Outsmarting Antisemitisim — The South Redondo Synagogue
4 Wednesdays, 7:00 P.M. May 13th - June 3rd
Instructor: Rabbi Mendel Mintz
If you miss a lesson, we will send you a recording of what you missed.
info@Jewishbeach.com 310.504.8500 Fee: $79
Rise above the Hate
With antisemitism rising around the world, on campuses, in the streets, and online, many Jews are feeling something they haven’t felt in a long time: unease. The protests, the rhetoric, the normalization of anti-Jewish sentiment… it raises a difficult question:
Are the patterns of history repeating themselves?
We can’t let antisemitism define our Judaism. But we also can’t ignore it.
As the living memory of the Holocaust continues to fade, the question becomes more urgent. Are we stuck in a cycle that keeps resurfacing, or is there a way to break it?
Outsmarting Antisemitism takes this challenge seriously, without losing sight of something essential: hope.
Through powerful source texts and real world case studies, this course explores the roots of antisemitism and, more importantly, how we respond to it, not just defensively, but proactively, with clarity, confidence and plenty of Jewish pride!
Lesson 1 The Eternal People
We’ll take a clear look at the facts on the ground, examining the current statistics and realities of antisemitism to understand what’s actually happening, not just what it feels like, and from there we’ll reframe the conversation, shifting from fear to clarity and from reaction to purposeful action as we explore how Jewish history and resilience point us toward a more confident path forward, even in challenging times.
Lesson 2 No Apologies We look at some of the explanations for antisemitism that have been offered throughout the ages to emerge with an important principle: the problem with hating Jews lies not with the Jews but with the haters. Internalizing this hate is not a healthy response.
Lesson 3 The Promised Land Today, hatred of Jews commonly manifests itself as antagonism toward the Jewish State. This class distinguishes all-out antisemitism from some more nuanced sub-strains. It also examines the state of Israel education and the very nature of Jewish nationhood.
Lesson 4 Change of Heart Psychology, neuroscience, and recent history show us that neither friend nor foe should ever be taken for granted. With a bit of subtlety and conviction, and always with trust in G-d, we find that the dark days of the past are no cause for pessimism ahead.
