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Democracy in a Jewish State Conference at Knesset Draws More Than 400

A conference at the Knesset on Thursday, May 27, 2010, on Jewish identity in a democratic State of Israel that involved several Hartman Institute scholars drew more than 400 participants, including Israeli opinion makers, educators and heads of leading organizations, according to attendees

A conference at the Knesset on Thursday, May 27, 2010, on Jewish identity in a democratic State of Israel that involved several Hartman Institute scholars drew more than 400 participants, including Israeli opinion makers, educators and heads of leading organizations, according to attendees. According to one participant, panelists and participants asked questions, critiqued the system and "tried to create a real dialogue on issues that shape the society."



The conference, spearheaded by Kadima Party leader Tzipi Livni, was designed to offer ways to increase the Jewish awareness of Israelis while retaining the State of Israel’s democratic character.

 

Livni said before the conference that many in Israel "are trapped inside formulaic opinions without knowing what the other side thinks. I want first of all to open the discussion, just as I have done myself in recent years, with rabbis, for example. We need to see whether there are differences of opinion that can be bridged and how flexible each side is."

 

She said at the conference that Israelis defend the State of Israel on the world stage and explain that it is both Jewish and democratic, but that Israelis themselves must do a better job of defining it themselves and must "allow those who want to join the Jewish people to be part of it."

 

Hartman Institute scholars and fellows involved in the conference included Dr. Micah Goodman , who spoke in the opening session, where and other speakers acknowledged a deep identity crisis in Israel that must be corrected.

 

Dr. Ron Margolin, a Shalom Hartman Institute fellow, was tapped by Kadima to help organize the panels and participants, and Hartman fellows were the chairmen of four panels. Margolin , Ariel Picard , Gili Zivan, and Shraga Bar-on chaired four sessions.

 

Livni said Jewish studies in state schools are important and that Israel‘s ultra-Orthodox schools must also teach Zionism and secular subjects.

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