This Sunday, Mount Zion Congregation in Saint Paul will be hosting a very unique event – as far as I’m aware, it may be the first event of its kind in our community!
Titled Israel Conference and Fair: (Re)Discover Israel, the event brings together a wide variety of experts and speakers with many different (and sometimes conflicting) viewpoints on Israel, for a full day of workshops on different aspects of Israel.
Some of the speakers include:
- The Consul General of Israel to the Midwest
- Former Member of Knesset and Chief Rabbi of Norway Rabbi Michael Melchior
- JJ Goldberg, former Editor-in-Chief of The Forward
- 3 university professors in different disciplines
- Pastor Mac Hammond of Living Word and Reverend Tim Hart-Andersen of Westminster Presbyterian
The workshops being offered are are varied as:
- The Conversion Crisis in Israel: Who Is a Jew?
- Minorities in Israel
- Israel Advocacy on Campus
- Iran: The Inside Story
- The Delegitimization of Israel: Constructive Responses
- Two Christian Views on Israel
Pam Leeds-Ragborg, Volunteer Chair of the Israel Advisory Committee at Mount Zion, says of this conference,
“We’ve brought together speakers with widely diverse voices and backgrounds, and we hope to generate conversation that is inclusive, honest, and engaging, while remaining respectful.”
“I’m hoping that the conference will offer attendees a more nuanced look at the issues — one that recognizes their complexity — and will give people a safe forum for expressing their views.”
The event starts at 10:00 am on Sunday, February 13, and goes until 4:00 pm, at Mount Zion Congregation in Saint Paul. The event is FREE, and you can attend as much or as little of it as you like. Come when you can – leave when the must!
(For parents, childcare is being offered for the duration of the event for $3 per hour. What a great opportunity to have some adult time, right?)
For more information, including the complete workshop schedule, see: http://www.mzion.org/PDFs/IsraelConference.pdf
Online pre-registration for the event is available here: http://mzion.nirsham.com/events/register/11
I hope to see you all there, and look for my write-up of the conference on TC Jewfolk next week!
(Photo: hoyasmeg)
The Israel Marketplace will be there as well! Please join us at this great whole day event.