Great Jewish Debates And How We Survived Them

Across our history, fierce disagreements nearly tore us apart, yet they also refined our ideas, rituals, and communities. I invite you to explore together the major breaking point and the “survival tools” they left us.

Topics Include:

· From One Kingdom to Two: Israel & Judah Taxes, temples, and tribal identity: why the united monarchy split and what held the people together anyway.

· Second Temple Conflict: Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, and Hillel vs. Shammai Who defines authority: priests or sages? Text or Temple? Two schools, two methods, and a timeless model for arguing “for the sake of Heaven.”

· Scripture vs. Tradition: Karaites, Rabbinates, and the Maimonidean Controversy Calendars, Oral Torah, bans and book burnings.

· Modern Fault Lines: Hasidim & Misnagedim, Reform & Orthodoxy, Zionism & Its Critics Charisma vs. scholarship, change vs. continuity, homeland vs. diaspora.

Come to learn about out past arguments and acquire the tools to build stronger community today