The Program

Results of the Gen08 survey raised questions about long-held assumptions on Jewish schools, as the best shot at imparting and sustaining Jewish identity. Five years on, it is increasingly clear that the cost of Jewish day schooling is out of reach for many, and that many Jewish families support public education for various reasons. What does the Jewish education landscape look like five years after the survey was conducted? Is anyone paying attention? Or do we as a community continue to put (almost) all our eggs in the day school basket?

A heroine of Homeric proportions, an Aboriginal Queen Esther, a modern-day 'woman of valour', an ecstatic Eve, and a life-giving big sister Miriam - these are just some of the creative, contemporary interpretations of women of the Bible that were presented in an exhibition I curated at the Jewish Museum of Australia. In this session, we will explore a selection of historical and contemporary artworks that offer a range of provocative, critical, empowering and inspiring perspectives on biblical women.

The relevance of the 'yamim' (HaShoah, HaZikaron, Ha'atzmaut, Yerushalayim) isn't examined in great depth - the baseline assumption being that these days are of unquestionable relevance and significance for each member of the community. But what if they're not? Does the problem lie with the individual or with the communal approach to commemoration and celebration? We'll explore the relevance of these events; whether they are 'working' and engaging people positively and leaving them fulfilled; what the barriers to widespread engagement are; and whether we're doing enough to get young people to commemorate and celebrate.

The House of Bacri and Busnach was a trading house run by Algerian Jews. They supplied wheat to France over two decades, and ran up a bill of several million francs. The debt wove its way into diplomacy between France and Algiers, and caused the tensions that led to invasion and colonisation of Algeria in 1830. The story of Bacri and Busnach, then, takes us from Napoleon to the Dey of Algiers, and from Algiers, to Marseille, to Paris, and to Leghorn, as these two families found themselves at the heart of political and diplomatic intrigue.

Rav Nachman of Breslav said: "There are stories that are meant to put you to sleep. But the stories that I will tell you will make you come alive, think, revive..." One of the best-known tales of Rav Nachman is the tale of the 'Chacham ve Tam' (the wise one and the simple one). We will reflect on our own reality, while connecting to these two figures. How much do we look for simplicity in our religious life? When do we search for reason and how much space can we leave for 'Terminus'?