The Assimilation of Tikkun Olam

Jewish Political Studies Review 25, no. 3-4 (Fall 2013)

33 Pages Posted: 28 Jan 2014 Last revised: 1 Dec 2014

See all articles by Levi Cooper

Levi Cooper

Bar-Ilan University - Faculty of Law

Date Written: January 22, 2014

Abstract

“Tikkun olam” is a marvelous term that is used as a slogan for activism, political involvement, and social justice. The term has had numerous lives, such that its endurance and malleability over time are truly impressive. This paper is a whistle stop tour that provides an overview of the vicissitudes of the term. This journey demonstrates how “tikkun olam” has come to connote a disparate array of values, and has been assimilated into modern, liberal, democratic discourse. With the course of time, “tikkun olam” has come to serve as watchword for any value, even if a particular value – laudable as it may be – is not rooted in Jewish tradition. This trend raises a question that should be considered: What is the opportunity cost of the cultural assimilation of the term "tikkun olam"?

Keywords: tikkun olam, Jewish Law, political activism, social justice, assimilation

Suggested Citation

Cooper, Levi, The Assimilation of Tikkun Olam (January 22, 2014). Jewish Political Studies Review 25, no. 3-4 (Fall 2013), Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2385947

Levi Cooper (Contact Author)

Bar-Ilan University - Faculty of Law ( email )

Faculty of Law
Ramat Gan, 52900
Israel

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