A five-part lecture series on Israel will be offered the next five weeks at Temple Mishkan Israel.

Steve Grossman, spiritual leader at the temple, will lead the series, which starts Saturday, March 11 and will continue the next four Saturday mornings.

The lectures will cover more than 3,000 years of Israel history, people and religions.

Topics covered will include why the land has been so important for more than 3,000 years, Bible history and archaeology, the birth of Christianity, battle for control of the territory between the world’s three Abrahamic religions and Israel today.

“Israel today is loved and hated by more people than any other place in the world. It’s this little tiny land that until recently had no known resources,” Grossman said. “What’s so important about this land that’s one-fifth the size of Alabama?”

Grossman said the Selma community, which once had a Jewish population that peaked at more than 100 households in the 1940s, has always been welcoming.

“The Christian community in Selma has always been extremely supportive of the state of Israel,” Grossman said.

Each lecture will begin at 9 a.m. and last an hour in the community hall of Temple Mishkan.

A donation of $10 is requested for each session. Space is limited, and anyone interested in attending is asked to pre-register by calling Grossman at (808) 277-1942.