Passover and Liberation in a Time of Horror

Tomorrow, Wednesday April 17th, at 12pm ET:

As Passover approaches, the gap between our present crisis and the horizon of liberation feels particularly vast, especially as we see Jewish religious stories continuing to be weaponized to justify the slaughter in Gaza. In this context, it is urgent to think through what liberation means in this moment, and what the exodus story can offer those of us committed to working toward freedom.

Join us for a virtual event exploring liberation theology and Jewish, Palestinian, and Black accounts of the exodus story. We will discuss comparative, multi-faith approaches to questions of liberation, and think about how we can develop a theology that can center questions of oppression in present-day religious traditions.

This event is for Jewish Currents members only. In addition to our print and digital subscriptions, we now have a membership program. This new initiative is for those hungry for community, learning, and conversation. By becoming a member, you will receive our print magazine, invitations to exclusive events—like this one!—and more.

Whether you’re a long-time subscriber or a new reader, we hope you’ll join us as a Jewish Currents member today!

Joint Briefing on Efforts to Halt Arms Transfers Following Revelations of Israel’s Artificial Intelligence Warfare

Tomorrow, Wednesday April 17th, at 1pm ET:

This event is co-sponsored by Just Vision, Institute for Middle East Understanding (IMEU), +972 Magazine, and Jewish Currents.

Earlier this month, a Local Call/+972 Magazine investigation by reporter Yuval Abraham revealed that the Israeli military is carrying out its bombardment of Gaza using an artificial intelligence (AI) system called “Lavender”—which is designed to generate a sweeping list of targets and facilitate the bombing of their homes and families. In response, White House National Security spokesperson John Kirby noted that the Biden administration was examining the investigation, while United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said that he was “deeply troubled” by the report’s findings. “No part of life and death decisions which impact entire families should be delegated to the cold calculation of algorithms,” Guterres said.

By providing evidence of the intentional targeting of civilians in Gaza, revelations such as Abraham’s are helping fuel global efforts to halt arms transfers and condition military aid to Israel. There has been particular pressure on the US and German governments, which, together, supply some 99% of the arms imported into Israel, and which might now be beginning to reconsider this unconditional support. Last week, in an unprecedented move, more than 56 members of Congress, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, signed on to a letter urging President Biden and Secretary of State Blinken to withhold arms transfers to Israel. And earlier this week, Germany’s arms transfers came under scrutiny at the International Court of Justice, as Nicaragua accused it of abetting genocide in Gaza.

Bad Memory: The German Nation After Genocide

Tomorrow, Wednesday April 17th, at 6:30pm ET:

In the Spring 2023 issue of Jewish Currents, we published a Responsa—a collective editorial column—which looked at how German commemorations of the Holocaust are weaponized in the present. The state’s commitment to “fight antisemitism” and support “Jewish life” has been widely commended as a model for addressing its brutal past. Yet these practices end up perpetuating Germany’s history of disavowing colonial genocide, binding Jews to state power, repressing free speech on Palestine and criticism of Israel, and policing immigrant communities.

Since October 7th, Germany’s misdirected atonement project has turbocharged these trends, as basic expressions of Palestinian solidarity and identity have become mutually exclusive with being German.

Join German scholars Hannah Tzuberi and Patricia Piberger in conversation with Jewish Currents director of community engagement Solomon Brager on the paradoxes of German anti-antisemitism, memory culture, nation-building, and the horizons of Jewish and Palestinian life in Germany.

Please note: While this event was originally scheduled as an in-person event, based on extenuating circumstances, we will be holding the event on Zoom.

This virtual event is for Jewish Currents members only, but if you previously registered for this event in person, you will have access to the Zoom event. Whether you’re a long-time subscriber or a new reader, we hope you’ll join us as a Jewish Currents member today!