Viddler

This MediaCentral briefing and tour offered a unique opportunity to learn about - and visit - a number of Jewish Ultra-Orthodox ("Haredi") communities in Jerusalem to better understand their values, culture and society, as well as their history and institutions, prior to the beginning of the Jewish holidays of Rosh Hashana (New Year), Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) and Sukkot (Festival of Booths).

The tour included:

* Historical and cultural background;

* Visit to the Mea Shearim area and the epicenter of the UltraOrthodox community (ies) of Jerusalem;

* Meeting Jonathan Rosenblum, "Nachalat Yitzhak" synagogue;

* Meetings with leaders of various communities;

* visit to the Carta parking lot, site of recent protests;

* Briefing by Dr. Beni Brown - Hebrew University in Jerusalem - Expert on Ultra-Orthodox Judaism (Author of the Chapter "Orthodox Judaism" in the Blackwell Reader in Judaism, Neusner, Avery-Peck, 2001).

[Note: only the briefing is on the video-part 1 is the briefing before the tour and part two is the one after]