Elective 3: RELIGIOUS ZIONISM AND HUMAN RIGHTS
IN HARTMAN HIGH SCHOOLS
MICHAL HARTMAN
In this class we will look at the question of Religious Zionism and
its commitment to human rights, both conceptually and practically within Hartman's
liberal Religious Zionist high schools. While the creation of man in the image
of G-d grants basic human rights to all of humanity at large, the establishment
of the Jewish state of Israel, raises question as to the whether the basic
rights of not only Jews but non-Jews living within the state are respected and
protected. This is especially challenging within Religious Zionist discourse in
light of notions of Jewish chosenness and nationalism. In this class we will
learn together about this internal Religious Zionist debate as well as share
the ways Hartman's high schools address these questions and challenges in our
curriculum, teacher training and social activism programs.
Elective 4: THE TRANSMISSION OF MEMORY AND
MEANING THROUGH HITKANSUT, A NEW RITUAL FOR SHOAH REMEMBRANCE
RACHEL
JACOBY ROSENFIELD
For years the first-hand testimony of survivors has been
central to remembrance of the Shoah. As we lose these voices, we are faced with
the challenge of how to transmit the memory of the Shoah in ways that are
resonant, ethical, and hold both personal and collective meaning. In response
to this challenge, the Hartman Institute developed a new ritual and text which
draws on the features and technologies of Jewish memory that have been a part
of our collective celebration and commemoration for generations. This session
will explore the problem of the loss of memory that motivates this work and the
precedents of Jewish memory making that animate it.
Elective 5: RITUAL: THE POWER OF TRADITION TO CHANGE
SOCIETY
RANI JAEGAR
"They will silently remember,
Both home and rough terrain,
That ritual alone
Is all that does remain"
-
Yehuda Amichai. In Our Love
Using his poetic gift, Yehuda Amichai managed to highlight
the mysterious fact that out of all the solid beings- home and rough terrain-
what is left, is the ritual – a symbolic, temporal human performance.
In this session we will deal with the power of rituals to
impact on society and the challenge around ways of renewing them to our ideals
and changing societies.
Elective 6: LAW AND ISRAELI SOCIETY TODAY:
BALANCING UNIVERSALISM AND PARTICULARISM .
YOFI TIROSH
This session will explore the challenge of walking the
fine yet important line between living as Jews in Israel, a country whose very
existence allows respect and space for our history, culture, and identities –
and living as human beings, maintaining our core commitments to universal
equality and human dignity. We will explore a couple of practical examples from
Israeli law that throw this tension into relief.