Florence Melton Adult Mini-School
Summer Israel Graduate Seminar

FATEFUL ENCOUNTERS THROUGH JEWISH HISTORY

June 23 - July 3, 2003 * 23 Sivan - 3 Tamuz, 5763
* Subject to Change *

Monday, June 23 (23 Sivan): Introduction to Seminar Themes

Note: Early Arrivals option - Seminar participants meet at 1:30 p.m. at the Inbal Hotel, Jerusalem.

• A visit to The Hebrew University, Mount Scopus:
  Campus or Sanctuary: Between Ideals and Reality
• 19:30 Opening Dinner - Faculty Club of Hebrew University, Mt. Scopus
• Reflections: Who Are We and Why Are We in Israel?
• Overnight - Inbal Hotel

Tuesday, June 24 (24 Sivan): Fateful Decisions During the First and Second Temple Periods

Day commences at 8:00 a.m.

• Field Trip: Overview of Jerusalem's Earliest History.
• Study session overlooking City of David
• Field Trip to the Herodian Mansion and Jewish Quarter in the Old City
  (Possible Exploration of the Western Wall Tunnels)
• Group lunch at Beit Ticho
• A visit to the Israel Museum and the Dead Sea Scrolls at the Shrine of the Book
• Dinner at leisure
• Overnight - Inbal Hotel

Wednesday June 25 (25 Sivan): From Jerusalem to Yavneh -Leadership in the Wake of Hurban

Day commences at 8:00 a.m.

• Study Session: Responses to the Destruction of the Temple
• Field trip to Yavneh: Who is to Lead the Jewish People?
• Group Lunch
• Bar Kochba: Messianic Redeemer or False Star?
  • Archaeological Dig at Beit Guvrin
  • Exploration of Caves from Time of Bar Kochba Revolt
  • Reflections: What do We Dig up From Our Past?
• Possible visit to Hamei Yoav Hot Springs
• Dinner at leisure
• Overnight - Inbal Hotel

Thursday, June 26 (26 Sivan): New Cities from Old - Jewish Culture Redefined in a Changed Reality

Day commences at 8:00 a.m.

• Visit Neve Tsedek, Earliest Tel-Aviv Neighborhood
• Visit Independence Hall, Tel Aviv - Site of the Signing of Israel's Declaration of Independence
• Lunch at leisure
• Visit Beit Bialik and Central Tel Aviv
• A Visit to Kikar Rabin in Tel-Aviv
• Reflections at Tel Aviv Seafront
• Group Dinner
• Overnight - Inbal Hotel

Friday, June 27 (27 Sivan): Fateful Decisions - the Citizens' Perspectives

Day commences at 8:00 a.m.

• Study Session: Symbols and Signs - Mapping Jerusalem's Multi-faceted Population
• Field Trip to Jerusalem Suburbs
• Lunch at leisure
• Afternoon Free

Shabbat Evening:

• Candle Lighting - 6:11 at King David's Tomb on Mt. Zion
• Evening service at the Kotel
• Traditional Shabbat Dinner
• Group Discussion and Reflections
• Overnight - Inbal Hotel

Shabbat Korah

• Services at Synagogue(s) of Choice
• Parshat Hashavua: A Look at the Torah Portion (led by group members)
• Lunch
• Walking Tour and Study Session
• Havdalah at 7:31 p.m.
• Dinner and evening at leisure
• Overnight - Inbal Hotel

Sunday, June 29 (29 Sivan): Fateful Decisions: In the Wake of the Destruction of the Second Temple

Day commences at 7:30 a.m.

• Trip to Keren HaCarmel: Elijah and the Prophets of Ba'al
• Visit Beit Shearim:
  Study the Development of the Mishna and Talmud and Their Influence upon the New Jewish Reality
• Group lunch
• Travel to Tiberias, Resting Place of the “Great Eagle”, the Rambam
• Proceed to Tsfat
• Group Dinner
• Evening study session: Tsfat - A New Agenda for a New Society
• Overnight in Rimonim, Tzfat

Monday, June 30 (30 Sivan): From Old to New (Zionist) Jews

Day commences at 8:00 a.m.

• Exploration of Synagogues of Tsfat
  Free time to Explore the City
• Field trip to Rosh Pinah
• Lunch at leisure
• Rafting on the Jordan River
• Field trip to Kinneret Farm and Kinneret Cemetery -
  • Encounter with Rachel's Poetry and its Reflection of a Generation's
  • Yearnings and Hopes: What Motivated the New Jew?
• Group Dinner in Tiberias
• Overnight - Nof Ginossar Hotel

Tuesday, July 1 (Rosh Hodesh Tamuz): Contemporary Fateful Decisions - Territorial Compromise?

Day commences at 8:00 a.m.

• Study Session: Options on the Syrian Front
• Meeting in Katzrin, "Capital" of the Golan, to Examine the Issues Emanating From the Possibility of Territorial Compromise
• Lunch at leisure
• Meeting with Resident of Golan Willing to Compromise if Needs Be
• Reflections
• Return to Jerusalem
• Dinner (en route - in Zichron Yaakov)
• Overnight - Inbal Hotel

Wed. July 2 (2 Tamuz) The Question of Sovereignty and its Price

Day commences at 8:00 a.m.

• Study session: Israel and the Holocaust
• A Visit to Yad Va-Shem, Reflecting the Holocaust and the Meaning Which it has Been Given in Israeli Collective Memory
• Lunch at leisure
• A Visit to Har Herzl
• Late Afternoon Meeting with Local Residents of Efrat, in the Etzion Bloc
  OR
  Meeting with Israelis Representing Various Viewpoints:
  What Are Israel's Greatest Challenges?
• Group Dinner
• Reflections
• Overnight - Inbal Hotel

Thursday, July 3 (3 Tamuz):The Future of Israel

Day commences at 8:00 a.m.

• From Foe to Friend? Visit Talpiot and Beit Agnon, home of Nobel Laureate Sh.Y. Agnon
• Tree planting in the Beit Shemesh Region
• Lunch at leisure
• Evaluation of Seminar
• Closing dinner
• Note: Those leaving Israel immediately should try to reserve on a flight departing after midnight.

> Registration for Seminar