Judaism – discussion with Matt Plen

Empowered Judaism Too many of us are Jewish passive observers, standing on the sidelines of our synagogues and kowtowing to the way things have always been done.  Empowered Judaism means taking responsibility for our community and engaging critically in meaningful Jewish life.  Masorti offers a path to this kind of empowered involvement, combining Jewish learning and halachic commitment with modern values and intellectual freedom.  In this session we'll explore some of the dilemmas associated with this compelling vision of Judaism, and open the floor for questions and debate. Matt Plen is the director of the Assembly of Masorti Synagogues.  Before taking up this position he spent ten years in Jerusalem, teaching at the Conservative Yeshiva and the Masorti high school, and training Israeli teachers in the secular and orthodox school systems.  He holds an MA in Jewish Studies from the Jewish Theological Seminary and is currently working on a PhD in Jewish Education.  Matt lives in East Finchley, London, and is a member of New North London Synagogue.