Power and Vulnerability in Judaism

The 4th conference organized by the Société des études juives (SEJ), to be held in Paris from June 14 to 17, 2026, aims to explore the concepts of power, sovereignty, precariousness, and vulnerability throughout the history of Jews and Judaism, with the provisional program now available. Among the core questions to be addressed is how the experience of political sovereignty in Antiquity—however partial and conditional—shaped Jewish self-perception and their understanding of power, as well as how the memory of these ancient experiences influences contemporary relationships to land and authority. Additionally, the conference will examine how classical Jewish texts conceptualize the diaspora phenomenon, the ethical and political frameworks developed to guide Jews in exile, and the interpretation of the fundamental principle dina de-malkhuta dina (“the law of the land is the law”). Finally, discussions will delve into how the creation of the State of Israel has altered the Jewish relationship to power, exploring the complexities of living once again in a sovereign territory as a majority, integrating minority groups, and navigating the resulting implications for the global diaspora.