This course explores the mystery of our deep connection. We examine the spiritual meaning of the Holy Land, and the way our mission as a people has been wrapped up in that land. We examine the way that the land of Israel has always exerted a pull on the people of Israel, even people who have never set eyes on its soil. And we examine the impact of that spiritual connection upon us today, as we grapple with the complexities of reconciling modern attitudes and politics with an ancient and enduring vision.

At no time in recent memory has the Jewish people been as divided about Israel as it is today. Both inside Israel and outside, we must deal with the onslaught of world criticism, as well as our own attitudes about what Israel is and what it should become. A major purpose of this course is to create a forum for respectful discourse, a safe space where we can put aside for a moment our differences and uncover the core commonalities that bind us together. We do not shy away from hard questions or controversy, but our objective always is to build understanding and to place the issues within a broader context that provides perspective.

While this course seeks to examine our relationship to Israel through the lens of meaning and spirituality, we recognize that students have many different “entry points” to their relationship with Israel, based on their prior experiences. Some are intrigued with Israel as the land where biblical history unfolded; some connect to it geographically; some connect to it because of its religious significance. The course is designed to encourage the deepening of this multi-faceted relationship. Thus, each lesson focuses on a particular city within Israel as well as a biblical narrative that pertains to the theme being developed in each lesson. The biblical narratives are sequenced through the course in chronological order. (Note that the biblical narrative does not always relate directly to the city being discussed.) The first three lessons are primarily concerned with our primal, ancestral connection to Israel, while the final three lessons of the course address our relationship to Israel in the modern age.

Collectively, the six lessons address six reasons why we care about Israel, as outlined in the syllabus.