Adult Education Course Resources

Game of Thrones: Israel Edition
by Cantor Jeremy Burko
January/February 2018

YouTube Media Sources

Al Jazeera debate

Dr. Mordechai Kedar, renowned Israeli political science professor from Bar Ilan University is invited on Al Jazeera news to debate Sheikh Kuki on President Donald Trump’s decision for the United States to formally recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The Sheikh denies that Jews ever built an historical civilization in Israel, while Dr. Kedar points out that despite the enormous archeological evidence, there is even proof of the existence of the ancient Israelite civilization inherent within the Arabic language.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3qTnSdmeNU&feature=youtu.be

Beit She’arim Necropolis

Licensed Israeli tour guides, Sergio and Rhoda, produce this video tour of the 2^nd to 4^th century CE Necropolis in Northern Israel. Found within are the tombs of several leaders of the ancient Sanhedrin, including Rabban Gamliel, along with some beautiful Jewish iconographic sculptures and etchings, and perhaps an original relic from the 2^nd Temple.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_eDWi46h7o

Tzippori

Tour of the archeological site of the ancient city of Tzippori, Northern Israel. This city served as the capital of the Northern Kingdom of Israel before it was conquered by the Assyrians, and dispersing what are now the 10 Lost Tribes. Later, following the Destruction of the 2^nd Temple, Tzippori became a refuge city for Jews fleeing Roman oppression. Tzippori was the last seat of power for the Sanhedrin as they tried to maintain a semblance of Jewish leadership amidst the failed Bar Kochba Revolt, and today, beautiful Byzantine era mosaics remain in the ruins of ancient synagogues, including “The Mona Lisa of the East”.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJ5Tit5U8K8&t=44s

Riches from the Muslim Invasion of Jerusalem

At a Temple Mount excavation site, archeologists uncover a cash of gold coins, medallions and other jewelry with Jewish iconography, likely buried by wealthy Jews fleeing the onslaught of the first Muslim Rashidun Caliphate conquest of Jerusalem in 636 CE.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQWVuTg80Gc

Building of the Dome of the Rock

Excerpt from a documentary, Benedict Cumberbatch narrates this story of the building of the Dome of the Rock; includes references to the Jewish presence during the construction, and describes the relationship between the Jewish and Muslim communities in Jerusalem at the time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xv_TMHYuiHE

Ancient Arabic Inscription Identifies Jewish Temple

One of the oldest relics of Islam is an inscription in stone that refers to the Temple Mount as Bayit Al Makkdes, which is an Arabicization of the Hebrew, Bayt Hamikdash, which is the name of the Jewish Temple. This supports Dr. Kedar’s argument in another video in this series that Muslims cannot deny the existence of the ancient Jewish civilization in Israel, as it is proven within their own language, tradition and religious relics.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=298&v=HmsP5s29scE

Origins of Islam

Produced by Caspian Report, this series of videos is an excellent overview of the origins and formative years of Islam as it spreads throughout North Africa the Middle East and Asia Minor. This is a 5-part series, of which parts 1 and 2 were used in our class. For your reference, links to all 5 videos are included here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=no5RCHRbknk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBI1SlX_vv0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RcQ7G5K4OQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAfUGTk55ME

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHBWy2umiso

Rise and Fall of the Ottoman Empire

Another 2 part series produced by Caspian Report which covers the rise and fall of the Ottoman Empire.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMpfdpHPNDE&t=18s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-SUlb4rwls

Overview of the Israel-Palestine Conflict

As far as I can tell, this is an excellent, entirely factual, opinion-free, non-biased overview of the history of the Israel-Palestine conflict, as well as the political and social forces that form the operating ideologies of the various parties involved. This video is also produced by Caspian Report.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wb6IiSUxpgw

4 VIDEOS: ISRAEL-PALESTINE IDEOLOGICAL BATTLE FOR LEGITIMACY

The Truth About Jerusalem

This video, narrated by former Israeli Ambassador to the U.S., Danny Ayalon presents a concise argument for Israel regarding the legitimacy of the Israeli claim on Jerusalem.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zz9CTBOKK4g

The Actual Truth About Palestine in Response to Danny Ayalon

The Palestinian side responds to the previous video from Danny Ayalon and presents its argument that Israel’s claim on Jerusalem is illegitimate.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBYkBqY1-LM

Rebuttal: The Real Truth about Palestine

Danny Ayalon responds in-kind to the Palestinians’ refutation to his original video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jjOOpEvMHA

The Actual Truth About Palestine (Slower Titles)

Danny Ayalon’s video producers go through the pro-palestinian video, statement by statement, and demonstrate that it is comprised of nothing but factual errors, ad hominem attacks and arguments that do not actually address the issues, demonstrating the pernicious problem that is Palestinian propaganda.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=annotation_1907434055&feature=iv&src_vid=5jjOOpEvMHA&v=DO1buOxcbrI