Welcome to Mahloket Matters: How to Disagree Constructively — The Sanhedrin Way

Thank you for registering!

Your community/class is invited to join us as we try to strengthen the culture of constructive disagreement, or mahloket l’shem shamayim.  We hope you will use these resources to study some of the primary texts about constructive mahloket and its roots in the ancient Sanhedrin, the Jewish court or parliament. In addition, our materials will help you lead your community/class in a mock-Sanhedrin constructive controversy dilemma. Our hope is that synagogues, campuses, schools, federations and others will all participate in this same exercise and post their proposals and rationale to this dilemma on a special Facebook Group Page.  This way, different communities from diverse ideological, geographical, political and denominational backgrounds can learn from one another.

Get started by using the Rabbi’s/Adult Educator’s Guide or the Teacher’s Guide (for middle and high school classes) below.

Materials Provided:

• Guides:
  • Rabbi’s/Adult Educator’s Guide
    • Training webinar for rabbis and adult educators
  • Teacher’s Guide (for use with middle and high school classes)
    • Training webinar for school teachers
• Video
• Sourcesheet
• Constructive Controversy Scenarios
  • Synagogues/Organizations: Keep or Cancel the Controversial Speaker? You Decide!
  • Campuses: Keep or Cancel the Controversial Speaker? You Decide!*
  • High School Students: Keep or Cancel the School Tikkun Olam Tzedaka Policy? You Decide!
  • Middle School Students:  Keep or Cancel the School Tzedaka Policy? You Decide!
  • Guidelines: Designing A Constructive Controversy Scenario
• Customizable Sign-in Sheet: www.9adar.org/signin
• Participant Feedback Form: www.9Adar.org/feedback
• Voting form: www.9Adar.org/vote
• Facebook Group Page to see results from other groups. (Ask to join at least 72 hours before your event)
• Frequently Asked Questions

If you have comments or questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us at MahloketMatters@pardes.org.il.

*Note for Hillel participants: This fictitious exercise helps put into practice the guidelines set forth by the Sanhedrin. Campus Hillels who are contemplating inviting a specific speaker, should consult Hillel’s Navigating Speakers and Public Programs document.

Other Mahloket Matters Materials:

• To access Mahloket Matters: 9Adar materials, please click here.
• If you are already a Beit Midrash Way subscriber, access the materials here.  If you are ready to upgrade to the Beit Midrash Way, register here.

Mahloket Matters: How to Disagree Constructively – the Sanhedrin Way is generously supported by Ronald Guttman.