What are we doing?
Our activities focus on four areas: community, learning, culture and education.
Community (Kehila):
The city of Haifa is one of the most diverse and open communities is Israel. University professors, high-tech engineers, Arab doctors, business men of Russian origin, and many more live side by side. Six different religions have congregations in Haifa. All the Jewish denominations are active and have at least one synagogue in our community. We are fortunate to be based in such a pluralistic environment.
We have two different venues:
- Hadarim Center activities:
- Hosting special events and celebrations including Yom Kippur services, a Purim Megilah reading (in collaboration with Tzohar), neighborhood block parties and local community gatherings.
- Key player in the inter-denominational scene in Haifa often hosting events.
- Actively involved in the Haifa – Boston Connection.
- The Center as a platform hosting different independent groups and congregations:
- B’nei-Brith and Rotary: leading volunteer and social actions clubs.
- Yahel congregation: a Secular Humanist congregation, led by Rabbi Dr. Iris Yaniv.
- Leisure clubs and activities: Spanish, personal growth support groups, and a board games group.
- Youth movements: the Haifa branches of the Israeli Scouts and B’nei Akiva are using our space to train youth leaders and to host special events.
- Kehilot Sharot: we are very proud to host a singing group which is part of a national network of singing communities.
Learning (limmud):
In order to become an actively engaged Jew who feels comfortable in his or her own culture, learning is critically important – especially within the Jewish tradition. At Hadarim Center, we have a vast library of wonderful books and texts on many topics including Hebrew and Jewish poetry, Torah commentary, Jewish peoplehood, Israeli sociology and much more. Together with our partners (see below) we have developed an attractive program which we believe offers most Israelis something interesting and challenging to learn enabling ongoing personal development.
Our learning program is focused on a few tracks:
- Monthly or weekly lectures: the Hadarim Center provides lectures on multiple topics, on an almost daily basis. Participants can learn about Israeli literature, bible, history, the geo-political status of Israel, Jewish and Israeli films, and much more. The Center collaborates with some of the most important institutions in Israel to deliver these programs (see below).
- Weekly learning: Intimate groups of 10-15 learners of all ages from diverse backgrounds join together to immerse themselves in Jewish culture and tradition. Together, we study Torah, the Yemima Method (an Israeli approach to psychological and spiritual growth), Talmud and more.
- Lectures by leading Israeli figures including Rabbi Benny Law, Author Eshkol Nevo, Judge Ruth Gabizon, Author A.B Yehoshua, Professor Benjamin Ish-Shalom, MK Merav Michaeli, and more speak on a variety of topics including the arts, politics, and journalism.
- Tikkun Leil Shavuot: for the past three years, we have organized the primary Shavuot learning event in Haifa and also hosted this event at our center. Rabbis, scholars and public figures meet, discuss and teach classes on varied topics in Jewish studies throughout the night.
Culture (tarbut):
In the last decade, a new Jewish Israeli culture developed and emerged. It is a fascinating mixture of tradition and modernity, East and West, the familiar and the rare. Our aim is to expose our audience to many diverse aspects of this new Jewish-Israeli culture: literature, music, film, photography, drawing and more. Through these events and programs, we are sharing the beauty of our culture, and giving our audience an opportunity to re-connect with their own Israeli identities.
- Events and shows: a Jacky Levy performance, a special evening devoted to Aliya Stories, a celebration of Sigd (an Ethiopian Jewish holiday), and more.
- Book launchings: Top Israeli writers, poets and book editors present their new books for the first time, along with prominent scholars who discuss the work from different angles. For example, we hosted a book launch for A.B. Yehoshua.
- Political Panels: MKs and top journalists including Or Heller (Channel 13), MK Merav Michaeli, MK Elazar Shtern, and Eran Singer participated in panels about geopolitics, terrorism, state and religion in Israel, and more.
- Exhibitions: We are fortunate to have a beautiful gallery space where we present varied exhibitions which have included artists from Haifa, staged photography of biblical woman, Ethiopian art based on personal experiences and communal oral tradition, Pesach Haggadah illustrations and more.
- Song sessions: We host group singalongs on varied themes.
Education:
Although our primary goal is to serve as a cultural center for adults, we also believe in the importance of creating programs for students. We feel strongly that it is valuable to share the beauty and depth of our culture with young Israelis as well as with adults.
Some programs we started this year include:
- Think tank for high school teachers focusing on a new Jewish-Israeli curriculum for schools.
- Preparation workshop for students participating in missions to Diaspora Jewish communities.
- Jewish holiday activities including lessons, workshops and ceremonies focusing on the central Jewish holidays.
- A hub for high school students’ informal educational activities including Haifa Scouts counselor trainings, Diller fellows, B’nei Akiva and more.