Who Owns Judaism in Israel? A conversation on authority, trust, & Israeli Jewish life.

​In post-October 7th Israel, 44% of Israelis ages 18–37 are actively seeking a deeper connection to Judaism. At the same time, trust in the institutions that govern religious authority has dropped to just 13% nationwide - its lowest level on record. The result is a growing gap between personal Jewish identity and the systems meant to serve it.

​In this intimate conversation, Rabbi Aaron Leibowitz will explore why this gap exists, why meaningful reform within the Chief Rabbinate has proven so difficult, and what an authentic Orthodox response could look like.

​Raised in Berkeley, CA in a third-generation rabbinic family, Rabbi Leibowitz was adamant as a child that he would be anything but a rabbi... only to become one of the most disruptive Orthodox voices in Israel today. He rose to national prominence by successfully challenging the Chief Rabbinate’s monopoly on kashrut, and is now applying that same model to marriage through Chuppot.

​Drawing on this work, he will outline how new models are emerging and why weddings have become a critical leverage point for change.

​There will be time for questions, open discourse, and an opportunity to support Chuppot’s work. Together with David Siegel, the evening is generously hosted by Gerson and Mindy Schapiro.