A Brief History of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

October 17, 2021    
11:00 am - 12:30 pm

From a Progressive Zionist Perspective
Presented by Rabbi Maurice Harris
Associate Director for Thriving Communities and Israel Affairs Specialist, Reconstructing Judaism

This 3-part online class is based on a powerful slideshow with the instructor, Maurice Harris, narrating, followed by moderated Q and A. These sessions will offer a comprehensive but not too overwhelming overview of how Jews came into being as a nation in the ancient Land of Israel, how their many centuries of exile affected their relationship to that land, and how modern Zionism developed into a successful state building movement culminating in the establishment of the modern State of Israel in 1948. The class also unpacks the major components of the Israeli-Palestinian and Israeli-Arab conflicts, taking care to honor both Palestinian narratives and Israeli narratives of what happened and continues to happen. With care and candor, the course describes and humanizes the narrative of dispossession and resistance of the Palestinians alongside the narrative of survival, return, and state-building of Jewish Israelis. It concludes with an overview of different ideas for how to resolve the conflict that are currently getting increased attention.

Click here to register to receive Zoom connection information.

October 17, 2021: The Founding of Israel, the Birth of the Palestinian Refugee Crisis, and a Chronic Stalemate (1947 – 67).
October 24, 2021: The Long Road to Oslo, the Collapse of Oslo’s Promise, and Possible Directions for the Future.