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TEL AVIV: A SOCIAL ARCHITECTURAL PERSPECTIVE
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Through the exploration of Tel Aviv’s architecture, as well as stories of the people, along with their writings, poetry, and paintings, we will develop an understanding of the dreams of the Jewish community. We will also confront the remarkable realization of those dreams as reflected in their built environment and sociological descendants, and the tremendous challenges created by the success of the city founders. We will also put those dreams in perspective by providing an understanding as to how the events that unfolded in this city affected and continue to affect each person’s own perception of Judaism today.
PLEASE NOTE: The schedule of online vs in-person events, as well as online links to services and events are not posted here. Rather, daily, and weekly schedules are emailed to our member listserv. If you are not a GJC member but would like to receive these emails, please contact Program & Membership Director Kate Lawn at community@germantownjewishcentre.org to be added to our list.
Abraham Silver was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. After receiving a B.A. in History and Philosophy from S.U.N.Y. Binghamton, Abraham moved to Kibbutz Ketura, a socialist pioneering settlement in Israel’s Negev desert, where he spent nineteen years as a date farmer. He received his army training in the Israel Nachal Paratrooper Corps and continued to serve in a front-line combat unit as a reservist in the IDF until retirement in 2003, serving in Lebanon and during both Intifadas.
Abraham completed an M.A. in Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania. His architectural emphasis is on the design of Jewish Space in Israeli and modern American Jewish architecture. As Project Manager at the firm of Butler, Rogers, Baskett in New York, he was responsible for the design and construction of high-end office projects including the offices of Dewey Ballantine. In addition to practicing architecture, he is a licensed tour guide and senior Jewish/Israel educator. In his role as educator, he has helped people of all ages and backgrounds understand their connection to the land of Israel, the Jewish people, and their own personal upbringing, whether that is Jewish, Christian, or Muslim.
He has devoted the last thirty years to creating and implementing innovative informal Jewish and Israel education. As Educational Director of the Dorot Fellowship in Israel, he was part of a team that designed new concepts of peer-led education. In his role as Educational Director of Israel Interactive, he provided educators with inventive, attractive, DVD and Internet-based instructional programs for Israel education. Abraham is co-founder of the Israel informational website, Access Israel. Abraham’s background has led him to a unique understanding of Tel Aviv as the most Jewish city in the world: its development, its architecture, its impact on the Jewish world and Jewish Identity and the implications for the global family of nations. He provides specialty tours of Tel Aviv.
Abraham is also a lecturer on the Architecture of Jerusalem at Hebrew University and through that prism provides a unique understanding of the development and meaning of Jerusalem. Abraham’s exploration of the Jewish People has led him beyond Israel’s borders. He is an educator in Central and Eastern Europe, providing a Jewish perspective and narrative to sites and cities in that region. He is co-author of the book “Living the Dream: Israel at 50” as well as “Israel at 60: People, Places and History”, a three-volume set of DVDs. Abraham and his wife Elissa live in Tel Aviv with their two fourteen-year-old daughters, Shiri and Libi.
Germantown Jewish Centre extends thanks and gratitude to The Stern/Gafni Endowment for Israel Engagement for generously supporting Israel Programming at GJC, and thanks the Wolfe Family Foundation for its support in all GJC programming.