Deep ideological rifts between Israeli and American Jewish communities came to the fore during a pivotal series of conferences and debates in 1957-1958, revealing fundamental disagreements about Jewish identity, diaspora life, and religious authenticity. Through systematic analysis of major Jewish publications including *American Israel Review*, *Midstream*, *Molad*, *Jewish Spectator*, and *CCAR Journal*, distinct fault lines emerge in how Jewish intellectuals conceptualized core theological and cultural concepts. The Jerusalem Ideological Conference crystallized these tensions, particularly in the Ben-Gurion-Goldmann debate over Jewish peoplehood and messianism. No consensus emerged on basic terminology or theological foundations, while concerns about individual Jewish existence and spiritual authenticity resonated across Reform, Orthodox, and other movements. Additional symposia exploring religious revival in Israel, Reform Judaism's future direction, and unified religious practices further exposed these divisions. While these gatherings succeeded in fostering dialogue between Israeli and American Jewish communities, they ultimately highlighted profound ideological fragmentation rather than unity, especially regarding the persistent challenge of maintaining meaningful worship and religious observance in modern Jewish life across both Israel and the diaspora.