One People, Many Paths: Rediscovering the Jewish Practice of Pluralism

In a time of deep division and rising fear, Rabbi Elan Babchuck invites us to rediscover pluralism as a foundational Jewish practice. Drawing on ancient wisdom and contemporary studies, he makes the case that unity doesn’t require uniformity — and in fact our only path forward will require just the opposite. This session - which will include some text study and lots of conversation - will offer a hopeful vision for a deeply fractured and pained Jewish world.

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Rabbi Elan Babchuck serves as the Executive Vice President at Clal, the National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, and the Founding Director of Glean Network, where he has incubated over 300 social impact startups. He was ordained and earned his MBA in 2012, and will complete a PhD in late 2026.

A sought-after thought leader, he is the co-author of Picking Up the Pieces: Leadership After Empire (2024, Fortress Press), and Meaning Making – 8 Values That Drive America’s Newest Generations (2020, St. Mary’s Press), as well as the forthcoming Sacred Time: The Jewish Art of Rest in a World that Won’t Stop (2027). He has delivered keynotes at stages ranging from TED Talks to the Pentagon, he has been published in The Atlantic, The New York Times, The Guardian, The Boston Globe, Washington Post, Psychology Today, and Religion News Service, and he has a column for The Wisdom Daily.

He is a Faith & Media Initiative Fellow, a Founding Partner of Starts With Us, a movement to counteract toxic polarization in America, and a founding Board Member of Springtide Research Institute, which focuses on faith, mental health and Gen Z. He lives in Providence, Rhode Island with his wife and their three children, and in his spare time he enjoys rock climbing and gardening.