Taught by Rabbi Lauren Grabelle Herrmann 

Sundays March 24 and April 14 at 7pm-8:15pm

Sunday May 5 at 6pm-7:15pm (7:30pm will be a short ceremony for Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Memorial Day which falls on that evening and next day)

Multi-access in person at SAJ and on Zoom

Hamas’ invasion into Israel on 10/7 was the most violent day in Jewish history since the Shoah. Israel’s subsequent response and the war in Gaza has resulted in the deaths and displacement of tens of thousands of innocent Palestinians. Meanwhile, the prospect for peace and prosperity for both peoples feels further away. 

In this incredibly painful time, when so many of us are struggling with how to make sense of the moment and how to relate to this complex history, it seems like an auspicious time to go back to our Reconstructionist roots. What was Mordecai Kaplan’s vision of Zionism and how might that inform our own? What have other Reconstructionist thinkers contributed to the conversation as the state has evolved? What stances has the movement taken to the conflict that might inform our approach to the current conversation? What defines a “Reconstructionist approach” to Israel and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict? 
 

Rabbi Lauren will teach this class and offer additional readings for those who want to go beyond the material prepared for the sessions. Rabbi Lauren will teach to the people in the room and with limited participation for Zoom attendees.

Each class will build on the last but will also work as a standalone. You can attend one, two or preferably all three! If you have questions, reach out to rabbilauren@saj.nyc