Understanding Jew-hatred across the centuries.
The Gordon School
Tuesdays, 8:45 -10:00 am (ET), Jan. 26, Feb. 2, 9, 16, 23, Mar. 2
— Hatikvah – The Israeli National Anthem
Course Description :
The story of Zionism is remarkable and without parallel. It is a story of a people exiled from their homeland, a people that despite having suffered from prejudice and oppression for 2,000 years, maintained a strong identity, never losing faith with the dream of an eventual return home. This course examines how these ancient dreams took on new religious, cultural, national, and political dimensions that actualized into the Zionist Enterprise--culminating in the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948. The story continues with questions around the meaning of Zionism today, its relationship with the Jewish people in the Diaspora, and some of the contemporary challenges it faces – most notably, the intense criticism of Zionism and the State of Israel, particularly in the aftermath of October 7, 2023 – inviting a deeper reflection on the values, resilience, and relevance of Zionism in the modern era.
Lesson 1 - Seeds of Zionism
Lesson 2 - Building a Jewish Homeland
Lesson 3 - The Birth of the State of Israel
Lesson 4 - Defining Zionism Today
Lesson 5 - Zionism and the Diaspora
Lesson 6 - Looking Ahead: The Challenges and Promises of Zionism
Tuesdays, 8:45-10:100 am (ET)
Rachel Benaim-Abudarham is the Assistant Director of Adult Learning at CAJE.
She is a storyteller, scholar, and award-winning journalist passionate about bringing Jewish history to life. A third-year PhD student researching how Jewish communities have transmitted wisdom and burdens across generations, Rachel specializes in the lived experiences of diaspora Jews.
For more than a decade, Rachel has traveled the world reporting on religion, migration, and cultural memory for outlets such as The Washington Post, The Guardian, Haaretz, and The Weather Channel. Her work invites readers, and now students, to see the Jewish journey not through hardship, but through meaning and joy.
Rachel holds degrees from Columbia University and Yeshiva University, with additional studies at Oxford, NYU, and institutions in Jerusalem and Stockholm. She is thrilled to share stories of the “other 2,000 years” of Jewish life and help learners discover new perspectives about our global heritage.
A South Florida native, she recently moved back to Boca Raton with her husband and two kids.