Upcoming Class on Purim, Power, and Palestine
As Purim approaches this year, I’ve struggled with how to relate to it. What does it mean to celebrate Purim at a moment in which the symbols and themes of Purim are being used to justify horrific violence against Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank? (How) can we reinterpret those symbols in a way that aligns with the struggle for freedom, dignity, and safety for Palestinians, Israelis, and all peoples?
In this two-part class, we’ll explore an essay on Purim by Rabbi Moshe Avigdor Amiel, a largely forgotten 20th-century theologian, that reinterprets the core message of Purim as a protest against the idolization of power, the valorization of war, and the inherent narcissism of ethnonationalism.
But, as we engage with Amiel’s critique, we’ll also confront the contradictions within his own thought. Despite his skepticism of nationalism, Rabbi Amiel believed – or hoped – that Jews were uniquely positioned to create an “ethical” nationalism that would avoid the violent jingoism that had characterized European states. Nearly a century later, those hopes seem tragically and willfully naive.
As much as we can learn from Rabbi Amiel’s insights, then, perhaps we can also learn from his mistakes. How do we reinterpret and reimagine Judaism without exceptionalizing it? Is there a way to build a Judaism that rejects the politics of violence and domination while also considering our implicatedness in that violence?
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Logistics:
Class 1: Sunday, March 2nd @ 6:00 - 7:00 PM EST
Class 2: Sunday, March 9th @ 6:00 - 7:00 PM EST
While the classes will build on each other, each session can be attended separately.
Contribution:
The series will be free, but if you’d like to contribute, please consider donating to the emergency solidarity fund for Masafer Yatta in the West Bank.
More learning opportunities:
If you can’t make it to the series but want to hear about more justice-oriented Torah learning opportunities, you can check out Halachic Left, Judaism Unbound, Approaching, Life Is a Sacred Text, Shel Ma’ala, and SVARA!