While the world’s attention was captivated by violence in Paris last week, a different, quieter, drama unfolded in suburban Philadelphia. Over four days, eight rabbinical students and five rabbis at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in Wyncote immersed themselves in the study of “The Rabbi as Rodef Shalom/Pursuer of Peace.” In Paris, individuals claimed religious sanction for grotesque acts of bloodshed. In Philadelphia, students learned how Judaism — as well as other religions — can offer wisdom, tools and inspiration for the transformation of conflict, both at home and abroad.
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