Radical Jewish Reading Circle: Gustav Landauer

Join us for the Radical Jewish Reading Circle: three evenings of reading, thinking, and conversation about radical thinkers of Jewish origin.

This month we explore Gustav Landauer, the anarchist philosopher and activist who wrote: "The state is a condition, a certain relationship between human beings, a mode of behavior; we destroy it by contracting other relationships, by behaving differently toward one another." Born in 1870 to a Jewish family in Karlsruhe, Germany, Landauer became one of the most important anarchist thinkers of the early twentieth century. A visionary advocate of decentralized communities, mutual aid, and spiritual revolution, he was murdered by proto-fascist soldiers in Munich in 1919 while serving in the short-lived Bavarian Soviet Republic.

At a moment when state power is expanding and many are searching for alternatives to failed institutions, what can Landauer teach us? What might his vision of voluntary communities, cultural renewal, and transformative relationships tell us about building the worlds we need?

No background required. All texts provided. This is a circle—we'll think through these questions together in small-group discussion.

Who this is for: This reading circle is for anyone curious about radical Jewish thought, anarchism, and alternative visions of social life. It's open to readers of all backgrounds—no prior knowledge of philosophy, anarchism, or Landauer required.

What you'll leave with: Participants will leave with a grounded introduction to Gustav Landauer's ideas, fresh ways of thinking about power, community, and social change, and the experience of working through big questions collectively in thoughtful conversation.

Three Thursdays: February 5, 12 & 19 at 7–8:30pm Pacific

Please note: This program will not be recorded.