Elliot Cosgrove is a leading voice of American Jewry and a preeminent spiritual guide and thought leader. The rabbi of Park Avenue Synagogue since 2008, he was ordained at the Jewish Theological Seminary in 1999 and earned his PhD at the University of Chicago Divinity School. Rabbi Cosgrove was honored to represent the Jewish community at the National September 11 Memorial and Museum during the visit of Pope Francis to New York. A frequent contributor to Jewish journals and periodicals, he is the author of fifteen volumes of sermons and the editor of Jewish Theology in Our Time. His latest book is For Such a Time as This: On Being Jewish Today, and he recently talked about it with Tina Lernø for the LAPL Blog.
First, thank you for taking the time to talk to us here at the Library. I imagine you've been very busy since the book came out! I've already read it twice and thought it was so insightful. Can you talk a bit about why you wrote this book?
I have often believed that the role of a good pastor is to provide the vocabulary for people to understand and be present for the highs and lows and transitions of their lives. This book provides the tools for those seeking to understand the Jewish community, the language of how we got here, where we are, and preliminary thoughts on where we need to go.
Was there anything that surprised you in your research?
The Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, exposed a generational divide for American Jews. An older generation, anchored in memories of Jewish vulnerability, reacted very differently than a younger generation at home in America and acquainted with Israel's strength. Exploring this inner Jewish rift has been eye-opening.
I see you grew up in Los Angeles. Was there a different sense of Jewish Community here versus New York or Israel?
I am grateful for the blessings of my Los Angeles Jewish upbringing—much like my life now in New York (except for the 405!) With parents from Europe and family in Israel, I am well aware that my lived experience is very different than that of vulnerable global Jewry.
For Such a Time as This brings up a lot of big feelings. What has been the initial reaction from your congregation and community?
So far, people are grateful. Not everyone agrees with my conclusions, but I have tried my best to model how we can have big tent conversations where diverse voices can be engaged and respected.
Since October 7, there has been a palpable sense of fear in the Jewish community. Many in Los Angeles feel unsafe from Antisemitism. Your book talks a lot about this sense of dread among Diaspora Jews. Do you have any words of advice for Jewish folks and Los Angeles?
The fears are not imagined. Acts of vandalism and sometimes violence are being directed at American Jews. We need to walk and chew gum at the same time. Vigilant for our own safety but also for building bridges. Eyes open to the threats that abound, but also insistent that we live openly proud Jewish lives defined by the vibrancy of our faith, not the hatred of others.
You write about Jewish Identity in For Such a Time as This. What does it mean to be Jewish? Does it mean being a Minority, part of a Culture, or a Religion? What if you are Jewish and don't practice but have a deep cultural connection?
Judaism is far more than a religion. Unlike other faiths, we have no catechism. Some define their Judaism religiously and culturally, yet others as a global and historic peoplehood. A little confusing to the outsider—perhaps, but it is also our secret strength.
In your book, you say, "After October 7th, being a Jew became an identity defined by others, by those who ignore our pain, exclude us, hate us, threaten us, and in some cases kill us." Can you explain this notion?
In chapter seven, I make the distinction between a Genesis Judaism—as defined by the "positive pull" of Jewish Identity and an Exodus Judaism the "negative push" from those who hate us. On October 7, 2023—it was impossible to deny the latter. The question now is how to confront that reality, all the while remaining true to our Genesis roots.
You have a chapter about the Generational Divide. What is your biggest takeaway from your conversations with younger folks? Any suggestions for those who are struggling to connect?
Yes. Listen to them! If there is one thing I have learned as a parent of four college-age kids, it is that keeping an open mind and heart is the key to keeping connected to the generation to come. Listening doesn't mean agreeing. Ask a probing question, and kick the tires of the ideas with which you disagree. But the seriousness with which you engage with the younger generation will result in them taking you seriously.
Do you have any advice on what Jewish people can do to help those around them better understand what they are going through?
At risk of being self-promotional—buy the book! On a recent visit to L.A., I visited the Nova Festival exhibit in Culver City—very powerful and a must for those seeking to understand the events of October 7, 2023.
In addition to your book, what resources would you recommend to help our readers better understand our Jewish community?
David Suissa and the Los Angeles Jewish Journal are doing a great job keeping up to date with L.A. Jewish thought, programming, and priorities. It is the first stop for anyone seeking to understand or enter L.A. Jewish life.
Is there a book that changed your life?
I think as a rabbi, I am supposed to say "The Bible." I found Bryan Stevenson's Just Mercy to be incredibly important and beautifully written.
What is the question that you're always hoping you'll be asked but never have been? What is your answer?
What is my favorite L.A. Ice Cream Shop? Diddy Riese on Broxton Ave.
What are you working on now?
I really want to share life lessons from my pastoral work: A Handbook of Human Behaviors: A Rabbi's Guide.
