Diverse Perspectives on Israel, Explored in an Atmosphere of Respect
Israel360 is committed to bringing diverse voices on Israel to the Portland community, with a core tenet being Israel’s right to exist.
This winter, in addition to the programming (e.g., presentations, concerts, and cooking) we have done in the past, we are adding The Shema Series: Where Do I Fit in Regard To My Support of Israel? These sessions will be sparked by an article/video by a thought leader and have a more interactive format, which will give participants a chance to share their personal connections/thoughts/worries about Israel.
Upcoming Events
Insights From Israel in Conflict: University Student Leaders’ Post-Trip Views on Israel
Israel360: Is It as Bad as It Seems?
Previous Recordings
11-10-2022 – Making Sense of the Israeli Election with Lahav Harkov
5-4-2022 – Impressions of Israel with Photographer Paul Margolis
4-3-2022 – From Immigrant to Figurehead—the Journey of a Nigerian-Israeli Climate Activist w/ Sharona Shnayder
3-13-2022 – Hand in Hand Presentation: Center for Jewish-Arab Education in Israel
About The Kindness Commons
The Kindness Commons™ is an initiative and gift of Rabbi David Kosak. Like all commons, it provides free access to necessary societal goods. In this case, those goods are the Jewish tradition’s deep wisdom on how to build functional, caring and durable communities. Core components and teachings of The Kindness Commons™ center on:
- Kindness (chesed)
- Civility and caring behavior (shmirat halashon and derekh eretz)
- Rich and respectful conversation and dialogue (makhlokhet l’shem shamayim)
- Mutual responsibility (kol yisrael ma’arivin zeh b’zeh and tikkun olam)
About Israel360
Israel360 is a pilot project of The Kindness Commons™ and is housed at Congregation Neveh Shalom, Portland, Oregon.
Israel360 is a series of regularly occurring programs that will consider many aspects of Israel–modern and ancient–from diverse viewpoints and approaches. Some sessions will have a cultural, political or military focus, while other events will examine Israeli history, sociology or the peace process.
In today’s world, any mention of Israel can be contentious, because people arrive at events with pre-formed opinions. To help us grow past this, and to model the Jewish values of shmirat halashon (thoughtful speech), derekh eretz (civility) and makhlokhet l’shem shamayim (directed dialogue), all programs will be facilitated.
At each event, attendees will be reminded of a set of guidelines for participation. The goal is to ensure that dialogue and discussion are respectful and that questions and comments spring from a sense of curiosity rather than a desire to prove a position or score a rhetorical point.
