Where Are You in Relation to Israel?

In a short, compelling book entitled Jews and Words, Amos Oz and his
daughter Fania Oz-Salzberger, wrote that the Jewish people are not related
by bloodlines, but rather by text-lines. Over seven sessions, we will study
some of the texts that connect the people of Israel to the land of Israel
and the State of Israel. I hope that everyone who chooses to participate in
this course of study will grow their personal relationships with the other
people in the cohort and with Israel. Our goal will be to deepen and thicken
our relationships to Israel, and to increase Ahavat Yisrael – “love of
Israel,” – including both the people and the place. Please join us for any,
and hopefully, every session!
Register: t-b-s.me/relations
During our series, our topic titles will include:
Israel in Perspective: Zionism as a Response to Modernity
Israel in Perspective: The Zionist Idea
One State, Many Midwives
A State of Ideals is not the Same as an Ideal State
Be Careful What You Pray For
Not All Wars Are the Same
The Story of Hatikvah
All sessions will be recorded. Rabbi Elyse Pincus Abrahams will be joining
Rabbi Katzew throughout the series to bring additional wisdom and insight.
Our Teacher: Rabbi Jan Katzew
Rabbi Katzew, PhD is Associate Professor Emeritus of Jewish Thought and
Education and Senior Educator of the EMA Program at HUC-JIR. After serving
for six years as rabbi/educator at The Community Synagogue in Port
Washington, NY, Jan became a Jerusalem Fellow and earned a doctorate at the
Hebrew University in Jewish Thought and Education. For fifteen years Jan led
a team of educators at the Union for Reform Judaism that was responsible for
designing, developing, and implementing curricular resources for early
childhood centers, congregational schools, day schools and adult learning
communities throughout the world. Since its inception in 2008, Jan has been
a senior consultant to the iCenter for Israel Education, mentoring students
from multiple graduate schools and seminaries to become Israel educators, a
task made even more important after October 7, 2023. Jan is the author of
popular and scholarly articles in multiple fields that include Interfaith
dialogue, Mussar, Medieval Hebrew Poetry, Israel Education, Moral
Development, and educational philosophy and practice.