About this Event
Join Jewish Voice for Peace-DC Metro, IfNotNow DC, Montgomery County Jewish Collective, American Council for Judaism (ACJ), and the American University Abdul Aziz Said Chair in International Peace and Conflict Resolution for a half day of learning and discussion with Rabbi Andrue Kahn, executive director of ACJ.
The program will feature two sessions, a lecture by Rabbi Kahn followed by a roundtable discussion with local rabbis:
“What Is Judaism Beyond Nationalism?” In the first session, Rabbi Kahn will discuss how contemporary Jewish American identities, cultures, and practices are rooted in histories of non- and anti-Zionism. From the origins of the Reform movement to the ACJ’s founding and its present-day revival, Jewish American history can offer a vision of a diasporic Judaism rooted in ethics, tradition, and community that does not need a connection to a state to be whole.
“Looking Back, Looking Forward: A Roundtable Discussion.” What does diasporic Judaism look like in practice today? Joining Rabbi Kahn for session two, a panel of local rabbis will share their rabbinical perspectives on and applications of Judaism beyond nationalism and provide insight into how conversations around Zionism and changing views of Israel-Palestine are playing out in their communities and from their bimahs.
These sessions are free and open to the public, with donations encouraged. Both diasporists and the “diaspora-curious” are welcome.
Event venue & nearby stays
American University School of International Service, 4400 Massachusetts Avenue Northwest, Washington, United States