Jewish Revolutionary Movements [Online]

About this event

Tuesdays, 2-3.30pm, £20 per session or £60 for 3 sessions // This three-part course explores some of the most radical and creative responses to modernity in recent Jewish history. Session 1: Tuesday 6 Oct — Jewish Diasporism What does it mean to live as a people dispersed yet connected? We begin by exploring Jewish diasporism as both a religious and secular idea —examining how thinkers and communities reimagined Jewish life beyond nationalism. From 70CE and the destruction of the temple through to Melanie Kaye/Kantrowitz and R.B. Kitaj we’ll look at how diasporism has evolved as a movement. Session 2: Tuesday 3 Nov — Hasidism Born in the 18th century and often seen as inward-looking, Hasidism was in fact a bold spiritual revolution. We’ll trace its development from the Ba’al Shem Tov to its 19th-century golden age, asking how it responded to modernity, and why it continues to resonate today through Neohasidism and Jewish Renewal. Session 3: Tuesday 1 Dec — The Bund and Other Jewish Movements From mysticism to political action: we turn to the Jewish Labour Bund and other movements that redefined Jewish identity through socialism, culture, and activism. How did they challenge tradition and normative politics—and what legacies do they leave behind? Across three sessions, we’ll uncover a rich landscape of ideas, debates, and experiments in Jewish life—many of which still shape our world today. Yael Roberts is a Jewish educator, artist, and community builder.