The Jewish Tomorrow: Reimagining the Jewish future... one conversation at a time

What if the key to a vibrant Jewish future isn't about defending the past or pouring money into old models, but about a radical reinvention, one centered on belonging, storytelling, and fearless adaptation? In a world of rapid change, rising antisemitism, and shifting identities, the question isn't just how we survive, but how we thrive.

In this episode of The Jewish Tomorrow podcast, host Robert Richman sits down with the legendary Jay Sanderson, media pioneer, former CEO of the Jewish Federation, and now President & CEO of American Jewish University. Jay shares his incredible personal journey from a traumatic childhood in Boston housing projects to a transformative meeting with David Ben-Gurion, exploring how these experiences forged an "unafraid" leader. The conversation dives deep into the urgent need to disrupt outdated Jewish institutional models, prioritize the next generation, and rebuild a Judaism defined by purpose, inclusion, and dynamic storytelling. Together, they confront hard truths about denominational relevance, the cost of Jewish life, and the critical shift from fighting against antisemitism to fighting for a compelling Jewish future. Let’s dive in!

In This Episode:

• 00:00 Episode preview and introduction

• 01:28 Meet Jay Sanderson

• 02:13 Why the Jewish future needs a longer view

• 04:07 Why old Jewish labels are fading

• 05:41 Can Judaism adapt without losing its core?

• 07:14 Young Jews are gathering differently now

• 09:15 The real barriers to Jewish engagement

• 11:27 Moving Jewish life beyond politics

• 12:08 Disruption as a Jewish leadership mindset

• 13:20 Why free Jewish education is not enough

• 14:15 The synagogue model people are rejecting

• 15:18 Why the Jewish world needs to fail more

• 18:39 The evolving role of rabbis

• 22:34 The rabbinic skills communities need now

• 24:43 Why welcoming people changes everything

• 25:40 Seeing Judaism through fresh eyes

• 27:05 How do we measure Jewish success?

• 29:42 AI, technology, and the Jewish future

• 30:52 Why AI is an opportunity and a challenge

• 32:05 Why Jewish institutions cannot stand still

• 33:19 Changing the conversation around antisemitism

• 34:06 Jay Sanderson’s vision for what comes next

• 34:27 Closing thoughts

Notable Quotes

• [00:02:56] "I believe our story is an extraordinary story, but we need to take control of it going forward." - Jay Sanderson

• [00:15:24] "We are unable and unwilling to fail. You learn from failures, not from successes." - Jay Sanderson

• [00:24:59] "Being Jewish is complicated, and it should be somewhat complicated. It just shouldn't be as complicated as it is right now." - Jay Sanderson

• [00:26:40] "We all know what it feels like to be slaves, and we all know what it feels like to be free." - Jay Sanderson

Our Guest

Jay Sanderson is one of the most influential voices in Jewish communal life today. A lifelong storyteller and disruptor, Jay has served as Executive Producer of the Jewish Television Network, President and CEO of the Jewish Federation, and now President and CEO of American Jewish University. Known for challenging entrenched systems and reimagining Jewish engagement, Jay brings a bold, future-focused lens to leadership, education, and belonging. His work centers on asking better questions, embracing experimentation, and building Jewish life that helps people truly thrive.

Resources and Links

Jay Sanderson

• Website

• LinkedIn

Robert Richman

• Website

• LinkedIn

• Instagram
  

What if the future of Judaism was shaped less by fear and survival, and more by imagination, pluralism, storytelling, and possibility?

In this episode of The Jewish Tomorrow, host Robert Richman sits down with Becca Leviss, Jewish futurist, organizer, facilitator, and founder of the Judeo Futurism Project, for a powerful conversation on Jewish futures, American Judaism in 2070, Jewish identity, spiritual imagination, strategic foresight, and what it means to build communities rooted in collective flourishing.

Together, Robert and Becca explore why futurism is deeply Jewish, how Torah, Midrash, Talmud, diaspora, ritual, and storytelling can help us reimagine what Judaism becomes next, and why Jewish institutions must move beyond grief, trauma, and fear-based survival narratives. From protopia and Jewish pluralism to AI, art, time, truth, and the future of the American Jewish community, this conversation asks a bold question: What else is possible?

In This Episode

• [00:00] Episode preview and introduction

• [02:24] What is Judeo-futurism, and did Becca Leviss coin the term?

• [05:03] Why futurism feels inherently Jewish and how Jewish tradition has always imagined the future

• [07:41] How ancient religious texts, prophetic literature, and science fiction share a tradition of imagination

• [09:56] Why Torah, Jewish text, and tradition can handle wrestling, reinterpretation, and hard questions

• [11:32] How Judaism understands time as a spiral, not a straight line

• [14:24] How truth, deepfakes, media, and technology are changing the future of belief and identity

• [18:39] Why futurism is having a moment during times of crisis, uncertainty, and existential pressure

• [20:35] Becca’s framework for Jewish futurism, including ritual, theology, strategic foresight, and other futurist traditions

• [23:19] How AI, art, storytelling, and culture production may shape the future of Jewish imagination

• [27:20] What protopia means and why it moves us beyond the utopia-versus-dystopia binary

• [29:24] How regendering Biblical text can unlock new layers of Torah and radical Jewish reimagination

• [31:43] Why fear, violence, and grief can shut down imagination and make alternative futures harder to see

• 35:46] Why Becca believes being Jewish is fundamental to how she moves through the world

• [39:57] Where to learn more about the Judeo Futurism Project and Becca’s work

Our Guest

Becca Leviss is a Jewish futurist, organizer, facilitator, and the founder and director of the Judeo Futurism Project, a multidisciplinary initiative using art, scholarship, ritual, and strategic foresight to help American Jewish communities imagine futures beyond grief, trauma, and fear-based survival. She is currently developing a virtual and physical art exhibition exploring what American Judaism could look like in 2070, while also training graduate students in adaptive leadership and organizational change at Harvard Kennedy School and the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Resources and Links

Becca Leviss

• LinkedIn

• The Judeofuturism Project

Robert Richman

• Website

• LinkedIn

• Instagram
  

We’re asking the questions no one else is: If everyone is fighting anti-Semitism… what are we really fighting for? What does being Jewish mean today? And what should The Jewish Tomorrow look like?

But we’re also asking: How will breakthroughs in technology, shifting cultural trends, and new ideas redefine our lives and work in the future?

Hosted by Robert Richman, The Jewish Tomorrow explores how the future is unfolding.

Follow now and visit thejewishtomorrow.com