Paradigm Shift: A Three-Part Series

This is a 3-part series covering the following topics:

Tuesday November 16, 2021
Israel: Navigating Five Conceptual Landscapes
The word “Israel” is a complicated term, evoking multiple and, at times, disparate meanings which often add confusion rather than consistency to our understanding. This session explores this foundational Jewish term by unpacking 5 different conceptual roles that “Israel” has been playing in our historical, philosophical and ideological narratives – from antiquity to our time.

Tuesday November 23, 2021
What are We Crying about? – A Contextualized Look at Tish’a B’Av
In popular discourse and practice, Tish’a B’Av is associated with the destruction of the two temples in Jerusalem. This narrative, however, is a very myopic understanding of the events that the foundational date of Tish’a B’Av truly sets forth to commemorate. This session explores the broader sociopolitical, religious, spiritual and institutional shifts associated with Tish’a B’Av — shifts that forcefully called upon Judaism to either reinvent itself or face destruction.

Tuesday November 30, 2021
Jewish Education in the 21st Century: Assets and Challenges
The first two decades of the 21st century have witnessed great shifts in our social discourse, the information industry, ideological fervor and political positioning. These shifts have also had notable influence on educational infrastructures, including Jewish educational settings. This session outlines some of the chief educational assets and challenges we face today, and continues to suggest a conceptual language and approach to address them effectively.