfeld and concluded with remarks from Rabbi Marc Baker, President & CEO of CJP, whose reflections framed an evening of thoughtful dialogue, civic vision, and shared purpose.

This public event capped off a two day convening of American Jewish leaders organized by Interfaith America and hosted by the Miller Center to mark the 250th year of America's independence. Clergy and community leaders from across the country gathered on our shared campus in Newton for intra-Jewish dialogue and reflective enquiry about the relationship between democracy and religious liberty, and the unique position of American Jews in cultivating pluralistic norms. Miller Center Program Facilitator Jordan Namerow reflects on one facet of the convening in the story below.

Last month, Miller Center Director Rabbi Or Rose visited Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado, as a scholar in residence, reciprocating a visit from Naropa faculty Dr. Judith Simmer-Brown and Amelia Hall for the rabbinical school’s January interreligious intensives. These annual pilgrimages have become the foundation of an ongoing collaboration between two institutions with a foundational ethic of interreligious engagement and dialogue across lines of difference. 

During his visit, Rabbi Rose participated in a special conversation celebrating the 50th anniversary republication of Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi’s groundbreaking work, Fragments of a Future Scroll: Hasidism for the Aquarian Age. Hosted by the Keating-Schachter Center and Ayin Press, the event brought together students, colleagues, and friends of Reb Zalman to reflect on his enduring spiritual legacy and the evolving future of Jewish life. Moderated by Naropa graduate student Leah Aran Miller, the dialogue featured Rabbi Or Rose with Dr. Judith Simmer-Brown and Pir Netanel Miles-Yépez of the Naropa faculty along with Rabbi Tirzah Firestone.

First published in 1975, Fragments of a Future Scroll helped shape the Jewish Renewal movement through Reb Zalman’s visionary synthesis of Jewish mysticism, contemplative practice, and interreligious engagement. The conversation celebrated the interreligious legacy of Reb Zalman, who spent the final chapter of his career teaching at Naropa, and explored Hasidism’s spiritual imagination and ethical teachings.

Applications for the 2024-2025 Dignity Project cohort are now open! Please encourage outstanding high school students to apply here, or send your nominations to Liz at laeschlimann@hebrewcollege.edu

The Miller Center launched the Dignity Project to address the growing need to help teen leaders in our city navigate the diversity of American life during a time of widespread political and cultural polarization. Dignity Project's spiritual and ethical foundation is the ancient and enduring notion that every human being is of inestimable worth, and that a society thrives when people learn to honor each other’s similarities and differences.

'25-'26 Dignity Project Fellows at their closing retreat

In March, fellows in the Miller Center’s Panim el Panim: Jewish Leaders Engaging Israel Across Difference gathered for Workshop #3, “Fears and Dreams: Practicing for the Encounters We Dread and the Futures We Choose.” Centered on the emotional and relational dimensions of leadership around Israel/Palestine, participants considered how engaging with these questions in their daily work affects their deeper hopes and fears. Through music, personal reflection, text study, and facilitated discussion, fellows explored how defensiveness, avoidance, and uncertainty can shape communal life and professional leadership alike.

The heart of the workshop was a role-play lab in which participants practiced navigating difficult personal and professional encounters with greater curiosity, groundedness, and resilience. Fellows reflected not only on what they fear others might say or represent, but also on what they secretly wish could become possible in moments of deep disagreement. The workshop concluded with a leadership lab focused on asking “braver questions” within their own institutions: questions about values, posture, accountability, and the kind of relationship to Israel/Palestine they hope to cultivate in their communities moving forward.

Thank you to the Henry Luce Foundation for funding and supporting this initiative.

When: Wednesday, June 10, 12-1 pm ET
Where: Online via Zoom

Miller Center visiting faculty Rev. Rob Schenck is an evangelical leader who spent three decades as a Capitol Hill-based conservative religious activist before breaking with his community on theological and social issues in 2014. Next month, Rob will join in conversation with Director Rabbi Or Rose to present a history and analysis of the nexus between American evangelicalism, MAGA, and other current right-wing Christian religious-political phenomena. Rob will focus on the implications of all this for Jewish and other non-Christian communities and discuss proven responses for reducing threats to personal and religious freedoms.

When: November 8-18
Where: Venice, Florence, Tuscany, Rome

Building on successful travel-learning experiences abroad in Spain and Central Europe, Tamid of Hebrew College invites adult learners to journey to Italy this November 8-18. This trip will offer a rare opportunity to experience Italy’s artistic splendor, historic geography, and vibrant Jewish-Italian culture exchange through a lens of learning, community, and personal reflection. From Venice (right) to Florence, Tuscany to Rome, participants will discover how Italy’s past and present illuminate enduring Jewish questions of culture, faith, and identity. View the itinerary.