Unpacking the Inheritance: Why We Carry Jewish Anxiety and How to Put It Down

For many in the Jewish community, anxiety has long been framed as a “family trait” or even a secret engine for success. We’ve been told that being “on edge” is a virtue that keeps us safe and motivated. But on Wednesday, February 11, the Boulder JCC invites the community to challenge that narrative.

Presented by the Men of the J, the program features Rabbi Caryn Aviv, Ph.D., as she discusses her groundbreaking new book, “Unlearning Jewish Anxiety: How to Live with More Joy and Less Suffering.”

Rabbi Aviv, the Rabbinic & Program Director for Judaism Your Way, brings a unique perspective to this topic. With a PhD in sociology and a career spanning the University of Colorado and the University of Denver, she combines academic rigor with in-depth exploration of spirituality.

Her core message is clear: Jewish anxiety is not just a trope, it is a real, inherited, and learned response to a world that has often felt unsafe. These patterns of fear, unworthiness, and shame are not personality traits; they are painful habits internalized from historical trauma and the repetitive, hateful messages of the wider world.

The evening will move beyond stereotypes to provide a roadmap for emotional and spiritual liberation:

• The Reality of Anxiety: An exploration of how community dynamics and external pressures create a stress response deeply ingrained in the Jewish experience.
• The Transmission of Fear: A look at the “unconscious handoff”—how we pass anxiety to the next generation through our stories, our remembrance of the past, and even the way we celebrate our holidays.
• A Path to Freedom: Proof that these patterns are not inevitable. Rabbi Aviv will share practical tools from Jewish spirituality that help release these stressors from both the mind and the body.

In an era marked by global uncertainty and rising antisemitism, the instinct to retreat into hyper-vigilance is strong. However, Rabbi Aviv argues that we have a choice. By cultivating awareness, curiosity, and courage, it is possible to “calm down” and choose joy despite the external environment.

This program is designed for everyone. Attendees will walk away with not just a deeper understanding of their past, but with a toolkit for a more joyful future. Register for Unlearning Jewish Anxiety with Rabbi Caryn Aviv on the Boulder JCC website.