Beaver Country Day School

ABOUT PROFESSOR YUVAL EVRI

Professor Yuval Evri is a sociologist from Brandeis University and is Assistant Professor of Near Eastern and Judaic Studies. His research focuses on the cultural and political history of Palestine/Land of Israel. He holds a PhD from Tel Aviv University and an MA from Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

WHY A DIALOGUE VS A TALK?

We wanted to give our students agency and voice in this dialogue, and that’s why we designed this first conversation as a dialogue as opposed to a lecture. Professor Evri will receive and respond to questions from our students regarding what they want to know about the conflict. A format that will keep them engaged and address what’s meaningful and relevant to them.

THE GOALS OF THIS DIALOGUE 

Bringing decades of experience and knowledge, Professor Evri will answer student questions about the current conflict in Israel and Gaza—with the primary goal of the dialogue being to learn more about a complex issue and to engage in a healthy, productive conversation—with this speaker and with each other. At a time when the world seems to be asking all of us, including our students, to “take a side,” we think it is important to equip them with skills that will help them navigate those conversations.

PRE/POST-DIALOGUE WORK

Today in class meetings, students heard about Professor Yuval Evri and our community agreements for a respectful dialogue. Students then gathered in advisory groups to brainstorm and write questions and topics they would like Professor Evri to address on Wednesday.

Following the conversation with Professor Evri, there will be an optional debrief session for the students who want to take part in a reflection time.

WHAT’S NEXT

Thinking ahead, this dialogue with Professor Evri cannot and will not happen in a vacuum or as a one-off event. It needs to take place in conjunction with other dialogues to allow our students a broader understanding of not only the ongoing conflict but also its consequences.

This is why we will host more speakers to help us understand the conflict and how it impacts us:

• Dr. Jill Walsh, Sociology Professor at Boston University, will speak about misinformation/disinformation in times of crisis. 
• Eileen Babbitt, Professor of International Conflict Management at the Fletcher Graduate School of Global Affairs at Tufts University, will facilitate a session for students to express themselves, share and hear perspectives, and discuss their truths about the conflict.
• We are also in contact with speakers to come to campus to discuss the resurgence of antisemitism, primarily, and other xenophobic and racist sentiments as direct consequences of this conflict.

We know and understand how controversial, emotionally difficult, and most importantly, how sad this situation is. This is why we hope and believe our approach puts the well-being and learning of our students at the forefront. We are not expecting all our students to come to an agreement on the conflict and all think the same way; we are working to give them tools to navigate and have agency in this conversation (and others) and offer them the support they may need to process it. 

If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to your student’s advisor or any one of us.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support in our work. 

Kader Adjout

Director of Teaching, Learning, and Innovation

Delonte Egwuatu

Chief Engagement and Inclusion Officer

Rick Wilson

Director of Counseling, Health, and Wellness