Encounters: Dialogue, Antisemitism, and the Israeli-Palestinian Divide

Over the course of three sessions, read the book and dig into deeper learning and discussion with the author! In his forthcoming book, Encounters: Dialogue, Antisemitism, and the Israeli-Palestinian Divide, author Benjamin E. Sax, Ph.D., explores how to discuss the Israeli -Palestinian conflict interreligiously in the context of how people define antisemitism. The book does not promise to resolve anything, but offers something just as difficult and more honest: a way to stay in the room when most want to leave.

In advance of each session, participants will read a designated section of the book. Each session will explore key themes, added learning, and meaningful discussions based on the reading. In this book, Sax seeks to (1) guide us to become better listeners in contentious conversations; (2) help us appreciate the history and the politics of defining antisemitism, and (3) explore when criticism of Israel is and is not antisemitic.

This is risky, difficult, and, at times, troubling existential work. The hope for this series is to invite learners to consider new ways into these conversations and to appreciate experiences and perspectives beyond those of themselves and their communities, without the conventional pressure to accept any one particular point of view.

Supporter Ticket pricing helps offset the true cost of this Happening, making it possible for us to keep standard ticket prices as accessible as possible. We never want cost to be a barrier to participating. If the ticket price presents a financial challenge, please reach out to Lou Fusco at lou@thirdspacest.org—we’re happy to help.

Benjamin E. Sax serves as the Head of Scholarship and the Jewish Scholar at the Institute for Islamic, Christian, and Jewish Studies in Baltimore. Ben is an experienced professor, university administrator, scholar, award-winning teacher, public speaker, and practitioner and facilitator of interreligious dialogue. Before arriving at the ICJS, Ben was director of the Malcolm and Diane Rosenberg Program in Judaic Studies and the founding faculty principal at the West Ambler Johnston Residential College at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia. In addition to publishing on topics relating to Jewish philosophy, German-Jewish history and culture, Jewish-Christian relations, and interreligious dialogue, Ben has discussed his work on PBS and Baltimore’s NPR affiliate WYPR. He has been invited to lecture all around the world including Oxford, Rome, Heidelberg, Jerusalem and beyond, and has been a speaker in United States State Department’s Speaker Program, most recently at the US Embassy in Copenhagen, Denmark.