Living Text: The Multiple Lives of Tehillim in Contemporary Jewish Practice

Journal article

This article examines how Tehillim (Psalms) emerges as a “living text” in contemporary Jewish practice in Israel, maintaining vitality through multiple concurrent modes of existence. Drawing on extensive ethnographic research in diverse Jewish communities, we explore how this sacred text creates meaningful encounters while adapting to social contexts. The text’s remarkable adaptability manifests through three interrelated dimensions: its movement from personal through interpersonal to collective meaning-making, the material mediation of relationships across social boundaries, and the creation of hybrid religious forms that transcend cultural and social dichotomies. Our findings reveal how Tehillim allows for diverse forms of engagement—from traditional ritual to therapeutic tool, from personal devotion to collective practice—while preserving its essential character. Through careful attention to practitioners’ experiences, we observe how the text facilitates meaningful connections while maintaining distinct identities. Whether in hospital corridors, alternative healing spaces, or through digital networks, Tehillim creates opportunities for innovative practice while preserving deep links to tradition. This analysis enriches understanding of how sacred texts operate in contemporary society, demonstrating how religious traditions maintain relevance through their capacity to enable multiple modes of meaning and practice. These findings suggest looking beyond secular–religious dichotomies toward more nuanced understandings of how practitioners engage with religious texts to create meaningful encounters across social boundaries.

Authors: Guzmen-Carmeli, S; Werczberger, R

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Springer
• Journal: Contemporary Jewry
• Volume: 46
• Issue: 2
• Article number: 48
• Publication date: 2026-05-14
• Acceptance date: 2026-03-12
• DOI: 10.1007/s12397-026-09737-7
• EISSN: 1876-5165
• ISSN: 0147-1694
• Language: English
• Keywords: Contemporary Judaism; Lived religion; Material religion; Living text; Israeli society; Religious practice