By Liora Brosbe, Jewish LearningWorks Senior Educator
Sinat Chinam, commonly translated as “baseless hatred,” is thought to be the cause of the destruction of the 1st and 2nd Temple. As we enter the Hebrew month of Av, we are in the middle of the three weeks, which begins with the 17th of Tammuz (July 23) and culminates with Tisha B’Av (August 12-13).
Sinat Chinam feels very relevant right now in the Jewish world. Whether it’s hatred, toxic discourse, or an unwillingness to understand the other’s opinion, they are all components of Sinat Chinam. As Jewish educators we might find ourselves in the middle of this kind of conflict. But, we are also well positioned to set the tone, culture, and rules of engagement within our communities.
We invite you to join our upcoming learning opportunities to help further your engagement with the topic of Israel education. These opportunities are based on our listening to your feedback!
- Registration for Conflicts of Interest is open until August 9, 2024. You’ll want to sign up to learn with the iCenter next month during this in-depth program including online meetings and in-person sessions in Walnut Creek. You will leave with resources and a helpful framework to have these difficult discussions between staff members, students, and other community members.
- For those looking for an intensive, cohort experience, the Israel Learning Lab starts in November. This is a space to explore the needs of your learners, and delve into your own attitudes, and approaches to teaching Israel while you attend expert-led training and receive mentorship.
May this time in the Jewish calendar remind us that in a post-October 7th world we can also answer the call to build connections, deepen our capacity to listen, and foster love and understanding between Jews and all peoples.
