The language of instruction for this course is English

When asked by his friend Max Brod if there is hope, Franz Kafka said “Oh, hope enough, infinite hope, — just not for us.” The statement sounds pessimistic, but Kafka can be saying instead that since all hope for this world is lost, we need to create a new world! Kafka’s pessimistic hope sets the task of thinking how to create a new world from the negative elements of this one.

Based on that task, the goal of the reading group is to inspire some reflections using Jewish approaches to the question of social change. The main theme will be messianism and the different approaches to it by central Jewish thinkers of the last century. The sessions are guided dialogues arounds texts and what they can propose to us. The participants are not expected to agree or even like the texts; all we ask is that you think about them and join us in the conversation.

We will begin with Levinas‘ interpretations of the Talmud tractate Sanhedrin on the topic of Messianism where he tries to define what the concept means in those rabbinical discussions. The second text will be Cohen’s engagement with Maimonides to argue against the idea of messianism as a form of utopia. The last meeting will be a conversation about Scholem’s interpretation of Jonah and the relationship between prophesy and justice.

People under the age of 40 receive a 50% discount for this course

Datum: woensdag 14, 21 en 28 januari 2026
Tijd: 19.00 – 20.30 uur
Locatie: Amsterdam of online
Aanmelden: via de website van Crescas

Yonathan Busquila Listik is a lecturer at Leiden University, teaching courses on Decolonial Theory and Critical Political Theory. His current field of research is philosophy, more specifically, exploring contemporary political ontology in the continental tradition. He is also interested in the connections between Jewish philosophy, decolonial theory and aesthetics. His main interests are possible articulations of the idea of barbarism/stupidity.