From Crisis to Community: Reading Martin Buber in a Time of Social Distancing with Rabbi Bill Plevan

More than a century ago, Martin Buber worried about a crisis in modern life: how would increased alienation and “social distance” of modern societies affect the well-being of humanity? Buber writes about the spiritual dimension of human relationships as the basis for creating genuine community as the response to this crisis. How might his writings help us reflect on the consequences of “social distancing” during current pandemic and appreciate the value of the communities in which we live?