The fifth in the Reconstructionist Rabbis of Israel/Palestine series of learning opportunities co-sponsored by CDT. 

Guided by the values of justice, dignity, and the equal worth of all human life, the series seeks to explore the histories and conditions in Israel/Palestine that challenge the boundaries of current Reconstructionist approaches and to re-examine customary assumptions about the role of Israel in diaspora Jewish life.

All are welcome - those who consider themselves Zionists, non-Zionists, and anti-Zionists, and those unsure about how they define themselves, even as we explore the meanings of these terms.

The series is committed to conducting discussions with open hearts and minds, respectful listening, and a shared commitment to the Jewish values of tzedek v'chesed (justice and compassion) for all.

Each 90-minute Zoom session is free of charge and includes lecture and discussion. 

Register at https://www.shamayim.org/expandingourconversation. 

Rabbi Laurie Zimmerman has served Congregation Shaarei Shamayim in Madison, WI, an affiliate of Reconstructing Judaism, since 2003. In 2021 she published “‘No Palestinian House Is Without Tears’: Disrupting American Jewish Narratives of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict” in the Journal of Jewish Ethics. In 2015 she published a curriculum for children and teenagers entitled Reframing Israel: Teaching Kids to Think Critically About the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. She served on the Board of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association from 2008-2012 and co-chaired the Joint Campaign for the Reconstructionist Movement from 2009-2013. She has been an active member of Reconstructionist Educators of North America for almost 20 years. Now on sabbatical, she is writing a book on engaging Jewish children, teenagers, and college students to think critically about Israel/Palestine.