This series is sponsored by Unpacking Israeli History.

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Noam Weissman, executive vice president of OpenDor Media, about Israel education.

In a world in which Israel is a key component of Jewish identity, young people often are given a sanitized, doctrinaire understanding of the Jewish state, rather than getting to build on an authentic experience of connection. Dr. Weissman helps us try to correct this by unpacking some recent Jewish history.

In this episode we discuss:

• How should we provide Israel education in the contemporary world?
• How can we further uplift and inspire our enduring connection with the Land of Israel?
• What is the difference between education and indoctrination?

Tune in to hear a conversation about the Jewish people, the Jewish land, and the Jewish state.
Interview begins at 18:03.

Dr. Noam Weissman is the Senior Vice President of OpenDor Media. Noam is also the Founder and Director of LaHaV. Noam previously served as Principal of Shalhevet High School in Los Angeles. Noam earned a doctorate in educational psychology from the University of Southern California, with a focus on curriculum design. His dissertation, entitled “Approaching Israel Education,” argues for a new vision in learning about the modern State of Israel, focusing on Zionist identity development, narrative formation, and the ability to have a mature and loving relationship with Israel without sacrificing empathy.

References:

Seinfeld

“Could Judaism Survive Israel?” by Gary Epstein

Jewish History Unpacked

Genesis 12:1

OpenDor Media

The Arc of a Covenant: The United States, Israel, and the Fate of the Jewish People by Walter Russell Mead

The Wondering Jew: Israel and the Search for Jewish Identity by Micah Goodman

Side by Side: Parallel Histories of Israel-Palestine
Israel: A History by Anita Shapira

Israel: A Concise History of a Nation Reborn by Daniel Gordis

Israel: A History by Martin Gilbert

The Prime Ministers: An Intimate Narrative of Israeli Leadership by Yehuda Avner

Bonus References from Unpacking Israeli History: