HISTORY OF PEACE MOVEMENTS (REMOTE)

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Pursuing peace (shalom) has been a value within Judaism rooted in its foundational documents and history. In the Book of Deuteronomy, God commands the Hebrews to “not provoke” the Edomites or the Moabites or to “start a fight” with the Ammonites (the ancient neighbors of Israel and Judah). Psalms 34:15 states, “Seek peace and pursue it.” Talmudic scholars preferred characters like Yohanan Ben Zakkai, who made his peace with Roman rule, over those like the zealots at Masada and Simon Bar Kochva, who both rebelled against Roman rule. When the Jews faced the prospect of regaining independence in the wake of the British Mandate in Palestine, the question of how to achieve peace with their Arab neighbors arose. This course will explore the different movements that emerged from the 1920s through the 21st century. Some of them were only fleeting, but others have made their mark on Israeli society and continue to drive the peace camp in the country.