When you search for “Jewish joy” on Instagram, a few scrolls brings you book covers, challah glamour pictures, videos of camp talent shows, and at least in my case, memes that have whimsical slogans like “jOY vey.” There are also a number of posts that say Jewish joy is resistance, set against empowering backdrops.

When you tell people in serious Jewish settings that you’re centering and prioritizing Jewish joy as an educational imperative, you tend to either be met with nods of affirmation, or, more likely, some pushback. No one is against Jewish joy. But there are many who will say that Jewish joy is the fluffy, light, nice window-dressings of Jewish life, which they hold as being in juxtaposition with the serious, rigorous learning, social experiences, and immersive moments that are held in high esteem. The serious moments, of course, are central to a lifelong journey of Jewish learning and living. But Jewish joy, rather than being the “cute” or at best “nice to have” parts of Jewish life, is its own educational imperative, to be treated with care, intentionality, and, as we look to the new year, prioritization.

Jewish joy is found in quiet moments, and........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)