Big Tent Judaism

Public Space Judaism in Boulder

For 16 years, the Jewish community of Boulder, Colo. has come together to hold the annual Boulder Jewish Festival. It’s free and open to the public, so it represents a great opportunity for what we call “Public Space Judaism,” in which we bring Judaism to where people are rather than waiting for them to come to us. This year, the festival’s organizers took full advantage of that model, even creating an inclusive and welcoming tag line for the event: “Come in, our tent is open!”

According to an article in the Daily Camera, the festival aimed to “eliminate the metaphorical doorway people must walk through to learn more about Judaism’s cultures, beliefs and traditions.” The goal was to find ways to connect with newcomers, unaffiliated Jews and all those who are traditionally underserved by the mainstream Jewish community. Cheryl Fellows, the festival director, said it’s a “challenge for the Jewish community to find the best ways to be welcoming, and a lot of people just don’t have strong ties or are new and don’t know how to get involved.” The festival then becomes a way to “explore and get in touch.”

By lowering barriers both metaphorically and literally, organizers of the Boulder Jewish Festival are sending a clear message to the unaffiliated in their midst: all are welcome. Area studies show that in the Denver and Boulder region, “only 32 percent of those who identify as Jewish are connected to a regular congregation.” The festival helps Jewish groups focus on “outreach and interconnectedness” to bridge these gaps that exist in the Jewish community.

Putting Judaism out in the open is the best way to encourage people to explore and connect with their heritage while experiencing the value and meaning in being a part of the community.

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