Spotlight on Israel Fall 2024 Class Series at Temple Israel Portsmouth
Jared Goldfarb leads four sessions discussing Israel’s complex history, politics, and culture. Classes may be taken individually or as a series of four. Free and open to all; register via the temple website calendar. Sessions include:
Sunday, 11/17, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm. Jewish Nation Building. We explore the complex and colorful history of Zionism, including its many definitions and movements, beyond the romantic narrative of "making the desert bloom."
Wednesday, 11/20, 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm. Kingdom of Israel or Knesset Yisrael? We consider the intertwined identities of the Jewish-Democratic State, as well as its political structures, electoral process, and national institutions.
Wednesday, 12/4, 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm. Kibbutz Galuyot, Ingathering of the Exiles. We survey the diverse Jewish communities that call Israel home - from Ashkenaz to Yaman - and look at the successes and failures of the attempt to create a unified Israeli identity.
Sunday, 12/8, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm. "From the River to the Sea" Is There Room for You and Me? We take a deep dive into modern Palestine and discuss geography, identity, nationalism, relationship with Israel, and hope for the future.
About our speaker: An independent educator and licensed tour guide living in Jerusalem, Jared Goldfarb teaches the history of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, biblical geography, and the geopolitical history of Israel and Palestine to religious leaders of all faiths, educators, seminarians and university students from around the world.