Contemporary Israel Speaker Series: Israel Over Lunch
July 12, 26, August 9, 23, 12:00-1:00 pm
Join the Holy Blossom Israel Engagement Committee for a summer speaker series about contemporary Israel. Whether we are speaking about science, geo-politics, history or human rights, come for one or come for all at these casual lunchtime gatherings
Register here: https://congregationconnect.tfaforms.net/f/HBTCISS_IOL
July 12: Forging New Frontiers with the Weizmann Institute of Science
Located in Rehovot, Israel, the Weizmann Institute of Science is one of the world’s leading multidisciplinary basic research institutions in the natural and exact sciences. Founded in 1934, the Weizmann Institute has a long history of advancing science that has a direct impact on the world we live in. Since 1964, Weizmann Canada has partnered with individuals, families, foundations, and the business community to support these critical advancements for the benefit of all of humanity.
Join Prof. Roee Ozeri, Vice-President of Resource Development, as he takes us through how the Weizmann Institute is always looking to the future, to answer some of the biggest questions in science. Join us to hear about the Canadian impact on campus and to experience the wonders of Weizmann! From a glimpse into a day of life on campus to forging new frontiers as they embark on three new flagship projects, that will dramatically advance three critical areas of research: brain and neural sciences, artificial intelligence, and particle and astrophysics.
Prof. Roee Ozeri was born in Israel and earned degrees from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Weizmann Institute of Science, before conducting his postdoctoral research at the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Boulder, Colorado in the group of David Wineland, 2012 Physics Nobel Laureate. Roee’s distinguished career in quantum computing includes many research awards, as well as articles published in prestigious journals such as Nature, Science and Physical Review Letters. He joined the Weizmann Institute faculty in 2007 and he was appointed Vice President of Resource Development in December 2019. Roee is married with three children.
July 26: A TURBULENT PERIOD: ISRAELI POLITICS AND THE MIDDLE EAST with Professor Paul Liptz
The last few months have been among the most dramatic and challenging months that Israel has faced. The exciting Abraham Accords opened up the Middle East to Israeli diplomatic and economic growth but were interspersed with the internal political chaos under Benjamin Netanyahu and the unrest within Israel and the conflict with Gaza. This was followed by the unexpected fragile 8 party coalition government where every day requires creative solutions.
Paul Liptz went to Israel as a volunteer one day before the Six-Day War, lectured at the Hebrew University before moving to Tel Aviv University where he was on the faculty for 40 years. At the same time, he was involved in Reform realms and worked for NFTY, the WUPJ and lectured at HUC. In his so-called retirement, he has been active with zoom presentations and is eagerly awaiting the post-CORVID 19 era
August 9: The National Library of Israel presents “The Modern Israeli Calendar’
“The Modern Israeli Calendar” – an exploration of contemporary Israeli society through key events in the national calendar, as they come to life through the collections of the National Library of Israel (NLI). Presented by Shuvi Hoffman, NLI’s Head of Global Jewish Education, this program will explore the diverse communal roots of Israel’s various national, cultural and memorial days, offering an exciting opportunity to understand and engage with the rich communal and cultural tapestry of modern Israeli life.
Shuvi Hoffman is Global Jewish Education Manager at the National Library of Israel. Shuvi is a graduate of “Revivim”, an Honors program for training Outstanding Jewish Educators at Hebrew University, where she received her BA in Jewish Studies and her MA in Biblical Studies, and she also served as a Pedagogical Mentor in the program. Shuvi has worked as a Tanach and Jewish Philosophy teacher at Tali Beit Chinuch School, Jerusalem, where she was head of Jewish Studies. While teaching she wrote Jewish studies curriculum and teachers guides. In addition, she has worked as a teachers’ mentor at the Shalom Hartman Institute and in David Yellin college. She spent two years in New York teaching Hebrew and Tanach in SAR High School, as well as teaching at “Drisha”’s summer programs.
August 23: Rabbis for Human Rights with Rabbi Dr. Michael Marmur
Rabbi Dr. Michael Marmur is currently the Chair of the Board of Rabbis for Human Rights (RHR), an Israeli organization, active in three main areas – work within and about the Occupied Territories; work to promote social and economic justice within Israel; and activities in the fields of education and interreligious dialogue.
Members of RHR are affiliated with different denominations within the Jewish world – Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, Reconstructionist, Renewal, and Humanist. A number of their members serve in communal positions as rabbis and educators and in other capacities and are active in effecting significant change in Israel.
Dr. Marmur is the Associate Professor of Jewish Theology at HUC-JIR’s Taube Family Campus in Jerusalem. Until July 2018 he served as the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Provost at HUC-JIR, having previously been Dean of the Jerusalem campus. In recent years he has taught courses in Theology, Parashat Hashavuah, Homiletics, and Pluralistic Jewish Education. He has published several popular and academic articles. He is the author of Abraham Joshua Heschel and the Sources of Wonder (University of Toronto Press, 2016) and co-editor, together with David Ellenson, of American Jewish Thought Since 1934. We look forward to welcoming Rabbi Marmur and Rabbi Ellenson to Holy Blossom this fall to learn about their publication.
