On this episode of IsraelCast, host Steven Shalowitz and Professor Roberta Rosenthal Kwall explore the growing polarization within American Jewry and the political, religious, and ideological divides shaping the Jewish community today. From debates over Israel, Zionism, and antisemitism to the impact of labels and ideological “teams,” Professor Kwall examines what is driving Jews further apart and how respectful disagreement can help bridge those divides. Together, they discuss finding common ground, strengthening connections across denominations, and fostering a greater sense of shared Jewish peoplehood.
Roberta Rosenthal Kwall is the Raymond P. Niro Professor at DePaul University College of Law. She graduated from Brown University with a major in Religious Studies and the University of Pennsylvania Law School. Kwall also has a graduate degree in Jewish Studies. She is an internationally renowned scholar and lecturer and has written about a wide variety of topics including Jewish law and culture, authorship rights, creativity theory, intellectual property, and women’s issues. Today Kwall is one of the main voices on the state of American Jewry and is the author of Remix Judaism: Preserving Tradition in a Diverse World, and her forthcoming book Polarized: Why American Jews are Divided and What to do About It, (Bloomsbury Press, 2026).
Kwall also is a frequent visiting professor at Reichman’s Harry Radzyner Law School in Israel where she has taught courses such as “The American Jewish Movements and Jewish Law,” and “How Law, Politics, and Religion Influence How American Jews View Israel.” Her popular writings have appeared in The Free Press, The Wall Street Journal, The Chicago Tribune, and much of the Jewish themed media. She is a frequent speaker at synagogues and for Jewish organizations in the United States and Israel.