With the aid of audio clips, video, still images, and textual comparisons, Seth Rogovoy, author of Bob Dylan: Prophet, Mystic, Poet, will illustrate how Bob Dylan’s songwriting has always been profoundly rooted in Jewish writings, including the Torah, the Prophets, the Talmud, liturgy... Read more

The 1967 Six-Day War has impacted Israel in a profound way. Much has been said and written about the regional, geo-political impact of the war; however, its impact on Israeli society, economy and culture were also far-reaching, helping transition Israel from the socialism of its founders to a more individualistic, free-market society that has embraced the (American) West and its values. In this talk, we will explore how a new Israel emerged after the Six-Day War.

As awe-inspiring features of the landscape, mountains have an extraordinary power to evoke a sense of the sacred. Drawing on personal experiences and extensive research illustrated with spectacular photography, Edwin Bernbaum takes us on a fascinating journey exploring the many ways that mountains embody humanity's highest values and aspirations, with a focus on their singular importance in Judaism.

In anticipation of Shavuot, this program will explore the relationship between the Torah given at Sinai and the Torah developed in the academies of Pumbedita. Through close readings of Talmudic texts and later philosophical and theological interpretations, we will examine the radical concept of the Oral Torah, and try to understand how rabbinic tradition balances sacred origin with human creativity.

Martin Buber (1878–1965) was actively committed to the pursuit of peace. In his writings on Arab-Jewish relations in Palestine, Buber's religious and philosophical teachings are integral to his politics. Buber's private and public writings, in which he advocated for bi-nationalism to solve the conflict in the Middle East, are collected in A Land of Two Peoples.  An ardent Zionist, Buber resolutely expressed his view that reconciliation and accommodation between the Arabs and Jew... Read more

Grounded in Jewish values and concepts of what it means to be human, we will critically examine the intrusion of AI into increasingly more aspects of our daily experiences. Jewish teachings will provide a framework for critically determining if, what and when to engage with artificial intelligence applications.

Come say hello at the New Lehrhaus table, shared with Yale University Press' "Jewish Lives" series. Meet, schmooze with, and get your book/s signed by local series authors Robert Alter and Daniel Matt, and att... Read more

German Jews since Moses Mendelssohn have struggled with their self-definition: are they German Jews (Jews first) or Jewish Germans (Germans first)? We will chart this complex road from the stirring music of Felix Mendelssohn, Moses' grandson who converted to Christianity, through 19th and 20th-century attitudes towards conversion to Phillip Kuttner's own family history.

Watch the fascinating documentary film ... Read more

Join us for a two-part series examining childbirth through the lens of Jewish wisdom, text, and tradition. The two sessions will explore themes of birth and parenting through text study, contemporary midrash (interpretation), and spiritual offerings from birthing parents.

This series is open to anyone interested in the intersection of birth and Judaism, whether you are a birthing parent, a ... Read more