Meeting the Moment: Urgent Questions for Israel and American Jews
May 19, 2025 By Arnold M. Eisen | Public Event video | Video Lecture
In a time of deep internal division and existential challenges for Israel, what are the most urgent issues facing the Jewish state today—and how can American Jews meaningfully engage? Professor Arnold M. Eisen, Rabbi Gordon Tucker, and Rabbi Ayelet Cohen of The Jewish Theological Seminary had a thoughtful and wide-ranging conversation based on the themes that emerged at the Israel at a Crossroads Convening. Together, they explored how Jewish values can guide us in responding to this critical moment: bridging divides, sustaining hope, and strengthening our collective future.
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Healing Together: How Those in Trauma Provide Care for Others
May 12, 2025 By Naomi Kalish | Public Event video | Video Lecture
How do individuals experiencing trauma find the strength to support others in crisis? Rabbi Naomi Kalish, Harold and Carole Wolfe Director of the Center for Pastoral Education at JTS, discusses this and other topics with Rabbi Annabelle Tenzer, chaplain at Hadassah Hospital-Ein Kerem. Together, they will explore how trauma survivors can also serve as caregivers and highlight key organizations working to provide emotional and spiritual support. This conversation offers insights into resilience, compassion, and communal care in times of crisis.
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The “Art” of Zionist Thought and Israeli Identity
Apr 28, 2025 By Matthew Berkowitz | Public Event video | Video Lecture | Yom Hazikaron-Yom Ha'atzma'ut
In this session, we explored classical works of pre-State and Israeli art that reflect the ethos of the Zionist vision. Visual art and the artists behind these creations were in animated conversation with classical and modern Zionist voices. We reflected on the extent to which the material artistic culture of Israel reflects and engages compelling spiritual and national visions of Zionism and a State for the Jews, in light of current events and the ways artists and cultural institutions are responding to this moment
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Israel at a Crossroads – Expanding the Conversation
Apr 28, 2025
This series builds on the discussions from JTS’s Israel at the Crossroads convening, bringing JTS alumni into conversation about the evolving challenges of Israeli identity, culture, and collective resilience. Through explorations of art, spirituality, and national memory, we will consider how Israeli society navigates questions of belonging, pluralism, and meaning in this complex moment. By engaging voices from across disciplines, Expanding the Conversation seeks to illuminate the ways individuals and communities are shaping Israel’s cultural and spiritual landscape today.
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