Join New Israel Fund and Congregation Beth Shalom for an evening exploring our committed, troubled relationship with Israel as Daniel Sokatch shares perspectives from his new book, CAN WE TALK ABOUT ISRAEL?. As an expert who understands both sides of one of the world’s most complex, controversial conflicts, Daniel Sokatch takes a hard look at Israel and Palestine in CAN WE TALK ABOUT ISRAEL? A Guide for the Curious, Confused, and Conflicted to explain why Israel and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict drives so many otherwise reasonable and well-informed people off the deep end.

CAN WE TALK ABOUT ISRAEL? dives into why so many people feel so strongly about Israel and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict without actually understanding it very well at all. Why does this issue alone turn some classic Jewish liberals into uber-conservatives? Why do compassionate and judicious intellectuals single Israel out for boycotts, sanctions, and a level of opprobrium they do not apply to the dozens of other state actors out there? Why do Evangelical Christians who have never even met actual Jews, or for whom Jews are basically souls to be saved, feel such fierce loyalty towards Israel? Why does it sometimes seem like Israel is the answer to “what’s wrong with the world” for half of the people in it, and “what’s right with the world” for the other half?