Hanukah 5781: Between Civil War and Nonviolent Demonstrations: How Best to Respond to Discriminatory Decrees?

Introduction

This podcast examines the story of Hanukah as told in the Book of Maccabeus as a classic example of clash of civilizations and identity groups that ends in a violent civil war.   The question is are there alternatives?  Is it possible to defuse the tension between such conflicting identity groups in a nonviolent way?  To this end, the far less known story of the 28th of Adar is presented as such an example of nonviolence with critical lessons for how to engage group identity conflicts today.

This week’s podcast is sponsored by Rabbi Mark Cohn
in honor of Rabbi Leon Morris, President of Pardes,
for his leadership and teaching along with a staff
that keeps Torah engaging and accessible.

Download the Source Sheet

This podcast features The Book of Maccabees I 1

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Credits
Rabbi Dr. Daniel Roth – Adjunct Faculty and Host for Pardes from Jerusalem
Rabbi Adam Titcher – Lead Consultant and Producer
Arlene Harel – Faculty Coordinator

Daniel Roth

Rabbi Dr. Daniel Roth is Director Emeritus of the Pardes Center for Judaism and Conflict Resolution and an adjunct faculty member. He is currently Director of Mosaica and teaches graduate courses on religion and peacebuilding at Bar-Ilan University, Tel Aviv University and Hebrew University.

Daniel initiated Pardes’s Mahloket Matters and the 9Adar Project, promoting constructive conflict and dialogue in Israel and beyond. A regular lecturer for MEJDI Tours and National Geographic, he previously served as a senior research fellow at George Mason University’s Center for World Religions, Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution. Daniel holds degrees from Bar-Ilan University, Hebrew University, and Herzog Teachers’ College, and received rabbinic ordination from Yeshivat Har Etzion.