Jewish Network Making Space for the Other - Tzimtzum, Relationships, and the Practice of Social Work

October 12, 2026 at 6:30 P.M.

Making Space for the Other - Tzimtzum, Relationships, and the Practice of Social Work

Join the NASW-WI Jewish Social Workers Network for our next gathering as we explore Professor Mordechai Rotenberg’s The Psychology of Tzimtzum: Self, Other, and God.

Our discussion will focus specifically on Chapter 1 and Rotenberg’s exploration of tzimtzum, the Kabbalistic concept of self-contraction and creating space for the other. In developing a Jewish psychology, Rotenberg offers an alternative to approaches that understand relationships primarily through individualism, competing needs, power struggles, and conflict. Instead, he places dialogue, mutual responsibility, and relationship with the other at the center.

At the heart of tzimtzum is the possibility of creating space for the other, and thereby creating space to coexist. Importantly, this does not mean erasing ourselves or giving up our own perspective. Tzimtzum can be understood as a dynamic process of contraction and expansion—making room for another while remaining present ourselves. In this sense, making space for the other can strengthen rather than diminish the self, creating the possibility for genuine dialogue and relationship.

What might this mean for the practice of social work? How do we make space for another person without erasing ourselves? How might we move from an “I or Thou” relationship toward an “I and Thou” relationship? What does it mean to take responsibility for each other while also maintaining our own presence and agency? And what becomes possible when we approach difference not as a competition for space, but as an opportunity for dialogue, inclusion, and coexistence?

We'll explore these questions through a Chavruta-style discussion, bringing Jewish thought into conversation with our experiences and practice as social workers.

No prior knowledge of Kabbalah, Hasidic thought, or Jewish traditions is required. Participants are asked to read Chapter 1 in advance. If you are unable to obtain the book, a link to the relevant reading will be provided upon registration.

October 12, 2026 — Rosh Chodesh Heshvan

⏰ 6:30 PM Central Time

📍 Zoom registration https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/-PwyTLlnQy-19frsI_HB1A

Come learn, reflect, and connect with Jewish social workers from across Wisconsin.

Dafna Berman, Chair

NASW-WI Jewish Social Workers Network

dafnaberman@outlook.co