IsraelCast Episode 186

For over 2,000 years, Jews have survived and often thrived under extremely difficult circumstances. Author Gidi Grinstein believes the heart of Jewish continuity lies in our ability to adapt to our environments, as well as constant balance our community manages to strike between modernity and tradition. Host Steven Shalowitz sits down with Grinstein to discuss the interplay between orthodox and reforming Jewish communities, how that interplay has been critical to the Jewish People’s success, and how Israel simultaneously puts Jews in a position of power and vulnerability.

Gidi Grinstein is an Israeli societal entrepreneur, leader, and author. He founded the Reut Institute, Israel’s most cutting-edge nonprofit strategy, development, and leadership group. Within Reut, Grinstein led TOM, a bold global social project with the goal of helping 250 million people within a decade through global open innovation using 3D printing. Grinstein is the author of Flexigidity: The Secret of Jewish Adaptability, which offers a unique systemic view of the Jewish People and underlies his extensive work on Israel-World Jewry relations. He previously served as the Secretary of the Israeli delegation for the Camp David Summit and led the Israeli team that designed Birthright Israel.