Love Hate SF 2012

Love, Hate and the Jewish State: A Conversation on Israel and Social Justice 

May 17, 2012
7-10 PM
Hub San Francisco in the SF Chronicle Building
$5 -- Get your tickets below
Space is limited

Share your story. Leave the boxing gloves at home. 

Love, Hate, and the Jewish State is a civil dialogue for Jews in our 20s and 30s to share our personal experiences about Israel and social justice. We are creating a space where authentic discourse and diverse opinions are welcome – about love and hate, and everything in between. You get to own and author the content of the discussion. We will just provide exercises to help you talk, listen, ask questions, and create meaningful interactions around Israel and social justice. 

The Problem 
Too often, Israel and social justice have been offered as unconnected, sometimes polar, options for involvement and activism for young Jews. A dissonance that many experience between a connection to Israel and a commitment to social change creates numerous tensions in our Jewish community -- at times unspoken, and at times explosive. These tensions have led to internal conflicts, ruptured relationships, and, at times, complete disengagement either from Israel or from the Jewish community for many Jews in their 20s and 30s. 

Addressing the Challenge
Love, Hate and the Jewish State helps create a dialogue for young Jews to grapple together - in their own authentic voices - with these tensions and challenges. We aim to support young Jews to move beyond paralysis or confrontation, and into direct conversation on difficult issues in a collegial, constructive, and vibrant environment that affirms and makes space for difference of opinion and experience. Our immediate goal is a nuanced dialogue that fosters community without shying away from differences. Our long-term goal, which would require the transformation of this one event into a sustained series, is an enhanced capacity for our young adult community to deal with the complexities of the relationship between social justice and Israel.

The History of the Program
Since the first edition of the Love, Hate, and the Jewish State series debuted in Manhattan in 2009, it has become the home of open, direct, and non-persuasive dialogue on the intersection of social justice and Israel for Jews in their 20s and 30s. We now have the opportunity to bring this cutting-edge program to the Bay Area. New Israel Fund is proud of its history in hosting these conversations, and is honored to work alongside other organizations and community leaders, notably in the Bay Area, who have contributed deeply to this work over the past few years. New Generations seeks to create an innovative place for this work to grow, broaden, and transform so as to reach the young Jewish community in new ways. 

Brought to you by New Israel Fund's New Generations

Co-sponsored by A Wider Bridge, Berkeley Hillel, Congregation Beth Israel Judea, Congregation Beth Sholom, Bureau of Jewish Education, CalGrads, East Bay Moishe House, Hazon, Jewish Community Relations Council, Jewlicious, J Street and J Street U, Keshet, Pursue, Rabbis For Human Rights - North America, San Francisco Hillel, San Francisco Moishe House, Congregation Sha'ar Zahav, The Kitchen, Urban Adamah, USF program in Jewish Studies and Social Justice, World Zionist Organization, and Zeek.

Questions? Write to penina@nif.org                                             

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