Seiler Family Gymnasium

Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, Nadav Eyal, and Maggie Feldman Piltch
Moderated by Prof. Chanan Tigay

This year has brought dramatic changes to the Middle East, overturning long-standing assumptions about geopolitics, terrorism, and the prospects for peace. As the war unfolds, our panelists bring different perspectives on what so many decision-makers, experts, and commentators got wrong and what the future holds for the most volatile region on earth.

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Sun Nov 17 | 1:00 – 2:15 PM PST
Breakout Round 1

G-100

Tova Dorfman, Rachel Jacoby Rosenfield, and Andres Spokoiny
Moderated by Rabbi Nolan Lebovitz

For nearly a century, Jewish communities have relied on central institutions to give them the tools to lead fulfilling and secure Jewish lives. With the sharp rise in unaffiliated Jewish life and the growing atomization of society as a whole, these institutions have faced powerful questions about their effectiveness—questions that have become urgent in the wake of 10/7 and its aftermath: What have we learned from their response to the greatest wave of antisemitism in our lifetimes? What did they miss and why? Do we need new institutions, and who would lead them?

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Sun Nov 17 | 1:00 – 2:15 PM PST
Breakout Round 1

Freidenrich Conference Center
(4th Floor)

April Powers, Alana Zeitchik, and Izabella Tabarovsky
Moderated by Tye Gregory

The Jewish community has traditionally relied on alliance-based causes (such as workers’ rights, civil rights, feminism, and gay rights) to secure its place in American society. After 10/7, however, many feel abandoned by their longtime allies and question the wisdom of alliances. Is solidarity still the best strategy, or might isolation serve the community better? Or should we just choose our allies more carefully? This panel examines the evolving landscape of Jewish security.

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Sun Nov 17 | 1:00 – 2:15 PM PST
Breakout Round 1

E-104

Rabbi Dr. Josh Ladon, Rabba Mor Shimonie, and Dr. Liel Leibovitz
Moderated by Jennifer Mamlet

Zionism begins with the 2000-year-old belief that the Jewish people will return to their ancient homeland. We have returned. Now what? In Israel, we are witnessing a slide into applied messianism and extremism, and in the U.S., our shared language of belief, ideology, and theology is rapidly thinning. This conversation explores the core of Jewish peoplehood and how our shared values can anchor a vibrant future together.

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Sun Nov 17 | 1:00 – 2:15 PM PST
Breakout Round 1

Schultz Cultural Arts Hall

Dr. Masua Sagiv, Yael Vias Gvirsman, and Former Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked
Moderated by Dr. David Hazony

For two straight years, the headlines out of Israel have been filled with law talk: First, the government’s proposed judicial reforms nearly tore the country in half, and then since 10/7, lawsuits and investigations have been launched against Israel at the two most significant courts of international law (ICJ and ICC). What does it all mean? Panelists will take a deep dive into the fundamentals of democratic rule, the international order, human rights, and how it all relates to the Zionist dream “to be a free people in our Land.”

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Sun Nov 17 | 1:00 – 2:15 PM PST
Breakout Round 1

G-103

Vanessa Hidary and Shlomit Naim Naor
Moderated by Shalom Orzach

When words fail, poetry offers a path to express the depths of pain, loneliness, and anguish. Join Israeli and American poets as they share their art and their process for finding clarity in today’s impossible reality. Participants will explore ways to articulate the depths of communal pain and resilience.

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Sun Nov 17 | 1:00 – 2:15 PM PST
Breakout Round 1