25/08/2026
Rabbi Gershon's Though For The Week
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/rpwhuq8lti4k3xrbth67z/T4TW-19-August-2026.mov?rlkey=5yzb0sew4ds39t3shpv6g1afp&st=ok4buyrm&dl=0
I just returned from a trip to Israel, mostly in Tel Aviv with one day in Jerusalem. It was for a Seminar for Spiritual leaders, a partnership between the Daniel Centres of Progressive Judaism in Tel Aviv, and Hebrew Union College, the American seminary at which I was ordained as a cantor in 1990.
It was a very tightly packed visit. We were a group of about fifteen, and my fellow attendees were quite inspiring, including rabbis (and one cantor in addition to me,) ranging in age from mid-30s to just short of 80, and from congregations all over the United States.
I had the honour of being the sole Brit, even though everyone commented on the fact that I don't have a British accent.
It was a marvellous week of scholarship, fellowship, a lot of fun, and a lot of great food. Here are a few examples of the things we did:
• A musical tour of old Jaffa, where our guide brought us to places where important musical events had taken place in Tel Aviv, complete with recordings of the music, which he played while we walked.
• A presentation by Dr. Nachman Shai, the Dean of the Israel Rabbinic Program of Hebrew Union College. Dr. Shai is a former Deputy Speaker of the Knesset, where he served for ten years, and also held many positions in the military, media, diplomatic, and public sectors. His background in Israeli politics is second to none; he is an insider in every respect and gave us a very detailed, remarkable analysis of the political conditions that exist in Israel now as it moves towards the elections in October.
• A presentation by two teachers who developed an initiative called the Teachers' Lounge, which creates an inclusive, respectful and multicultural meeting space for groups of Jewish and Arab teachers operating in Jerusalem, Ramla, Tel Aviv-Jaffa and the Western Galilee. .
• A tour of The Tower of David Jerusalem Museum, located in the Tower of David Citadel, one of Israel’s most significant historical sites, which tells the story of Jerusalem. The new permanent exhibition, housed in the original restored guard rooms of the Citadel, tells the exciting story of Jerusalem through history, from ancient to modern times.
We also had a tour of the ANU Museum, which is what used to be called the Diaspora Museum. It is the largest and most comprehensive Jewish museum in the world. It provides a fascinating journey that portrays the story of the Jewish people through the generations and up to the present time.
We had an extended meeting with Amir Badran. Born in Jaffa, he has been serving as a Tel Aviv-Jaffa City Council member since 2016, now in his third consecutive term, and is a deputy mayor of Tel Aviv-Jaffa. He has sponsored some innovative and important cross-communal initiatives in Tel Aviv-Jaffa. He serves as the head of the municipal party Kulanu Ha'ir, the only political list in the council with both Jewish and Arab candidates.
And if that seems like a lot, it's just the beginning. There were many more presentations and experiences, which I will be talking about in the months to come.
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