The Theology of Social Orthodoxy

In 2014, Jay Lefkowitz made a stir with his essay “Social Orthodoxy,” in which he argued that for many Modern Orthodox Jews—himself included—religious observance is linked at least as much to identification with a tightknit community as to belief or piety. In a conversation with Eric Cohen, Lefkowitz now expounds further on his thesis, noting that it is backed up by the Hebrew Bible itself—in which, he contends, peoplehood is prior to belief. (Audio, 51 minutes.)