Zionisms Learning Cohort

What does Zionism even mean?
What are the different kinds of Zionism?
Do I have to be a Zionist? 

Do you have questions about Israel and Zionism? We do too.

Bring your questions to a welcoming space for learning and exploration. We’ll explore diverse perspectives making use of texts from across the ideological spectrum that draw on sources from many and various corners of the Jewish community.

This is not an academic space, and we’ll be talking about values and emotions as well as history and data. Any and all relationships to Israel and Zionism are welcome here. Come with an open mind. Don’t come prepared to defend a position – this isn’t a debate, and we aren’t the UN. Be excited to hear other perspectives and be challenged by listening empathetically to other experiences and relationships. We will build a community in good faith, pursuing argument for the sake of heaven (makhloket l’shem shamayim).

We will meet Wednesdays from 7:30-9 PM at Hillel UW. Sessions begin February 28th and run through April 17th, with an off-week March 13th. Class registration is $36 – please reach out if cost will be a barrier for you.

If you are interested in joining our cohort, please fill out this form. Once your response is received, Ashley will reach out to you to schedule an informal conversation. Once accepted, you will receive a link to a payment form and your registration will be complete upon completion of payment. The preferred application deadline is February 14th. Acceptances will be issued on a rolling basis. There will be cap on the size of the class, so please complete the application form as soon as possible to prevent being waitlisted.

Your Guides and Fellow Travelers

Ashley is the program director for Jconnect at Hillel UW. She is a trained Resetting the Table facilitator. She also received her Master of Arts in International Relations from King’s College London, where her dissertation focused on the ethics of insurgent warfare. Ashley loves productive conflict and experimenting with new ideas.

Rabbi Lauren is an alum of Hillel International’s Masterclass: Israel cohort and is currently training to be a Resetting the Table facilitator. Rabbi Lauren is interested in chewy conversations – conversations that focus on challenging ideas that have no clear-cut answer –  and looks forward to engaging in them with you.