Symposium "Israel's 70th Anniversary: Insights and Perspectives. Politics - Culture - Religion", 12th November 2018

On the occasion of the state Israel’s 70th anniversary, a symposion took place on Monday, November 12 2018. It was organised by Regina Polak, Department for Practical Theology, in cooperation with the Research Centre RaT and the Jewish Community of Vienna. Exemplary insights from interdisciplinary perspectives enable a differenciated and critical appreciation of this complex and multidimensional state. Some of these aspects are the innerisraelitic debates concerning the interplay of religion and politics, the religious plurality of Israel, the representation of religious identities in contemporary film and the transformation of the Hebrew language. The rector of the University of Vienna, Heinz Engl, and the ambassador of Israel, Talya Lador-Fresher, the chief rabbi, Arie Folger, and the general secretary of the Jewish Community, Raimund Fastenbauer, gave welcoming speeches, Wolfgang Treitler and Gerhard Langer introduced into the topics.

Lecturers:
Prof. Yedidia Z. Stern, The Israel Democracy Institute, Vice President of the Center for Religion, Nation and State
Prof. emer. Rachel Elior, John and Golda Cohen Chair in Jewish Philosophy, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Mandel Institute of Jewish Studies, Faculty of Humanities
Prof. Eli Salzberger, Faculty of Law at the University of Haifa, Director of the Centre for German and European Studies, University of Haifa, Director of the Minerva Centre
Hana Bendcowsky, Director of the Jerusalem Center for Jewish-Christian Dialogue
Prof. Klaus Davidowicz, Professor of the Department of Jewish Studies, University of Vienna