The Search for Cracks in the City of Stone:

An Anatomy of the Struggles for Pluralism in Modern Jerusalem

A talk by Anat Hoffman, Israel Religious Action Centre

Join New Israel Fund and Pro-Zion, together with Northwood and Pinner Liberal Synagogue, Edgware and District Reform Synagogue, Harrow and Wembley Progressive Synagogue, Middlesex New Reform Synagogue and Kol Chai Reform Synagogue for an inspirational talk about the struggle for pluralism in Jerusalem.

Thursday, 4th December 2008 - Northwood and Pinner Liberal Synagogue, 8-9:30pm, (Address:Oaklands Gate Green Lane Northwood HA6 3AA)

Shabbat, 6th December 2008 - Edgware and District Reform Synagogue, 2:15-3:15pm, (Address:118 Stonegrove Edgware HA8 8AB)

"Jerusalem is a harsh city to live in. It is a city in struggle, a struggle between narrow-minded Judaism and pluralistic Judaism, a battle for appropriate representation for all city inhabitants, a struggle to make it a better place for all to live in. The talk will touch on several issues that pertain to these struggles and to the contribution of IRAC to advance a pluralistic living environment in our nation's capital."

Anat Hoffman is the Executive Director of the Israel Religious Action Centre. Previously, Ms. Hoffman served as a Jerusalem City Councilwoman. She has dedicated her adult life to the Jewish principle of tikkun olam (repairing the world). Ms Hoffman led in the battles for the right of women to pray at the Western Wall and for women's equal pay for equal work. She pushed relentlessly for the provision of adequate municipal services for the more than 200,000 Palestinian residents of Jerusalem. She has fought long and hard to see that the powerful Orthodox bloc in the City Council does not dictate lifestyle choices for the traditional and secular populations of Jerusalem. Significantly, too, in a city split by religious differences, she has fought tirelessly for religious pluralism. Ms. Hoffman represented the Civil Rights and Peace Movements on the Jerusalem City Council.