In this compelling lecture, Ethan Kushner, chairman of Kehilat “Moriah” Israel’s oldest Conservative synagogue offers an insider’s perspective on the unique challenges and triumphs of preserving Masorti Jewish life in modern Israel.

Through a deeply personal lens, he explores the tension between state and Conservative synagogue, the marginalization of non-Orthodox movements, and the daily realities of building a vibrant, inclusive Jewish community amid political polarization, cultural shifts, and national crises.

The Lecture ties timeless Jewish values—pluralism, dignity, peoplehood, and tradition—to the pressing issues of today: from religious freedom and civil rights to the role of religion in Israeli identity, and the struggle for recognition and equality within the Jewish world.

Ethan also looks at Israel pre and post October 7th and offers a perspective on how Israeli society is coping with the longest military conflict in Israel’s history.

This series is a call to action, a bridge between Diaspora and Israeli Jews, and a stirring affirmation of the Masorti movement’s relevance—both in Israel and abroad. The lecture series is in honour of the 70th anniversary of Kehilat Moriah in Haifa, the oldest Conservative Synagogue in Israel.

Click HERE to learn more about Ethan.