Israel Convening Schedule
This schedule is still in the works and is subject to change.
1-2:30 p.m. EST Opening Plenary
Moderated by Rabbi Barbara Penzner, Interim CEO Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association, the panelists will reflect on their personal journeys as Reconstructionists and their hopes for the future of Israelis and Palestinians.
Speakers will include:
Rabbi Gail Diamond
Rabbi Sarah Brammer-Shlay
2:30-3:20 p.m. EST Interactive Workshops
Join us in one of ten sessions where you can delve into a specific topic more deeply.
The Relationship Between the anti-Israel Upswell and Antisemitism
Reconstructionist Roots of “Covenantal Community”
with Rabbi David Teutsch
with Rabbi Deborah Waxman
Evolve: Groundbreaking Jewish Conversation
Reconstructionists Expanding the Conversation
with Rabbi Jacob Staub & Rabbi Toba Spitzer
with Sue Lanser & Rabbi Laurie Zimmerman
Joint Israel Commission: Shutafut (Partnerships)
Progressive Israel Network - The Upcoming World Zionist Congress Elections and Why They Matter Urgently
with Fred Andes, Rabbi Amita Jarmon, Rabbi Michael Cohen, Nir Braudo & Oded Mazor
with Serena Oberstein & Nomi Colton-Max
'Holding Each Other' Creative Space with Ritualwell
RRA Members/RRC Graduates Serving on Campus
with Gabrielle Ariella Kaplan-Mayer
with Rabbi Barbara Penzner, Rabbi Isabel deKoninck & Rabbi Danielle Stillman
RRC and Israel Education
Thriving Communities
with Rabbi Mira Beth Wasserman, Elliot Vaisrub Glassenberg, Sam Kates-Goldman
with Justin Rosen Smolen, Rabbi Rachel Weiss, Rabbi Ruhi Sophia Motzkin Rubenstein & Rabbi Shawn Zevit
3:20-4 p.m. EST Closing Plenary
Focus on the Future: Learning from Different Reconstructionists about the Future They Support
Panelists will reflect as religious leaders coming from a religious movement on questions related to their vision for the future, how Reconstructionist and Jewish values inform their vision, and how political identity labels (e.g., Zionist, anti-Zionist) are and are not useful to constructive conversations about Israel, Palestine, and the North American Jewish future.
Speakers will include:
Resources for Israel Convening
It’s not easy to talk about and process the first anniversary of Oct. 7, 2023, when war continues to widen, hostages remain in Gaza and a ceasefire seems less and likely. This episode aims to model such a conversation. In a wide-ranging interview featuring Rabbi Mira Wasserman, Ph.D., interim vice president of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College and Elliott Glassenberg, senior educator at BINA: the Jewish Movement for Social Change, they and Bryan discuss Oct. 7 and how Israeli and American Jews have been impacted. They also explain the relationship between RRC and BINA and how it may be more important than ever for rabbis serving in the Diaspora to devote time to better understanding the dynamics of Israeli society.
You can find the full-length podcast episode here.
In preparation for Reconstructing Judaism’s December 15 movement-wide virtual convening, Rabbi Elliott Tepperman and Rabbi Rachel Weiss join Rabbi Deborah Waxman for a deeply thoughtful and nuanced conversation about the difficult and rewarding work of maintaining unity within Jewish communities that sometimes have diverse views on Israel and Palestine and the War in Gaza. Their reflections on how to cultivate spaces of growth, respect and accountability within the synagogue offer a blueprint for creating Jewish communities that are there for us during moments of joy and celebration as well as times of mourning and crisis.
With the High Holiday season underway, Deborah welcomes Justin Rosen Smolen, Reconstructing Judaism’s Vice President for Thriving Communities and Partnerships, for a wide-ranging conversation about covenantal community. They explore how the idea of covenant, from biblical narratives to contemporary community-building, emphasizes relationships, mutual responsibility and interdependence. They consider how liberal religion can help address societal issues like loneliness and division, and advocate for conversations that build inclusive, thriving communities. Later, Deborah and Justin explore a Reconstructionist understanding of covenant, emphasizing the importance of shared values and intergenerational dialogue, and recognizing that while diverse perspectives may create tension, they also provide opportunities for growth and deeper understanding within the community.
