As Consul General of Israel, Ambassador Dani Dayan represents the State of Israel to communities throughout New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Delaware. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he is the first Hispanic Consul General of Israel in our region. Ambassador Dayan has established a reputation as an Israeli public figure, lecturer and entrepreneur. He served as Chairman of the Council of Jewish Communities in Judea and Samaria and as the Council’s Chief Foreign Envoy. In these roles, Ambassador Dayan opened doors to the major seats of government worldwide and conducted regular meetings with foreign diplomats and journalists. Ambassador Dayan has been a regular commentator in the international press, contributing to the New York Times, The Boston Globe, The Guardian, CNN, BBC, Al Jazeera, and many more. Ambassador Dayan began his professional career as an entrepreneur and a businessman, founding high tech company Elad Systems in 1982 at the age of 26. He served for several years as its CEO. Dayan spent seven and a half years in the Israel Defense Forces serving in the elite MAMRAM computerized data processing center, attaining the rank of Major. Dayan holds a B.Sc. in Economics and Computer Sciences from Bar Ilan University and M.Sc. in Finance from Tel Aviv University. He is fluent in Hebrew, English and Spanish. Prior to taking up his position in New York, he resided with his wife and daughter in the community of Maale Shomron.

How the Zionist movement came out and developed from the impact and the results of World War I.

Rabbi Jon E. Cutler (Beth Israel Congregation of Chester County, Eagle)

Israel’s victory in the Six-Day War resulted in their acquisition of the Sinai Peninsula, Gaza, the Golan Heights and Judea and Samaria. Israel’s largest foreign policy deliberations today concern the territories it is accused of occupying as a result of the war. And according to many opinions, was and still is, the cause of all the conflicts in the Middle East. Is holding on to the “territories” a cause for war? For peace? What does the Torah have to say on the matter?

Rabbi Shaya Deitsch (Chabad Lubavitch of Montgomery County)

Israeli society is complex. It is comprised of a mix of widely divergent political, religious and cultural perspectives frequently resulting in conflict. This tension is apparent in the expectations, roles and lives of women in Israel. In a country where women serve in the army but are barred from religious practice at the Kotel, this tension escalates and emotions run high. We will explore this friction and others that impact the lives of women in Israel.

Rabbi Sharon Forman-Toll (Director of Lifelong Jewish Learning, Temple Brith Achim, King of Prussia)

We will discuss the most significant archaeological discoveries in and pertaining to ancient Israel. This multimedia presentation will take us on a journey through Jewish history in our beloved homeland.

Rabbi David Gerber (Beth Or Congregation in Maple Glen)

Israel’s Knesset (Parliament) is very complex in the number of political parties that are represented, and how coalition governments are formed. Come participate in a fun and dynamic “simulation game” to discover how the only true democracy in the Middle East functions in reality.

Cantor David Green (Beth Or Congregation, Maple Glen)

Prayers for the land and for the people of Israel, and also for Jerusalem date back to biblical times, and can be found all throughout the TaNaKh. Since the middle ages we have included prayers for our government and country as part of our regular
liturgy, typically at the end of the Torah service. In 1948, with the establishment of the state of Israel, numerous prayers for the
state, people, government and military of Israel were created and circulated. In this session we will examine some of these prayers,
discuss how they have served us during the first 70 years of Israel’s existence, and write personal prayers or new prayers for
our communities that express our hopes for the next 70 years!

Rabbi Roni Handler (Beth Tikvah B’nai Jeshurun)

Israel has endured numerous battles and conquests throughout history. How can we determine who has a legitimate claim to the land? What criteria shall we use to determine ownership? Using Torah and other traditional source materials, we will examine the nature of our ancient claim to the Land of Israel.

Rabbi Yossi Kaplan (Chabad Lubavitch of Chester County and the Western Main Line)

What makes Israel a Jewish state, and how is that compatible and/or in conflict with Israel as a Democratic State? Together we will explore key documents to delve into this essential and existential question.

Rabbi Greg Litcofsky (National Director of Recruitment for Alexander Muss High School in Israel, representing Beth Chaim Reform Congregation, Malvern)

The Jewish community has always had to confront the sin of powerlessness. For centuries, we were beholden to others for our survival. Israel has changed all that. With the creation of the State of Israel, we have gone from a community of powerlessness to one of immense power. That has created new challenges for us, to be sure, but it has also changed how the world sees Jews and more important, how we see ourselves. We will study how the community responded to the pogroms of the late 19^th and early 20^th century, focusing on how Israel transformed our community and lifted up Jewish autonomy, power and spiritual redemption.

Rabbi Gregory S. Marx (Beth Or, Maple Glen)

The session will focus on how Israel is spiritually meaningful to all streams of Judaism, and how Israel has been at the center of our people’s faith since the very beginning of our history.

Rabbi Jacob Rosner (Congregation Or Shalom, Berwyn)

Words written in Israel always live in different times simultaneously, as the same language found in the Torah also fills the pages of the daily newspaper. It is impossible to write poems that don’t resonate across the ages. We will look at works from poets from different periods of modern Israeli history, including the recently deceased Yehuda Amichai, and the contemporary Tuvia Ruebner. While we will consider some original Hebrew texts, all poems will be translated into English, and no familiarity with Hebrew is needed to fully enjoy this class.

Rabbi Jeff Sultar (Congregation B’nai Jacob, Phoenixville)

Over the years, Israel has had massive waves of immigration from various countries. What were they like? How did Israel integrate all of them? What is society like today as a result?

Bat El Trabelsi (Shalicha [emissary] from Israel, working at the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia)

This presentation will show how water, both as a real substance and a symbol, shaped the culture and religion of Ancient Israel. Since the Land of Israel has no major rivers and is dependent almost entirely on rainfall the sensitivity to rainfall and the technology used to collect it was an essential part of Israelite society. Rain and water also became critical metaphors for God’s action in the world.

Rabbi Lawrence Troster (Kesher Israel Congregation, West Chester)

We will be exploring the political and demographic changes behind Jerusalem’s history over the past 70 years. From a city left out of the Jewish state by the UN partition plan, to the establishment of Israel’s capital in West Jerusalem in 1950, to the unification of the city in 1967, to today’s situation where Jerusalem’s status and boundaries are more contentious than ever, up through the United States’ recent recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Come understand how Jerusalem serves as a focal point for all of Israel’s triumphs and challenges since its founding.

Rabbi Joshua Waxman (Or Hadash, Fort Washington)

Ten men have served as President of the modern State of Israel since its founding in 1948. Although their role is mainly a ceremonial one — with the Prime Minister exercising executive power — the individuals who have occupied the office have each left a mark on Israel. The name of Chaim Weizmann, Israel’s first President, is widely known. Much less so are the names and the contributions of the four men who followed him. This session will offer a glimpse into the lives of the first five men who held this office and examine how they influenced the country between 1948 and 1983.

Rabbi Adam Wohlberg, (Temple Sinai, Dresher)