FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THE PARDES INSTITUTE OF JEWISH STUDIES RECEIVES GRANTS FOR SERIES ON CONSTRUCTIVE DISAGREEMENT
WORKSHOP CURRICULUM USES JEWISH TEXTS TO ADDRESS TODAY’S POLITICAL AND IDEOLOGICAL DIVIDES
(JERUSALEM, Israel- July 17, 2018) The Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies (www.pardes.org.il) recently received grants from Lippman Kanfer Foundation for Living Torah and from the EGL Charitable Foundation to launch an innovative, five-part educational workshop series on constructive disagreement.
Mahloket Matters: How to Disagree Constructively teaches the study of contradictory interpretations of Biblical narratives and enables people today to engage more constructively in polarized ideological and political debates.
“We are excited to help bring this program to fruition,” said Aaron Dorfman, President of Lippman Kanfer Foundation for Living Torah. “People of all different backgrounds are struggling with how to constructively engage with political and ideological disagreements. We believe that Jewish wisdom can help us address these challenges, and Pardes is in an excellent position to lead the way in this relevant and timely task.”
“Increasingly people are enclosing themselves inside their like-minded identity groups, unwilling or unable to engage those with whom they disagree in respectful and productive learning conversations,” said Rabbi Leon A. Morris, President of Pardes. “This is in sharp contrast with the model of the Jewish beit midrash (study hall) and with the notion of mahloket l’shem shamayim (disagreement for the sake of heaven). Constructive disagreement is something that Pardes has been practicing and promoting for decades. This value is more relevant than ever, and we have a duty to share it with the world at large,” he added.
The project will be headed by Rabbi Dr. Daniel Roth, the Director of the Pardes Center for Judaism and Conflict Resolution and a core faculty member at Bar- Ilan University’s Program for Conflict Resolution, Management and Negotiation. “This is more than an educational workshop series. It’s about cultivating our minds to be more skillful interpreters of the many conflicting realities and texts, from the texts of religion and history to the texts of social media and the news. This is absolutely critical for strengthening the eroding culture of civil discourse and constructive disagreement in the world today,” he shared.
To learn more and pre-register: www.elmad.pardes.org/mmatters
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The Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies (www.pardes.org.il) is an open, co-ed and non-denominational Jewish learning community, based in Jerusalem and with programs worldwide. Pardes cultivates in its students a life-long love of Jewish learning, the Jewish people and Israel, inspiring them to engage in Jewish life as communal leaders, educators and spiritual leaders.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Ayala Young
Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies
Office: + 972-2-673-5210 x240
E-mail: ayalay@pardes.org.il
