The recent Israeli elections have challenged North American Jews like never before when it comes to reconciling themselves and the next generation to an Israel they hoped would be a light unto the nations (or at least a Jewish democracy) but a country that in fact seems to be going in a very different direction. Through ancient sources, Israeli literature and Jewish film this program is an opportunity to compare what connects and yet what divides our Jewish communities in North America and Israel. Rabbi Rich Kirschen is a Jerusalem-based American Israeli psychotherapist. A keen observer of Israel, Rich lectures both in Israel and abroad, offering a unique perspective into the psychological underpinnings of Israel and Israelis. Rabbi Kirschen was Director of NFTY in Israel and, prior to making aliyah, he served as Executive Director of the Hillel Foundation at Brown University.