ABOUT THIS LECTURE: What should modern Jewish politics look like? To what extent should Jews seek to promote the well-being of the diverse societies they inhabit, and to what extent should Jews devote their attention to securing Jewish communal survival? Can an engagement with Jewish texts and practices form individuals into engaged citizens, and what role should Judaism play in times of civic disruption and discord? We will explore diverse answers to these questions, beginning with visions of Jewish political involvement championed by two leading figures in the Jewish Enlightenment — Moses Mendelssohn, the founder of modern Jewish thought, and Nachman Krochmal, Eastern Europe’s most important Jewish philosopher — and considering the relevance of these visions in light of events such as the election of Donald Trump.
LEARNING MATERIALS 1: bit.ly/2GaRCKE
LEARNING MATERIALS 2: bit.ly/2HDWwSX
