Stories and workshops to get you arguing with your family, friends, and community. And that’s a good thing!
In our increasingly polarized world, how can you engage with people who think very differently from you? And what can you learn from these often charged conversations?
Stories for the Sake of Argument features 24 short stories specially designed to get your family and friends arguing about some of the thorniest issues facing Israel and the Jewish world today.
Each story tackles a different issue, sets up a powerful clash of values, and leaves you with an unresolved dilemma to discuss. The guiding questions accompanying the stories invite you to let go of binary thinking and discover a more nuanced way to connect and communicate.
Through this groundbreaking book, you’ll:
Develop the tools to talk with people with whom you disagree
Explore and grapple with other viewpoints and voices
Deepen your understanding of yourself, others, and Israel
Whatever stage of life you’re at, Stories for the Sake of Argument will invigorate the way you think and talk about Israel.
AVAILABLE ON AMAZON
For discounted bulk orders (10 or more copies), email us at inquiries@forthesakeofargument.org
"This book represents the creative handicraft of two master educators, who use the format of stories and the processing of narratives to help shape more dignified, enduring, respectful and meaningful conversations across differences. This book calls for interactive wrestling and deep engagement. Stories for the Sake of Argument has an important place in homes, classrooms, boardrooms and libraries world-over."
Dr. Erica Brown,
Author and Yeshiva University’s Director of Sacks-Herenstein Center for Values and Leadership
One of the greatest challenges for Israel education is indifference among our learners.
To build connection and commitment, educators tend to stay clear of divisive topics and issues. Arguments make many people uncomfortable and so they prefer to avoid them.
For the Sake of Argument offers a fresh approach. We harness the energy and passion contained in healthy arguments about Israel.
We embrace arguments as a powerful tool for getting to know ourselves, each other, and the issues we’re discussing more deeply.
In our fractured society, we need to start connecting beyond our bubbles. We need to strengthen our ability to talk with people who have other points of view.
Through these conversations, we develop our listening skills, empathy, and understanding. We begin to build bridges across the divides.
Alongside Stories for the Sake of Argument, we run argument circles for Jewish organizations, schools, communities, and youth groups.
“Today’s society shies away from disagreement, but Jewish tradition strongly encourages it as a way of reaching understanding, if not consensus,”
Robbie Gringras
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Step into the eye-opening, thought-provoking, and bridge-building world of healthy arguments. We offer a range of workshops that help you communicate across differences while deepening your understanding of Israel. In the process, you’ll also learn more about yourself and the people around you.
Coming soon: Check out our new online series of argument workshops for educators in North America that we're launching in partnership with the Jewish Education Project.
Interested in holding an argument circle for your group, organization, school, or community? Our skilled facilitators run vibrant argument circles tailored to your needs, using the stories as inspiration. These circles can be held online or in person.
Enjoy a lively conversation with co-authors Abigail Dauber Sterne and Robbie Gringras. Learn more about the story behind the stories, hear a couple of stories read out loud, and explore the role of arguments in Israel education. We offer these events in person or online.
Do you want to run argument circles within your organization but you’re not sure how to go about it? We’ll train your staff to facilitate workshops using our stories while building a culture of healthy argument within your programs.
In a culture where Israel is screamed about but rarely discussed, where online disagreements are as passionate as they are shallow, and where we silo rather than address our differences, Healthy Arguments are in great demand. We’ll work closely with you to integrate Stories for the Sake of Argument and its approach into your curriculum.
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“From family tensions to communal and national schisms, Stories for the Sake of Argument offers a wise blueprint for navigating one of the great challenges of our time: how to conduct passionate but respectful disagreements. At a time when democracies are unraveling and fellow citizens increasingly perceive each other as enemies, this book is a gift.”
Yossi Klein Halevi,
Senior fellow, Shalom Hartman Institute, author, Letters to My Palestinian Neighbor