ITC #6 - Religion: What Does Judaism Look Like In Israel?

10 Kislev 5775 - 1 December 2014

Group Building and Communication:

• A review - with questions and discussion on the latest update to our itinerary.

Learning - Religion: What Does Judaism Look Like In Israel?

• Interview with Anat Hoffman of Women at the Wall
• Texts on religious identify and Jewish nature of the State of Israel

Digest:

• We discussed the balance of Israel being a Jewish and Democratic state in the context of the recent Jewish Nation State bill being discussed at the Knesset.  We also touched upon the religiosity of Israelis and how the extreme orthodox exert influence in the question of religious related elements of life in Israel (i.e. marriage, administration of the Western Wall/Kotel)

ITC #5 - Politics: How Does Israel Work?

25 Cheshvan 5775 - 18 November 2014

Group Building and Communication:

• Some reflections and discussion following the terrorist attack earlier that day in a Jerusalem synagogue.

Learning - Politics: How Does Israel Work?:

• The Structure of Israel's Parliament - The Knesset
• The 19th Knesset

Digest:

• We learned about the unique way that Israel's legislative and executive bodies are chosen and govern.  We split the group proportionally - according to the 19th Knesset - and asked each 'party' to cast its support or lack of support for a bill brought to the floor.

ITC #4 - How Did The State Of Israel Come To Be?

4 Cheshvan - 28 October 2014

Group Building and Communication:

• An Interactive Arts and Craft Activity with our own Judith Cassel-Mamet.

Learning - The Formation of the Modern State of Israel:

• Document Excerpts - Sykes-Picot/British Mandate/Balfour Declaration/Partition Plan/State of Israel
• Maps - Sykes-Picot/Balfour Declaration/British Mandate/Partition Plan/State of Israel

Digest:

• We examined 5 different primary documents to touch upon the developments that led to the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948.

ITC #3 - Zionism: How Did This Idea Bloom In The Modern World

13 Tishrei 5775 - 7 October 2014

Group Building and Communication:

• Creating and Sharing Our 'Coats of Arms'

Learning:

• Theodore Herzl Video from Hebrew University archives
• Jewish Streams of Zionism from the Lookstein Center

Digest:  

• We jumped ahead in history to the late 19th and early 20th century to study the modern Zionist movement.  We examined and discussed some of the streams of Zionism (and anti-Zionism) that were such important forces in laying the foundation for the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948.

ITC #2 - Promised Land?

21 Elul 5774 - 16 September 2014

Group Building and Communication:

• Listening Quiz
• Bio Poems

Learning: The Promised Land Concept

• The Land - Early Maps
• The 'Promised Land' - Biblical and Rabbinic Resources
• Timeline of Jewish History

Digest: 

• The concept of a 'promised' land is at the very origins of our Jewish story.  The idea has been woven deeply into the fabric of Jewish life - through rituals, customs and the collective Jewish self-perception.  Interestingly while there has been some presence of Jews in that land through the many years, the actual years of Jewish sovereignty over the land has been a very small percentage of the long history of the Jews.

ITC #1 - Where Are We?

30 Av 5774 - 26 August 2014

Group Building and Communication:

• Interviews and Introductions

Learning - Where are we?

• At our first meeting we found ourselves paying close attention to the conflict in Gaza and discussing the practical and ideological impact this violence may have on our trip.  After updates from Rabbi Mo, Jerry Kazaaz, Kari Epstein and Sharon Thorson -- the group asked questions and discussed our feelings, thoughts reactions and concerns.

ITC - OVERVIEW

Class Overview

#	Date	Subject
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8	8-26 9-16 10-7 10-28 11-18 12-2 12-16 1-6	Where Are We? Promised (?)Land - Where do we get this idea? Zionism - How did this idea bloom in the modern world? Modern History - How did the State of Israel come to be? Politics - How does Israel work? Religion - What does Judaism look like in Israel? Palestine, Palestinians and Us - Who else felt the impact? Israel and the Diaspora - How do we relate?/Getting Ready

Class Timetable

7:00 - 7:15 7:15 - 7:55 7:55 - 8:05 8:05 - 9:00

Settle In/Car Talk Cultivating Community/Exploring Etiquette Housekeeping, Admin, Logistics Israel Focus  - Study and Discussion on Class Subjects