Sh'ma on Certainty, Hatred, and Polarization

This issue focuses on polarization within community — and how certainty informs behavior. The essays explore what happens when we treat our positions — our versions of reality — as “truth.” Today, when working at the intersection of our differences is proving so rewarding for many — especially in innovation, the sciences, and humanities — there seems to be greater segmentation and distrust in other areas. Do we still recognize ourselves in the lives of other Jews when they appear so very different from us — not only in how they look and dress, but, more importantly, in the values that inform their lives? In this issue of Sh’ma, essays explore various perspectives on polarization — the philosophy and religious parameters of certainty and pluralism, the language of hate, and the similarities between Jewish extremists and the first-century Zealots. Finally, this issue challenges us to be more civil in our speech and our communication, and to confront conflict in new ways that embrace difference.