The Diversity of Jewish Tradition Explored in Ashkelon

Early this week, Project Kesher participants in Ashkelon met with Michal Natalie Kireeva, rabbinical student, historian, and staff member of both PKI and the Central Archive of the History of the Jewish People, for an engaging educational session on the diversity of Jewish traditions.

Michal presented Judaism not as a fixed system, but as a dynamic and evolving process. Through historical analysis, participants explored how different expressions of Judaism—movements, schools, and approaches—have coexisted, debated, and adapted in response to social and historical change.

A special focus was placed on the history of women in rabbinical leadership, including the story of one of the first female rabbis within Orthodoxy, highlighting the complexity of change within tradition.

The meeting offered participants both knowledge and perspective, encouraging thoughtful engagement with Jewish identity and history. Such sessions support deeper cultural integration, informed dialogue, and a more nuanced understanding of Jewish life in contemporary Israeli society.