JEWISHcolorado and its Israel & Overseas Center have launched a Jewish and Israel lecture series focused on providing a glimpse into “what comes next” in Israel, featuring scholars and authors sharing their thoughts and perspectives in this critical moment. We hope you will join us for these thoughtful and thought-provoking sessions as JEWISHcolorado strives to create a vibrant, secure, connected, and inclusive Jewish community.
Israel and the Media
Matti Friedman
Monday, February 10, 2025
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm at JEWISHcolorado
Israel has long been a subject of fascination for the world, but in recent years the media’s treatment of the Israel-Palestinian conflict has become an obsession that erases background and context and is inflaming global hostility toward Israelis and Jews. How has this media malfunction happened? What does it look like on the ground? And what can be done? Friedman, a Canadian-Israeli journalist and author, will use his years in the foreign press corps to answer those questions and help observers understand the gap between the real country of Israel and the way it is portrayed.
Registration is required with a suggested donation of $18.
Between Solidarity and Combating Extremism: Israel's Two Paths Forward
Dr. Masua Sagiv
Thursday, February 20
8:00 AM – 10:00 AM | JEWISHcolorado
Exclusive briefing for JCRC Member Organizations
Presented in partnership with the Hartman Institute
Israel’s streets are filled with signs proclaiming, “Together We Will Win,” yet deep divisions persist within the nation. This session examines the key social, political, and religious rifts that have intensified in the current climate, as Israel faces choices that could shape its future path. Dr. Masua Sagiv will outline two primary strategies—one focused on fostering national unity, and the other on addressing and combatting extremism within Israeli society. What are the implications of each path, and what challenges might lie ahead as Israel navigates these critical crossroads?
Iran’s New Playbook: Navigating the 2025 Threat Landscape for U.S. and Israeli Security
Dr. Matthew Levitt
Tuesday, March 4, 2025
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm at Temple Emanuel
Presented in partnership with The CELL and Temple Emanuel
Don’t miss this talk by counterterrorism and intelligence expert Dr. Matthew Levitt, who looks at the future of the north in Israel with Hezbollah. Leavitt is author of Hezbollah: The Global Footprint of Lebanon’s Party of God. His book was the first thorough examination of Hezbollah’s covert activities beyond Lebanon’s borders, including its financial and logistical support networks and its criminal and terrorist operations worldwide. Levitt will show convincingly how Hezbollah’s willingness to use violence at home and abroad, its global reach, and its proxy-patron relationship with the Iranian regime all continue to be of serious concern.
Navigating College Campus Life in a Post-Oct 7th World
Dr. Flora Cassen
Monday, March 10, 2025
7:00 pm – 8:30 pm at JEWISHcolorado
Presented in partnership with the Hartman Institute
Sending a child to college has always stirred complex emotions in parents. The pride in watching our children step into adulthood is mixed with a bittersweet awareness of the passage of time and our empty (or emptying) nests. However, since Oct. 7th, Jewish parents face a whole new set of questions and concerns. Will my child face hostility or discrimination due to their Jewish identity? Will discussions about Israel and Zionism impact their campus experience? What support systems exist for Jewish students navigating these challenges? And what is my role, as a parent, in this new (ab)normal? Parents and teens headed to college encouraged to attend.
Debating Democracy: Challenges in Jewish Unity in America
Rabbi Dr. Joshua Ladon
Monday, May 12, 2025
10:00 AM – 12:00PM at the Boulder JCC
Presented in partnership with the Hartman Institute and the Boulder JCC
American Jews have long been united by shared commitments to liberalism, equal rights, and inclusivity, but recent challenges to democracy have revealed deep ideological rifts within the community. From debates over Zionism and Israel’s policies to divergent visions of Jewish political engagement in America, these divisions are reshaping how Jews understand safety, power, and responsibility. In this session, we will explore the historical models of Jewish security, the ideological frameworks shaping today’s debates, and how these tensions reflect broader societal shifts. Participants will be invited to consider new approaches to Jewish thriving that bridge divides and align with enduring Jewish values in a rapidly changing world.