Last year I published an article in this newsletter about 9Adar. As I mentioned then, the Pardes Center for Judaism and Conflict Resolution has established 9Adar as a worldwide Jewish Day of Constructive Conflict, recalling the tragic and violent conflict between Beit Hillel and Beit Shammai some 2000 years ago (view the video here).
More than 65 organizations (including The Wexner Foundation) and roughly 100,000 people participated in commemorating 9Adar last year, promoting the core Jewish value of machloket l’shem shamayim — healthy and constructive disagreement “for the sake of heaven.” So what’s next?
This year 9Adar will be commemorated around the world from February 21 to 28, with even more opportunities to join in this critically important work. Synagogues, day schools, interfaith and dispute-resolution programs, Israeli mediation centers and many ad hoc groups will promote the personal and communal practice of disagreeing while engaging in deep and respectful listening and learning. Each event and discussion, in its own way, will further promote a culture of healthy and sacred disagreement, and we at Pardes, together with our many partners, invite the entire Wexner community to join us in commemorating 9Adar in your homes and communities. To join a community or start one at your favorite organization, please click here.
Together we can help fulfill the prophetic vision of celebrating 9Adar as a day of rejoicing in our dedication to constructive disagreement for the sake of heaven.
Michael Rosenzweig, an alumnus of the Wexner Heritage program (Atlanta), is President and CEO of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies. Michael can be reached at michael@pardes.org.
