Since the attacks on October 7, T’ruah has offered public webinars for prayer and mourning, to engage with the moral challenges of the war, and to hear from staff who traveled to the region. We will continue to update this page with recordings of future events.
Jump to:
- Free Speech: The Gray Area
- Report Back from Israel and the West Bank with Rabbis Jill Jacobs and Jenna Shaw
- Hazards of Moral Equivalency
- A Discussion on Antisemitism with Eric K. Ward and Rabbi Jill Jacobs
- Torah for the Moral Challenges of War
- Communal Mourning & Prayer Space Before Shabbat
- Communal Prayer and Mourning Space Following Oct. 7 Hamas Attack
Looking for a webinar that was for chaverim (rabbi and cantor members) only? Email office@truah.org for the recording.
Free Speech: The Gray Area w/ Suzanne Nossel, CEO of PEN America
Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024
“Free Palestine.” “From the river to the sea.” “Globalize the intifada.” “Decolonization by any means necessary.” “Ceasefire now.” “Stop the genocide.”
In the days since October 7, the public has argued over the intended meaning of these slogans. For those of us who are critical of Israel’s government and committed to freedom of expression and who also have a legitimate fear of growing antisemitism, a central question has been where valid criticism of Israel ends and antisemitism begins. And when someone does say something antisemitic, what are the limits of legal protection?
T’ruah was joined by guest Suzanne Nossel, CEO of PEN America, one of the leading organizations promoting the protection of free expression. Ms. Nossel spoke with T’ruah’s CEO Rabbi Jill Jacobs, who has written and spoken on this topic for the Washington Post, CNN, MSNBC, Vox, and elsewhere.
Report Back from Israel and the West Bank with Rabbis Jill Jacobs and Jenna Shaw
Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023
Earlier this month, T’ruah’s CEO Rabbi Jill Jacobs and Associate Director of Israel Campaigns and Education Rabbi Jenna Shaw traveled to Israel and the West Bank to witness firsthand the impact of the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas, and the turbulent months that have followed.
On Dec. 7, they presented a Report Back to all who were interested. They shared with our community what they saw, heard, and experienced. They shed light on what concerns and needs they heard from Israeli human rights organizations, family members of hostages, and residents of a kibbutz that was attacked on Oct. 7.
They also spoke about what they heard from activists and residents in al-Walaje, a threatened Palestinian village in the West Bank, and their experience acting as a “protective presence” for Bedouin Palestinian shepherds in the Jordan Valley.
Hazards of Moral Equivalency
Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023
On Thursday, Nov. 2, T’ruah and Emor, the Institute for Bold Jewish Thought was joined by Professor Rabbi Jonathan Crane for a discussion on the complexity of responding to the war in Israel and Gaza through a lens of Jewish ethics.
Professor Rabbi Jonathan Crane will taught us about “The Hazards of Moral Equivalency,” and the ways in which we may face the complexities of this moment by asking difficult questions and embracing the discomfort they reveal.
A Discussion on Antisemitism with Eric K. Ward and Rabbi Jill Jacobs
Friday, Nov. 17, 2023
On Friday, Nov. 17, T’ruah’s CEO Rabbi Jill Jacobs was joined by Eric K. Ward, a nationally-recognized expert on the relationship between authoritarian movements, hate violence, and preserving inclusive democracy, for a discussion on understanding antisemitism today and how to move forward.
In November, many Jews sought solidarity by coming together in Washington DC for the March for Israel. And many were horrified that the organizers of the rally gave a platform to Pastor John Hagee, a Christian Zionist who is a known white supremacist and antisemite.
Antisemitism is increasingly concerning for American Jews, from synagogues to college campuses, and on both ends of the political spectrum. The line between what is antisemitic and what is legitimate criticism of Israel is increasingly blurred.
Torah for the Moral Challenges of War
Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023
On Thursday, Oct. 26, T’ruah was joined by Rabbi Avigayil Halpern to explore the question in “Torah for the Moral Challenges of War.”
In this painful time of war in Israel and Gaza, so much is unknown to us. We know that the status quo is untenable, both for Israelis and Palestinians, but the way out of this tangled morass of suffering is unclear. What do Jews do in such times of uncertainty and need? We turn to Torah as a companion for our questions.
Torah can teach us to think about when a certain risk is “worth it” and when it is too likely to cause grave harm. It can help us learn how to be people who evaluate situations both with our heads and our hearts. As North American Jews committed to justice and safety for Israelis and Palestinians, sharing Torah together can give us tools for having these conversations better. We will take a fresh look at the “Oven of Achnai” story, a Talmudic tale of debate between rabbis, as a lens into how Torah study can interact with questions of grief, power, and violence.
Communal Mourning & Prayer Space Before Shabbat
Friday, Oct. 13, 2023
On Friday, Oct. 13, T’ruah held a communal mourning and prayer space before Shabbat. During this time, we came together to grieve those who had been brutally murdered, injured, or kidnapped by Hamas on Oct. 7.
Together, we took a deep breath before unplugging for Shabbat.
We let the words of the psalms guide us as we praid for those mourning their loved ones murdered by Hamas, for the immediate safe return of the hostages held captive in Gaza, for innocent Gazans suffering under siege, and for the protection of all Israeli and Palestinian civilians as the war goes on.
Communal Prayer and Mourning Space Following Oct. 7 Hamas Attack
Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2023
On Tuesday, Oct. 10, T’ruah held a communal space for prayer and mourning, open to all.
Together, we grieved and prayed for the Israelis who were brutally murdered, injured, and kidnapped by Hamas on Oct. 7. We prayed for the immediate safe return of hostages, for our families and friends who have lost loved ones, and for the protection of all innocent Israeli and Palestinians civilians as the war goes on.
The prayer was led by Rabbi Jill Jacobs, Cantor Nancy Abramson, Rabbi Sharon Brous, Rabbi Claudia Kreiman, and Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie.