Panel: THEOLOGIES AND PRACTICES OF RELIGIOUS PLURALISM. THE QUESTION OF (IN)EQUALITY THROUGH THE PRISM OF THE INDIVIDUAL VS. THE COLLECTIVE



357.2 - NEGOTIATING EQUALITY IN THE JEWISH TRADITION: BETWEEN COVENANT AND CONTEMPORARY PLURALISM

AUTHORS:
Cesari J. (Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs, Georgetown University ~ Washington D.C. ~ United States of America)
Text:
This contribution situates Judaism within the broader inquiry of how religious traditions shape, mitigate, or resist (in)equalities in a pluralistic world. It explores how the Jewish tradition negotiates the tension between individual and collective religious identity in the context of contemporary pluralism. It examines the enduring significance of the covenantal framework that defines Jewish belonging not merely in individual terms but as participation in a collective identity shaped by divine command and communal fate. The paper investigates how this collective grounding challenges liberal assumptions about individual autonomy, particularly in matters of gender roles, conversion, and interfaith engagement. At the same time, modern Jewish thinkers and communities have developed diverse theological strategies—ranging from halakhic reinterpretation to liberal theologies of inclusivity—to address inequalities within and beyond Jewish communal life. Special attention will be given to how Jewish legal and ethical discourses negotiate demands for individual equality while maintaining the sense of collective responsibility.