The Oxford University Chabad Society hosted over 100 guests at a Thanksgiving Shabbat dinner & debate at the Slager Chabad Centre, involving the participation of leading academics and
The evening commenced with a traditional Thanksgiving turkey dinner with a talk by Rabbi Eli Brackman, director of the Chabad Society, on the horrors of the Mumbai tragedy and the uniqueness of the Chabad couple, Rabbi Gaby and Rivky Holtzberg, who were murdered in this tragic event. He spoke how they represented the patriarch Abraham who gave up personal comfort of home and travelled afar to bring the knowledge and values of Judaism to fellow Jews.
This was followed by a debate hosting Professor Ron Bush, Dr Lawrence Goldman and two American graduate students on the subject of "The Impact of the American Elections on the
The debate was chaired by Daniel Hemel,
Prof. Bush, who is Drue Heinz Professor of American Literature at St. John’s College, said, it's possible to predict the policy of the new administration, since Obama has already picked his key advisors who have already been involved with Israel and the Palestinians and are friends of Israel. Even though Palestinians celebrated the election of Obama, in reality policy will not change against
Dr. Goldman is Fellow of St Peter's College, has published on the political and intellectual history of
A Marshall Scholar, writing a doctoral dissertation in the Department of Politics and International Relations, discussed the recent election of Obama as a moment of cautious optimism for peace in the
'The final speaker offered reflections on the principles, policies, and people that might shape Obama's approach to the
The speeches were followed by a number of questions and contributions from the audience, which included American and Jewish students, academics, and members of the
Dr. Gaston Yalnetzky,