March 12, 12:00 PM EST - Zoom
For Times Such as This: How Megilat Esther Can Help Us Navigate Extremism, Ethical Quandaries, and a Commitment to Justice
by T’ruah
Fighting for justice in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories can feel like an uphill battle. Many Jewish Israeli civil society leaders have long been at the forefront of challenging extremism and grappling with the ethical dilemmas inherent to conflict. One such organization is Smol Emuni.
Smol Emuni, Israel’s “Faithful Left,” co-founded by Mikhael Manekin, is a diverse group of religious Israeli Jews committed to using Torah and Jewish practice to counteract religious and political extremism.
Since their founding, they have offered important thought leadership and have been on the front lines organizing observant Jews to support a hostage and ceasefire deal. Join T’ruah for a conversation with Mikhael on Wednesday, March 12 at 12:00 p.m. ET.
Note for chaverim: We will offer an optional 30 minutes at the end of the event (1-1:30 p.m. ET) for chaverim, T'ruah's rabbi and cantor members, to process the content together and discuss risk-taking in your communities.
Mikhael will speak on his new book, Sermons from the Abyss, which uses the five Megillot that Jews read during the year in synagogue to reflect on the horrors of the last several years in Israel.
As Purim approaches, we’re thinking about how we can use the Megillat Esther to understand our role in these turbulent times; to illuminate our path forward; to help us navigate and confront extremism with clarity and purpose. We will ask these questions in our discussion with Mikhael and explore how these profound insights can prepare us as authoritarianism gains ground in the U.S.