Future Tense

What kind of Jewish future do we want to build - and how do we build something that will last? On this episode of Future Tense, hosts Anna Weiss,

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So much of Jewish life revolves around community—but no single space can perfectly reflect everyone’s values, needs, or identity. How do we decide which communities to join and when it’s time to leave? In this episode of Future Tense, hosts Anna Weiss, Sami Jinich, and Yadid Orlow are joined by Hartman Senior Faculty and Future Tense Advisor, Deb Barer, to explore how we make thoughtful choices about where to invest our time and energy—and how to balance the desire for belonging with the reality that no community will meet all of our needs.

What does it mean to be Jewish when there is no single way that all Jews look, act, or believe? Given the diversity of Jewish experience and practice, what unites us as a people? In this episode of Future Tense, hosts Anna Weiss, Sami Jinich, and Yadid Orlow sit down with guest scholar Sara Labaton to unpack the symbols, assumptions, and subtle signals that shape belonging in Jewish life today.  

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Many young Jews are taught that they have a responsibility to publicly represent the Jewish people—an expectation that can feel especially heavy during the formative years of personal growth and identity development. In this episode of Future Tense, hosts Anna Weiss, Sami Jinich, and Yadid Orlow explore how to balance the challenges of representation with their own personal development as young Jewish leaders and their relationship with the world at large. Together with guest scholar Elana Stein Hain, they untangle the benefits and challenges of connecting beyond the Jewish community and explore what it means to be Jewish ambassadors to the non-Jewish world.

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For the duration of the Israel-Hamas war, university campuses have served as an ideological battle ground. In this episode of Future Tense, hosts Anna Weiss, Sami Jinich, and Yadid Orlow bring their experiences on different college campuses and explore the tensions of liberal Zionism with Masua Sagiv. Together, they carve out space for nuance and examine competing values amidst the loud and vitriolic discourse that often defines the campus climate.

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The Jewish community encompasses a wide spectrum of beliefs, identities, and practices—but what happens when we try to bring all of that under one roof? Is it possible—or even desirable—to create spaces for everyone to come together? In the inaugural episode of Future Tense, hosts Anna Weiss, Sami Jinich, and Yadid Orlow sit down with Shalom Hartman Institute President Donniel Hartman to unpack the real meaning of pluralism. Together, they explore what it takes to create spaces that nurture Jewish togetherness across profound differences—and whether unity requires more than just inclusion.

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On Future Tense, rising Jewish leaders drive conversations with