My partner and I have been talking about joining his family's synagogue, but I'm struggling with how they practice hesed — it feels performative to me, like checking boxes for community standing rather than genuine loving-kindness. He sees it as authentic tradition and thinks I'm being judgmental, but I can't shake the feeling that we're being asked to participate in something that doesn't match our understanding of what covenantal love actually means.
More people experience this than they realize.
You're navigating conflicting understandings of what genuine covenantal loving-kindness looks like within institutional religious practice.
“Where Are You with Hesed — Hebrew covenantal loving-kindness?”
Peri can explain why this happens, help you decide if this is the right situation for you, and point toward the right journey or coach.
If this sounds familiar, the Library can help you find the bigger picture.