Speaking Topics
23 sessions in three tracks. Pick one for an engaging talk, or build a series of sessions.
No sessions match that search. Try antisemitism, politics, 1948 or Iran.
Israel, Zionism and the Jewish World
9 sessionsWhat are the main challenges facing Israeli society in the coming decades? An analysis of societal trends, issues within the Jewish world, and long-term national security threats.
The purpose of Israel and its role in the lives of Jews outside Israel. Participants consider the idea of Jews as a nation and reflect on their own connection to Israel.
Why is one people’s Jewishness rooted in ethno-nationalism and another in liberal-religious values? How the two largest Jewish communities understand what it means to be Jewish in the 21st century.
A breakdown of the Israeli political system, its pros and cons, where the political currents are flowing, and what the political map may look like in the future.
The challenge of Israel being a Jewish state for all Jews of different streams, beliefs and backgrounds. Should buses run on Shabbat in Tel Aviv? Does the future of Torah study require an army exemption for certain yeshiva students? Can the Western Wall be welcoming to all denominations?
The narratives in Israeli society for and against the role of religion in government and broader society, and its place in the Israel/Diaspora relationship.
Why are the United States and Israeli governments so close? The many layers of the relationship, and where it may be headed.
Israel functions as a compromise between different Jewish and non-Jewish groups: secular Jews, national religious Jews, ultra-Orthodox Jews and Arabs. These compromises and their impact on Israeli society today.
What is the Zionist idea, and what are its roots? A brief history of Jewish nationalism from antiquity to today.
Conflict and Geopolitics
10 sessionsA deep dive into how Jews and Arabs, Israelis and Palestinians, perceive the same land as their own, exploring historical, theological and national claims.
What are the “territories”? Why do some say they are occupied, while others say they are disputed or liberated? What are Areas A, B and C? A short introduction to the West Bank / Judea and Samaria.
A historical introduction to the century-long conflict between Arabs and Jews in the Holy Land.
How does today’s news fit into the local political context and the greater geopolitical challenges and opportunities facing Israel?
Why is the land Israel conquered, liberated or occupied in 1967 still not sovereign Israeli territory? Israel’s relationship with the West Bank and its implications for politics, security and Zionist identity.
Three major ways to frame the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: geopolitics, social justice and tribal identity. Participants explore each lens and what it implies for meaningful discussion and solutions.
Why do most people focus on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict when Israel’s current war is against Iran and its proxies? A shift of focus to Israel’s broader security concerns.
Political, military and diplomatic. Israeli leaders weigh many factors, from restoring deterrence to maintaining regional power. Israel’s strategic objectives across all three dimensions.
How Israelis and Palestinians view the wars of 1948 and 1967 differently: one as securing independence, the other as catastrophe and occupation.
People love to say the conflict is complex. Some elements genuinely are, others are quite simple. This session helps learners tell the difference.
The Israel Conversation and Antisemitism
4 sessionsMany get confused about the boundary between legitimate criticism of Israel and outright anti-Zionism. A look at criticism of Israel within the Jewish community, and the line between critique and delegitimization.
Antisemitism was once thought to be a thing of the past, yet it persists. The historical, societal and political contexts of its rise in the West, why it is unique and persistent, and what can be done about it.
One of today’s most polarizing and complex topics. A model for engaging with different paradigms and political lenses, and an introduction to the “Rootedness and Respect” approach for productive discussion.
Why do young Jewish progressives feel pressured to check their Zionism at the door in social justice spaces? The philosophy, ethics and culture behind this phenomenon.
