Program
- Education Series
- Streaming
Judaism in Times of Fascism: An Eight Week Course on Theory and Practice
This course will provide students with a unique venue for this inquiry. Students will be introduced to key concepts, theories, and methods that can help us make sense of loaded terms like "Judaism," "fascism," and "antifascism"; to historical readings and case studies that illuminate the lineages of Jewish antifascism -- including anarchist, Bundist, liberal, and Marxist varieties -- as well as the lesser known histories of Jewish fascism; and to recent texts and other media that address the crisis within contemporary Judaism. Finally, the course will feature ample opportunities for open discussion, and will conclude with a consideration of the possibilities for an emancipatory Judaism and a world without fascism.
How is Judaism to be interpreted in an age of global fascism? How is it to be practiced? What is to be done in the face of the resurgence, on the one hand, of historically anti-Jewish forms of fascism, and, on the other, the emergence of a newer variety, one with a Jewish face? The search for answers to these questions begins with an inquiry into our history, and the lessons it holds for us in the fight against fascism today. This course will provide students with a unique venue for this inquiry. Students will be introduced to key concepts, theories, and methods that can help us make sense of loaded terms like "Judaism," "fascism," and "antifascism"; to historical readings and case studies that illuminate the lineages of Jewish antifascism -- including anarchist, Bundist, liberal, and Marxist varieties -- as well as the lesser known histories of Jewish fascism; and to recent texts and other media that address the crisis within contemporary Judaism. Finally, the course will feature ample opportunities for open discussion, and will conclude with a consideration of the possibilities for an emancipatory Judaism and a world without fascism.
Related Programming
- Education Series
- Streaming
Tanakh Beyond Nationalism
The Hebrew Bible is one of the most argued-over texts in human history, and today is used to propagate some of the most pernicious agendas in the world. Rather than reading the Tanakh as a single voice delivering a settled message, this class will treat it as an ongoing conversation in which the terms of the covenant are renegotiated in every generation. Each session centers a pivotal moment where that relationship is updated, and notices that these stories always come with competing accounts of the moment, what the covenant was before, and competing visions of what it should become.
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- Education Series
- Streaming
Jewish Books and Zionism: A Conversation With Jewish Authors
On April 9, a group of Jewish writers published an open letter calling on the Jewish Book Council to stop centering Zionist and Israeli voices as the default of Jewish literature, and to make space for the wide range of Jewish writers working outside that framework. Four signatories join us to discuss how the letter came together, what they hope the JBC will do, and what it looks like to build new Jewish literary institutions while pushing existing ones to grow. We will explore anti-Zionist Jewish literary ancestors, how diasporic storytelling humanizes Palestinians and counters erasure, and the long history of Jewish dissent this moment belongs to.
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- Education Series
- Event
Global Shavuot Teach-in "From the US to Palestine: Solidarity is Holy"
On May 21st-22nd, the American Council for Judaism and Rabbis for Ceasefire will be hosting our third annual Global Shavuot Teach-in
Under the theme “From the U.S. to Palestine: Solidarity is Holy” we will demonstrate global Jewish solidarity with Palestine, deepen relationships across continents, and develop shared analyses, songs, interpretations of texts and beyond that guide our way to liberation.
This teach-in will be wide ranging including short films and discussions, traditional Jewish text studies, skill shares, song shares, history lessons, political discussions, art making workshops and beyond!
We look forward to seeing you there!
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