Shalom Hartman Institute Information

Shalom Chevrei!

Some of you may have seen notifications regarding Shalom Hartman and would like to know more about the institute and the class. The Shalom Hartman Institute is “a leading center of Jewish thought and education, serving Israel and North America. Their mission is to strengthen Jewish peoplehood, identity, and pluralism; to enhance the Jewish and democratic character of Israel; and to ensure that Judaism is a compelling force for good in the 21st century.”

Our class, “Engaging Israel: Foundations for a New Relationship” is a series of nine lectures and conversations with Hartman Institute scholars led by Rabbi Dr. Donniel Hartman that responds to growing feelings of disenchantment and disinterest toward Israel among an ever-increasing number of Jews worldwide by creating a new narrative regarding the significance of Israel for Jewish life. Lecture and discussion participants include Dr. Tal Becker, Yossi Klein-Halevi, Rabbi Dr. Rachel Sabath Beit-Halachmi, Prof. Gil Troy and other notable scholars.

We took a poll of interested participants, and we are ready to begin our Shalom Hartman class entitled “Engaging Israel: Foundations for a New Relationship.” The results indicate a desire to learn monthly on Sunday afternoons. An alternative approach would be an online class with a time to be determined.

Thus, we will get started in earnest Sunday, February 23 at 12:30 pm. The class will go between 1.5 and 2 hours. We’ll discuss the rest of the calendar during our first meeting. Depending on interest, we will meet either in the Emanuel library or Dannenberg South. Jay Rothenberg is our class captain, and he will help with communications. Jay will be in touch with updates.

Please RSVP to me at rabbimarantz@emanuelcong.org or call me at 773-561-5173 ext. 109. If you have questions about the class, please reach out as well. Moreover, if you are interested in trying out this course as an online learning experience, please let me know. We are experimenting with different ways to bring you quality opportunities. This could be a fun and new way. Make sure to RSVP so we can get you set up on the Shalom Hartman online platform, where you will find videos and articles to look at prior to class. While doing “homework” is not mandatory, we highly encourage you to spend some time preparing. Your efforts will make the in-class learning far richer.

I hope this information is helpful. Remember I am available to chat with you and answer any questions. We look forward to welcoming you, growing together, and deepening our connections with Israel.

Make it a day of blessing and be a force for good.

Zei gezunt:

Rabbi Craig Marantz