From the Editor | The Case for Jewish Joy

The Jews are tired,” someone told me at a dinner the other night. The sentiment isn’t surprising. I have heard versions of this from American Jews since October 7, 2023, and even as far back as 2016, once it became clear antisemitism was markedly on the rise.

There are many explanations for this weariness. Some point to the fact that a sense of security many of us felt is gone—seen most concretely in the ever-growing police presence in front of our synagogues, museums and cultural centers. Some attribute it to Jewish identity and concerns being weaponized across the political spectrum by those who don’t necessarily have our best interests at heart. Others just sense an intangible negative shift in the zeitgeist toward Jews and Jewishness and have a nagging worry that our place in America is forever changed.

It’s true that all of this is part of being a Jew in 2025. I am just afraid that for many this has become all it is. A Judaism defined by fear is not sustainable, nor, frankly, is it worth sustaining. On a personal level I also find it deeply uninteresting. The Judaism I want to engage in is the one with a rich tradition of grappling over big questions in Jewish texts and outside of them, of finding creative ways to apply Jewish wisdom to contemporary problems. It’s the deep well of Jewish literature that includes everything from midrash to S.Y. Agnon stories to Wendy Wasserstein plays and even Stephen Sondheim song lyrics. It’s the innovative ways Jews throughout time have found to honor customs and rituals and create new ones. It’s excitement, it’s creativity, it’s joy.

When Leonard Fein launched this magazine, alongside Elie Wiesel, 50 years ago, he wrote: “Moment is, above all else, an invitation: an invitation to take Jewish possibilities seriously (but not soberly); an invitation to inquiry, to learning, to literature, to Jewish life richly conceived.” A Judaism full of possibilities, not fear, is what I want for our community, for our children and for our future.

A Judaism defined by fear is not sustainable, nor, frankly, is it worth sustaining.

I find in Moment the “Jewish life richly conceived” that Fein was talking about. Whether it is through special initiatives such as the “Wide River Project” that brings Black and Jewish thinkers together through various points of connection, magazine sections such as “Ask the Rabbis” that highlight and celebrate the diversity of Jewish thought, or well-reported features on new movements in Jewish life, Moment has embraced a Judaism of excitement and hope—not fear.

This issue is no exception. In honor of Moment’s 50th anniversary, Books & Opinion Editor Amy E. Schwartz compiled a list of 50 landmark Jewish books. She combed through the Moment archives to see what books have had the biggest cultural impact and put together an extraordinary list—although I’m sure some of you may disagree over the choices. We’d love to hear your suggestions at editor@momentmag.com.

If new fiction is more your thing, we also publish this year’s winner of the Moment Magazine-Karma Foundation Short Fiction Contest, “What to Say” by Ilana Marcus, a touching story that centers on aging, parents and death. The contest, which has been running for over 25 years, has introduced many new writers to the literary scene who have gone on to sign with major presses and win prestigious book awards.
Speaking of Jewish joy, there is probably no one more joyous than Modi, the observant gay comedian who espouses what he calls moshiach energy. In an interview with Moment’s Jacob Forman, Modi discusses his unique approach to life and how the Orthodox community has changed its outlook on LGBTQ issues over the past 20 years.

But I’m not myopic. I understand there is a need to examine what is happening in the world, which is why I urge all of you to carefully read this issue’s cover story on the new Christian right. In it, former NPR correspondent Tom Gjelten traces the rise of Christian nationalism in America and what it means for Jews—and democracy. He speaks with Douglas Wilson, an evangelical pastor who is considered to be one of the leaders of this movement. Crucially, he also speaks to conservative, pro-Christian nationalist Jews such as Yoram Hazony who have helped the ideology rise to prominence and who confide that they now have some regrets.

Of course, there is much else in this issue that covers the breadth of the Jewish experience. Arts & Articles Editor Diane M. Bolz looks at an exhibition on the vital role water plays in Jewish life and spirituality, currently running at the University of California, Berkeley’s Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life. “Literary Moment” features pieces from Robert Siegel and Jenna Weissman Joselit, plus a beautiful review from Margot Singer of a new short story collection by Judy Lev that takes place on a single road in Jerusalem, Derech Beit Lechem (Bethlehem Road). If you are familiar with the Baka neighborhood in Jerusalem you will recognize some of the colorful characters who pop up.

Hanukkah is right around the corner, which means family gatherings, maybe even with the machatunim. Don’t know what that means? Check out this issue’s “Jewish Word” to learn more. And if you’re looking for new versions of Hanukkah dishes to try out, head to “Talk of the Table,” where Deputy Editor Jennifer Bardi speaks with Mexican-Jewish chef Pati Jinich—about her upbringing in Mexico City, how food acts as the ultimate bridge-builder and her favorite holiday recipes, including “Potato, Sweet Potato and Granny Smith Latkes” topped with fennel and lime crema and “Salsa Macha.” Yum!

And when you’ve savored all that this issue has to offer, spread Jewish joy by sending the gift of Moment to anyone in your life who may need a little pick-me-up. Happy Hanukkah!