Adult Education – Judaism and Politics

The relationship between Judaism and politics is a long and complex one. If Judaism is a religion first and foremost should it have any impact on our political lives? Yet, as Liberal Jews many of us feel compelled by the call of Prophetic Judaism which tells us the two are inseparable. This course will explore some of the textual models for a Political Judaism and then move into seeking what it means to see Liberal Judaism as a political Judaism. The following weeks will then look at those Jews who were involved in radical politics and attempt to understand whether there is something about Judaism that attracts this sort of political thinking. In the last three weeks we will explore the topic through some specific issues and questions:

Judaism and Politics

14^th January: Biblical and Rabbinic Models of Politics

21^st January: Liberal Judaism as a Political Judaism (Rabbi Danny Rich)

28^th January: Jews involved in Radical Politics

4^th February: Does Judaism tell us we must vote?

11^th February: Israel – what does it mean to be a Jewish State?

18^th February: Judaism and the issues of Modern Society…