Introducing: DafAmerica
A new parasha based tool to carry congregations through Inauguration season!
We are pleased to announce a new creation of American Scripture Project: DafAmerica!
We introduce this now as a response to the ongoing increase in toxic polarization in our politics, and the heightened emotion around the transfer of Presidential power in 2025. DafAmerica includes short study materials to enrich Torah study between parashiot Vayechi (January 11, 2025) and Pekude (March 29, 2025). The selected texts focus on how citizens can relate to the use of power in our political system, and the first session (parasha Vayechi) sets the stage by introducing the ways that narratives hold political communities together.
Sacred study of American Scripture helps draw people out of the anxieties and expectations set by week-to-week political cycles and contemporary media coverage. It also unites communities to struggle with and explore the bigger ideas of our shared national identity. While it might be surprising for some to encounter an excerpt from Frederick Douglass or Ronald Reagan at Torah study, the experience has been shown to deepen both Jewish discourse and American patriotism. American Scripture Project texts contain big narratives and values that hold us together as a country. These values also appear in the Torah, which allows Jewish clergy to attach part of the American canon to a communal Jewish study experience.
DafAmerica is an abbreviated version of American Scripture Project that is designed to provide clergy with an accessible, structured approach to examining narratives of our national heritage through their relationship to the weekly Torah portion (parasha). American Scripture Project employs Jewish Torah study methods to explore longer foundational American texts, which we call American Scripture, to help congregations deepen the conversation around what it means to be an American - and to be Jewish - in the 21st century.
When we approach American Scripture, our purpose is not to study history, but to ask how a particular part of our national heritage resonates within the souls of individual citizens. Leaders are clergy, not history professors. This is a spiritual, not an academic, discussion of the text. Even short phrases like “huddled masses yearning to breathe free” or “We hold these truths to be self-evident,” raise big emotions and ideas about our identities as Americans. Especially as we experience a transition between Presidents and political parties, these big feelings need a sacred place to be aired. Synagogues and other Torah study groups can be that place.
The full American Scripture Project requires clergy or other facilitators to invest time in preparing to lead the program’s 90-minute sessions, each of which explores a major American text in depth, with connections to a variety of Jewish sources throughout. DafAmerica uses shorter texts or excerpts and requires less preparation, yet offers the same opportunity to examine foundational American narratives in light of issues raised in the weekly parasha.
DafAmerica is designed for people who lead Torah study. Each session fits on one piece of paper. Side A contains background about the text and its connection to the parasha, with suggestions for how to facilitate the discussion. Side B is a formatted handout for easy use during a study session. The program can be used on Zoom as long as participants have ample opportunity to share and hear from each other.
Ideally, facilitators will be clergy familiar with the dynamics of the community they lead. Clergy have the symbolic role that can hold a group with holiness, compassion, and prophetic vision. Their presence helps keep a Torah study session from turning into political debate. Familiarity with the community allows clergy to build upon known relationships with humor and kindness, which are especially important when people are heated about America.
While DafAmerica could be used for a non-study purpose, like the opening of a Board Meeting or as a substitute for a sermon during worship, we urge caution. These texts raise very big ideas, which require some time and space for exploration. More restrictive time frames in the midst of other types of activities can create too much pressure on the conversation.
We plan to release a new session every Sunday staring on January 5, to provide time for preparation or use during the week leading up to Shabbat. Our planned themes and excerpted texts will be:
Vayechi - The power of narrative: John Dewey’s “The Ethics of Democracy.”
Shmot - The power of recognition: Ursula K. LeGuin’s “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas.”
Vaera - Finding one’s public voice: John Adams’ letter to Abigail Adams.
Bo - Accurate storytelling: Frederick Douglass’s “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July.”
Beshallach - Confronting unfulfilled promise through music: Katharine Lee Bates’ “America the Beautiful.”
Yitro - When our texts betray our creed: Thomas Jefferson’s “The Declaration of Independence.”
Mishpatim - Centering the marginalized: Emma Lazarus’ “The New Colossus.”
Terumah - Making sanctuaries for democracy: Dwight Eisenhower’s speech to the Freedoms Forum.
Tetsaveh - The light of American aspiration: Rabbi Jacob Rothschild’s sermon “And None Shall Make them Afraid.”
Ki Tissa - Rising above division: Rabbi Roland Gittelsohn’s eulogy at Iwo Jima “The Purest Democracy.”
Vayakhel - Reclaiming one’s public identity: Sojourner Truth’s “Ain’t I a Woman.”
Pekudei - An appeal for unity: Abraham Lincoln’s Second Inaugural
For your community? Nothing! However, thanks to paid subscriptions, which help us defray development and maintenance costs.
While clergy can incorporate our materials in whatever way feels comfortable, each session includes suggestions that follow our best practices, which include:
Pre-session questions: We have learned that conversations go deeper when the text for an upcoming session is announced in advance (although pre-reading is never required) together with a couple ideas for participants to consider before arriving.
Suggested opening songs and prayers: Since this is a spiritual study, creating a sacred container that elevates the values of the community is essential. Song and prayer are obvious ways to do so, as are meeting in the sanctuary, meeting on Shabbes or for havdalah, or saying other blessings like motzi and the prayer for study of Torah, and a prayer for after study. Each Daf packet contains suggestions for opening prayers with an explanation of how they connectk to the main themes of the study.
In-session discussion questions: These build on the background material provided in the Daf, and help draw out the larger narrative and spiritual issues in the American text under consideration.
Closing reflections: These can be offered as part of group or hevrutah conversation, as a dedicated time for personal thinking and writing (with or without sharing), or as parting thoughts to consider on the way home (or in a follow-up email).
We look forward to hearing your feedback and suggestions for future texts.