Jerusalem: Think Again
You know what they say about forgetting Jerusalem…
You may not be able to visit the city in person, but thanks to The Jerusalem Parliament, you can feel part of a city still reinventing itself, 5,000 years in. Join the entrepreneurs, innovators, and social activists at the forefront of Jerusalem’s development into a cultural, educational, and innovation capital for Israel and the Jewish world in a series of fascinating lectures about the city, hosted by the Menachem Begin Heritage Center.
November 29 -Sunday 1pm (EST)
“Conflict, Collaboration, and Jerusalem’s Civic Renaissance” – Karen Brunwasser
The word “Jerusalem” may mean “city of peace,” but to read the headlines and watch the live news footage, it’s easy to conclude that Israel’s capital is a hopelessly divided place. From the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to battles over religion and state, Jerusalem seems more cultural and political minefield than President Rivlin’s touted mosaic. And yet, under the radar of most observers, the city’s tensions have transformed it into a laboratory of social innovation.
In the wake of the Second Intifada, Jerusalemites of all backgrounds began working to heal their city, setting the stage for a civic renaissance rooted in collaboration across sectarian, ideological, and literal municipal lines. At a moment when polarization is tearing cities across the West apart, it is Jerusalem—the city most identified with conflict—that can teach us all lessons about confronting blind spots, turning rivals into partners, and defying the gatekeepers of the status quo.
Join Karen Brunwasser, a Jerusalem-based civic activist and co-founder of the award-winning, independent arts and culture NGO Mekudeshet, to learn how Jerusalem can point the way from hotbed to hothouse of cooperation and creativity.
