iEngage - Liberal Zionism: Between Crisis and Aspiration

NOW AVAILABLE!

The past two years have raised urgent, complex, and at times painful questions about Zionism. For many rabbis, the work as community leaders has become harder: harder to hold community together, harder to navigate the emotional and ideological divides, and harder to chart a meaningful path forward.

Our newest iEngage curriculum, Liberal Zionism: Between Crisis and Aspiration, is designed to help you meet that challenge, offering Torah for this moment and the tools to share it with your communities.

In this eight-unit course, Hartman scholars explore the core tensions and values of liberal Zionism, responding to the dominant critiques of Israel and Zionism in a post-October 7 reality. Together, we’ll explore frameworks for holding moral complexity, for teaching about Israel in a time of war, and for engaging our communities with courage, compassion, and clarity.

Register to access iEngage – Liberal Zionism: Between Crisis and Aspiration

Unit Titles:

Unit 1 — The Crisis of Liberal Zionism
Unit 2 — Pariah Nation: Countering the Criminalization of Israel
Unit 3 — Is Zionism a Colonial Project?
Unit 4 — Love and Tough Love: Criticism vs. Solidarity
Unit 5 — Warrior Nation: The Militarization of Israeli Society
Unit 6 — The Rise and Challenge of Illiberal Zionism
Unit 7 — The Legacy of Gaza in Israel
Unit 8 — The Legacy of Gaza in the Diaspora

Each unit includes:

A podcast conversation between Hartman Vice President Tal Becker and a faculty member at the Institute.
Two Leader’s Guides: one focused on text study with sources that complement the podcast and one designed for facilitated discussion of the podcast itself.
A source sheet with relevant texts and podcast excerpts for your learners.

You can use these formats flexibly, combining them to meet your community’s learning needs. Teach all nine units, or choose from among them.

All materials will be available to rabbis and educators at no cost through Hartman Connect, our online learning platform. Those who sign up will have access to the full curriculum and leader’s guides, and participants will be able to listen to the podcasts directly on Hartman Connect. Note that our first five iEngage curricula are also available free of charge on Hartman Connect. Complete this form to request access to earlier iEngage series.

This new curriculum is both deeply relevant to the urgent questions of this moment and evergreen in its exploration of Zionism’s values and vision. It offers new language and insights to support your teaching, your leadership, and your own thinking in the year ahead.

If you have any questions about how to use the curriculum, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Rabbi Sarit Horwitz, Director of Rabbinic Leadership Programs.

Register to access iEngage – Liberal Zionism: Between Crisis and Aspiration