“Don’t Just Be Jewish; Do Jewish”: Zack Bodner’s Bold Blueprint for the 21st Century

In an exclusive interview with J-Wire ahead of his visit to Australia for the Sydney Jewish Writers’ Festival, Zack Bodner speaks not just as an author, but as a man deeply embedded in the frontlines of Jewish life. “Judaism isn’t just what you believe; it’s what you do,” he says. “And that doing is how we build a bold Jewish future.”

Bodner is not an armchair philosopher. He’s the CEO of the Oshman Family JCC in Palo Alto, California, where since 2013 he’s led the transformation of the organisation into a vibrant hub of Jewish innovation and community. He also founded the Z3 Project, an international dialogue platform for redefining Israel-Diaspora relations. Prior to this, Bodner served for 14 years as Pacific Northwest Regional Director for AIPAC.

But it’s the personal, as much as the professional, that fuels his message. “I grew up in a very secular, very Zionist home,” he explains. “Shabbat dinners, yes, but nothing particularly spiritual. After my bar mitzvah I was done, until I went to Israel.”

That trip, at age 15, was a watershed. “I met a different kind of Jew in Israel. The boldness, the confidence, the culture; it opened my eyes. I came back changed.” Years later, while studying at Yale, he returned to Israel, met his wife, and resolved that Jewish peoplehood would be his life’s work.

What emerged from that journey is “Why Do Jewish?: A Manifesto for 21st Century Jewish Peoplehood”. It’s not a lament about declining affiliation. It’s a call to action, reframing Jewish life through a creative acronym: TACHLIS. Each letter stands for a way to “do Jewish”: Tikkun Olam, Arts & Culture, Community, Holidays & Rituals, Learning, Israel, and Shabbat/Spirituality.

“It’s not meant to be rigid,” he explains. “It’s a toolkit. A menu. Choose what resonates.” Since October 7, even I’ve revised that view. You need a little of everything now. Especially Jewish pride. Especially connection to Israel.”

Bodner embraces the power of Jewish culture—humour, food, music, and arts—as accessible entry points, but he’s careful not to overstate their sustaining power. “Culture without content becomes nostalgia,” he warns. “And nostalgia doesn’t create proud Jews.”

During the pandemic, (when he wrote the book) the lines between home and work life blurred beyond recognition, Bodner found himself constantly tethered to his laptop, answering emails late into the night, running on fumes. “I wasn’t working from home anymore,” he said. “I was living at work.” At the suggestion of a friend, he embraced the idea of a tech-free Shabbat, not out of religious obligation, but out of a deep need for mental and emotional rest. What began as a coping mechanism soon evolved into a vital weekly ritual. “It’s not orthodox,” he explained, “but it’s sacred: a pause, a reset, a chance to reclaim time and presence.”

Though “Why Do Jewish?” wasn’t written for those already orthodox, Bodner has found that it resonates more broadly than expected. “I’m not writing this for the observant community,” he said. “They’ve already found meaning in Jewish life. This is for those who are searching, but even some Orthodox readers have told me it helped them reconnect with their purpose.”

Bodner is unapologetically inclusive in his approach to Jewish community, especially when it comes to interfaith families. “We have to find a way to make interfaith relationships a plus one, not a minus one,” he states, emphasizing that joyful, meaningful Jewish experiences can attract not just Jews but their loved ones into the fold.

October 7 looms large in Bodner’s evolving thinking. “After the Hamas attacks, and the explosion of antisemitism globally, I realised that picking and choosing from Jewish life isn’t enough. If we leave Israel out of the Jewish conversation, we risk losing a vital part of ourselves.”

His daughter is a student at Columbia, and what he’s seen on American campuses is deeply concerning. “She’s fierce, she speaks out, but it’s tough. Even some Jewish students are questioning their identity because they don’t have the depth of knowledge or the confidence. We’ve failed them. And we need to fix that.”

His proposed fix: knowledge and connection. “Teach the nuance, the complexity—warts and all. And give them personal connection. That’s how you build Jewish pride.”

For Bodner, that pride includes being smart. “My daughter changed her Uber name from (the Jewish sounding) Talia to Taylor. Not out of shame, but safety. You can be proud and strategic.”

The idea of Jewish Peoplehood 4.0, a central concept in his book, is Bodner’s way of describing the shift happening now. “The first three phases were the desert wandering, the Temple era, and then 2,000 years of rabbinic diaspora Judaism. Now, with both a strong Diaspora and a strong Israel, we need a new model. Mutual respect, shared leadership. It’s time.”

He fears, though, that recent events may be pushing Jews back into old postures. “There’s been a retreat. Israeli Jews saying, ‘You’re not safe in the Diaspora.’ Diaspora Jews saying, ‘We can’t support Israel politically.’ We have to resist that drift.”

When asked what the next big Jewish idea might be, Bodner doesn’t hesitate. “A universal Jewish gap year.” This would be designed to bring together Diaspora and Israeli youth for shared learning, service, and cultural exchange. Part of the time would be spent in Israel, part in global Jewish communities; fostering deep bonds, mutual understanding, and a collective sense of purpose for the next generation. “We export dollars to Israel. Now it’s time to import its resilience and pride.”

Bodner is looking forward to engaging with Australia’s Jewish community, which he both admires and sees as standing at a pivotal crossroads. “You’ve got incredibly high day school enrolment and a strong, proud Zionist legacy,” he notes, “but the same challenges we’ve faced in the U.S.—intermarriage, disengagement, generational drift—they’re coming your way too, if they haven’t already.” For Bodner, Australia has a unique opportunity: to look at the American Jewish experience not as a cautionary tale, but as a roadmap; one that offers insights into what’s ahead, and how to prepare for it with intention and resilience.

What he hopes to offer is not answers, but frameworks. “I’m not saying, ‘Here’s the way.’ I’m saying, ‘Here’s a way.’ The best way to preserve Jewish life is to live it.”

And that’s exactly what he’ll explore in Sydney, as a featured guest of the Sydney Jewish Writers Festival, presented by the Shalom Collective.

This Friday, April 4, Bodner will join young adults for an intimate Shabbat dinner and discussion. This Sunday, April 6, he will headline a TEDx-style evening on Jewish peoplehood and pride, in conversation with JCA CEO Alain Hasson, alongside performances by artist Skye Beker. Both events promise rich dialogue, inspiration, and community. Tickets are available at www.shalomcollective.com.au.