The Situation in Israel: Stay Informed Through Recommendations by Our Rabbi
Hundreds of thousands of Israelis are taking to the streets in protest of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's proposed judicial overhaul. It's a situation that matters deeply to us as American Jews, and also has a lot of moving parts. Below are a list of suggested readings, recommended by our Rabbi, and upcoming events to help you stay informed on this critical subject.
Suggested Readings:
Israel Judicial Reform: Whys is There a Crisis? - BBC News
In Or Akiva, Social Strife Driving Overhaul Conflict Rises to the Surface. - Times of Israel
News Analysis: Israel's Protests, Netenyahu and the Crisis his Government Unleashed. - Los Angeles Times
How Did Israeli Democracy Come Under Threat? Follow the Money. - The Forward
Between Civil Disobedience and Civil War. - The Shalom Hartman Institute
Opinion: Unprecedented Events in Israel Hold Lessons for U.S. - Washington Post
Bnei Brak Presents: How to Turn a Tense Anti-Overhaul Rally into a 'Cholent Party'. - Times of Israel
Distinguished Voices: What's Our Role?
With all this upheaval, many of us American Jews might feel stuck in place. How can we affect change from thousands of miles away? How do we bridge the ideological and geographical divide with our brothers and sisters in Israel? What's our role in saving Israeli democracy? As part of our Distinguished Voices Speakers Series, we will bring two Israeli activists to Har Sinai - Oheb Shalom to guide us in how we as American Jews can play an active and crucial role in building a better Israel. This includes Prof. Rabbi Michael Marmur of Rabbis for Human Rights on May 9, and Nadav Tamir of J Street Israel on June 8.
The Tribes of Israel
As the State of Israel celebrates 75 years of independence at a time of profound internal conflict, we are doing a deep dive into the complexities of Israeli society. This includes a special Sunday Seminar series called “The Tribes of Israel: A Shared Homeland for a Divided People.” The Tribes of Israel series confronts the challenge of creating a Jewish and democratic public space in the modern State of Israel—a shared common space for a people divided along “tribal” affiliations: religious, ideological, national, and geographic.
- Sunday, April 2 @10AM: “The Jewish People as a Tribal Family”
Rabbi Rachel Sabath Beit-Halachmi will lead the study of the multiple sectors of Israeli society. What do we mean when we say “Orthodox”? - Sunday, April 9 @10AM: “Who or What is a ‘Secular’ Israeli?”
Rabbi Ofer Sabath Beit-Halachmi will lead a study together with Rabbi Rachel Sabath Beit-Halachmi of the “Liberal” Jewish Tribes. Who or What is a “Secular” Israeli? What are the differences between Ashkenazi and Sephardi Israelis? What is the Role of the Army, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) in Israeli Society?
