It’s no surprise that in a post–October 7 world, Jews worldwide are exploring, considering, rediscovering and reconnecting to their roots. A quick Google search yields headlines such as the following:
• “Jewish identity after October 7”
• “These US Jews are recalibrating their identity in a tempestuous post-Oct. 7 environment”
• “Young Jews worldwide feel new sense of identity after October 7”
• “October 7 changed my Relationship with Judaism”
• “Embracing my Jewish roots after Oct. 7 has meant subjecting myself to antisemitism”
• “After the shock of October 7, young Jews reconnect with their religion”
How is this manifesting in our communities and networks as well as in the workplace?
Within the OU, the number of public school teens who have reached out to set up a JSU (Jewish Student Union) club through NCSY, the expansion of JLIC (Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus) programs on campuses, and the increase in Israel Free Spirit Birthright trip registrants (including newly established volunteer trips in the aftermath of October 7) suggest the transformation of the landscape and the burgeoning opportunity taking place before our eyes.
I remember my high school teacher, Mr. Levy, a shaliach from Israel, asking us if we considered ourselves a Canadian Jew or a Jewish Canadian? Which one is the descriptor, and which one is the essence? Mr. Levy was surprised to hear most of my fellow students answering that they saw themselves first as a Canadian. And what perhaps he might have better appreciated today was that they considered Jewishness to be part of their identity at all.
Is being Jewish a part of your identity? If you name five characteristics that are key to who you are—is “Jewish” one of them? Is it an adjective or a noun? Is it the sum total of who you are in everything you do?
So we are left wondering: How much of our Jewish selves should we bring to work?
The theme of this column is that you can be a Jew and a professional, a mensch and a manager at the same time. They align well—but is there one that takes priority? When faced with a situation in the workplace, does “mensch” define your management? Will you think first of the values and faith that inform your conduct?
In his bestseller Bring Your Whole Self to Work, Mike Robbins draws on this idea, explaining that we can work better, lead better and be more engaged and fulfilled if—instead of trying to hide who we are—we show up fully and authentically.
For us to thrive professionally, especially in today’s world, we must be willing to bring our whole selves to the work that we do. And for the groups, teams and organizations that we’re a part of to truly succeed, it’s essential to create an environment where people feel safe to bring all of who they are to work.
But what does this mean? Maybe those privileged to work at the OU and in other frum workplaces can share in each other’s semachot, discuss Shabbat plans and play Jewish geography. But this isn’t a reality for all, and even in Jewish communal workplaces it’s important to keep a separation between our personal and professional lives.
In his article “What Does It Mean to Bring Your ‘Whole Self’ to Work?,” content and marketing professional Ash Read writes: “Wholeness means we bring all the elements of who we are to work—our passions and strengths, our side projects and relationships, our partners and kids.” But, warns brand strategist Susan LaMotte, “The reality of whole self policies is often that companies expect people to bring their whole selves to the workplace because they’re not giving them reasonable time to live a whole life outside of it.”
So we are left wondering: How much of our Jewish selves should we bring to work?
Perhaps that depends on how much your Jewishness is part of who you are.
We should reflect on whether our Jewishness defines us enough so that we bring that identity to work. We should contemplate whether our Jewishness affects how we interact at work, such as when and how we speak to a colleague or a boss.
The Forbes Coaches Council offers thirteen strategies to bring your whole self to work—which we could examine through a Jewish lens. In fact, the last two suggestions might be at the top of our list at this time of year, and perhaps all year round. The first is to do some “self-searching,” ensuring that whatever resonates with you at the deepest level is what guides you in your work. The second strategy is to become aware of potential blind spots, and to use your own self-management, core values and unique style of leadership to drive you every day. “Bringing your ‘whole self’ to work doesn’t mean using the excuse ‘that’s just the way I am.’ Being ‘authentic’ is not an excuse for behaving badly.”
We in the Orthodox Jewish community have a level of responsibility here. Are we doing enough to help our less-connected Jewish brothers and sisters at work? To be their whole selves? In a world of rising antisemitism and increased Jewish awakening, have we soul-searched enough to understand where our own Jewishness lies in the panoply of our self-definitions?
What does it mean to be an Orthodox Jew in your workplace?
Rabbi Dr. Josh Joseph is executive vice president/chief operating officer of the OU.