The Cure to Our Social Breakdown

My Christian friends are intrigued when they visit my Orthodox Jewish neighborhood just outside Washington, D.C. It is alive with a social vitality born from thick relationships and place-based community. Not only do we have more friendships, social support, and places to congregate than most other neighborhoods in America—we are also motivated to do more for others and to contribute to our synagogues and social institutions. This nurtures steady growth; our neighborhood borders are expanding, our schools are growing, and new synagogues and institutions are being formed.