Thursdays, September 12, 19 and October 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 (No class 9/26)
9:30 to 11:30 a.m.

For more than seven decades, clashes between Israelis and Palestinians have targeted and terrorized ordinary people caught in the crossfire and the air raids and set off shock waves across the middle East. Nearly everyone who follows the news has some opinion about which side is right and which is wrong, yet few of us think that peace will ever come. How did this long struggle begin? When and how will it ever end?

Together, we’ll explore the roots of this conflict, its major milestones, and the ways it’s been remembered and interpreted by Palestinians, Israelis, and the great powers. We’ll compare the dueling narratives of Israeli and Palestinian nationalism, which combine tales of suffering, redemption, and victimhood.

Convener: Joe Gastiger was pastor at the First Congregational Church, UCC, in DeKalb for almost twenty years before retiring in 2020. Prior to ministry, he taught English classes at NIU and coordinated the University Honors Program. These days, he serves on the LLI Curriculum Committee and chairs the Steering Committee. Joe has led more than a dozen study groups for LLI and has published four books of poetry.