Dreams and Realities: The People, the Land and the Torah of Israel; a unique seminar designed for Reform Jewish adults seeking a deeper learning experience from within the political, historical and spiritual center of our people. We will journey from Jerusalem to the center of the country and then down into the desert. After ten extraordinary days, participants will return to their home communities intellectually and spiritually renewed.
We will address such questions as why do we face Jerusalem when we pray? What does it mean to be in a Diaspora and how do we understand the idea of Homeland? For centuries Jews have been connecting Torah and spirituality with a specific geographic location, after this seminar you will never look at the prayer book or the Bible in the same way again. The seminar will also explore prayer, its origins, melodies and tradition through experiential as well as traditional learning.
Finally we will explore what possessed a people who had been living outside of its land for two millennia to begin the process of "moving back home?" What transformed yeshiva boys into farmer-soldier-pioneers? How did Hebrew become the dominant language of Israel after being relegated to religious practice for so many years? Here is an unparalleled experiential learning opportunity for those interested in understanding the deep roots and ideas behind the Jewish State of Israel.
We will be running the seminar on the following dates:
July 9th - 19th 2009 / October 15th - 25th 2009 / December 3rd - 13th 2009
The total price for the seminar is $2000 (not including airfare).
The price includes: lodging (on the basis of double occupancy, there is an additional fee for reserving a single room), half board, (full board on Shabbat), and all educational programs.
If you are interested in receiving more information regarding this fascinating seminar, please contact Elyse Leifer-Anker at
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Itinerary
Thursday
Welcome to Jerusalem
Arrival at Beit Shmuel
Dinner
Introduction to Program
Making Sense of Jewish Public Culture: In Israel and the Diaspora
Friday
Jerusalem in the Jewish Mind & Soul
Breakfast
Praying in Jerusalem
Jerusalem in the Jewish mind: Text and Field Study
Lunch
King David: Political & Spiritual Leader in David’s City
Prepare for Shabbat
Kabbalat Shabbat Services at an Israeli Reform Synagogue
Shabbat Dinner
The Western Wall: Questions and Critiques
Shabbat
Heavenly and Earthly Jerusalem
Breakfast
Shabbat Morning Services.
Kiddush and Lunch
Walking Jerusalem through the Psalms: Field Study
Shabbat rest time
Seudah Shlisheet-Torah Study
Havdallah
Free Evening in Jerusalem
Sunday
Community and Society: Yesterday & Today
Breakfast
Praying in Jerusalem
Study Tour of the Israel Museum, Visit Second Temple Period Model
Jewish Quarter: Reflections on the Second Temple
Lunch
Introduction to the Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism
Dinner
Songs of the Land of Israel and the Secular Prayer
Monday
Destruction and Rebuilding
Breakfast
Praying in Jerusalem
Leadership During the Holocaust: Field Study Yad Vashem
Lunch
Israel's National Leaders: Field Study Har Herzl
Discussion and Debriefing
Free Time
Tuesday
The Price and the Benefits of Sovereignty
Breakfast
Jewish Responses to Power and Powerlessness: Text Study
Tel Aviv: The First Modern Hebrew City or the First Modern Jewish City?
Lunch in Tel Aviv
The Palmach Museum: Inter Active Learning Program
Meeting with Israeli Reform Movement's Pre Army Program-Mechina
Dinner in Tel Aviv
Wednesday
Israel as an Ethical Sovereign Jewish State
Breakfast
Prayer Workshop
Confronting Ethical Issues: Jerusalem - Text and Field Study
Lunch in the German Colony
Free time
Justice, Justice Shall You Pursue: The Israel Religious Action Center
The Strategic Arena: Political and Current Event Analysis
Thursday
Prophecy and Pioneering in the Desert
Early Breakfast and checkout
Depart for Sde Boker
Ben Gurion as a Visionary Leader - Field and Text Study
Lunch in the Desert
Tour the Fields of Kibbutz Yahel
Dinner on Kibbutz Yahel
The Story of a Reform Zionist Kibbutz
Friday
Zionism and Progressive Judaism
Sunrise Desert Hike and Morning Service
Picnic Breakfast in the Desert
Discussion: The Philosophy of Kibbutz Lotan
Desert Meditation and Solo Experience
Lunch
Prepare for Shabbat
Kabbalat Shabbat
A Unique Shabbat Dinner: Kibbutz Lotan
Shabbat
The Desert, Zionism and Ecology
Breakfast
Shabbat Morning Services in the Desert
Kiddush and Lunch
Study Program at the Ecological Center
Seudah Shlisheet - The Third Meal: Torah Study
Havdallah
Return to Jerusalem
Sunday
Planning for Tomorrow
Breakfast
Prayer Workshop
The role of Progressive Judaism in the Jewish World
What I am taking back with me: Conclusion
Festive Closing Lunch
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