Rabbi Molly Karp—Martin Buber: A Land of Two Peoples

Martin Buber (1878–1965) was actively committed to the pursuit of peace. In his writings on Arab-Jewish relations in Palestine, Buber's religious and philosophical teachings are integral to his politics. Buber's private and public writings, in which he advocated for bi-nationalism to solve the conflict in the Middle East, are collected in A Land of Two Peoples.  An ardent Zionist, Buber resolutely expressed his view that reconciliation and accommodation between the Arabs and Jews are morally necessary.  From the time of the Balfour Declaration of November 1917 to his death in 1965, he campaigned passionately for a “one-state solution."  We will read selections of this work with an eye to events in Israel today, exploring how Buber's ideas have held up, and if they can inform our understanding of what a solution for peace between Israelis and Palestinians might look like.  Participants will need to acquire a copy of the book.