Violence And Law: Ancient And Contemporary Reflections (The 2015 Hildesheimer Lecture)

In the Hebrew Bible, when God reveals himself, he does so primarily in terms of law. Why is this so? What impact did it have on the nature of Jewish spirituality? And does this have a bearing on the current phenomenon of violence in the name of religion? The Hildesheimer Lecture Series - which takes place in Germany - offers insights and perspectives on Jewish Law, Halacha, with a particular focus on the relationship and co-existence of Halacha with other legal frameworks and systems. The objective of this lecture series is to facilitate the dialogue and discourse necessary to promote tolerance and understanding. A broad range of social scientists, those in public policy and religious leaders, and activists have attended the Hildesheimer Lecture Series. The lecture is a cooperation between the Rabbinerseminar zu Berlin and the Berliner Studien zum Jüdischen Recht (Humboldt-Universität).