The Ground on Which We Stand: Jewish Values Summoning Us to Care for Our Only...
Rabbi Sheldon Lewis, 4/16/24
Explicitly and implicitly, Torah texts point to the idea that we are stewards of a planet to which we never gain title. Surprisingly visionary obligations follow to treat this earth with reverence. This course will focus on a journey through Torah and later rabbinic teaching searching for wisdom to safeguard our only shared home.
The Ground on Which We Stand: Jewish Values Summoning Us to Care for Our Only...
Rabbi Sheldon Lewis, 4/9/24
Explicitly and implicitly, Torah texts point to the idea that we are stewards of a planet to which we never gain title. Surprisingly visionary obligations follow to treat this earth with reverence. This course will focus on a journey through Torah and later rabbinic teaching searching for wisdom to safeguard our only shared home.
The Ground on Which We Stand: Jewish Values Summoning Us to Care for Our Only...
Rabbi Sheldon Lewis, 4/2/24
Explicitly and implicitly, Torah texts point to the idea that we are stewards of a planet to which we never gain title. Surprisingly visionary obligations follow to treat this earth with reverence. This course will focus on a journey through Torah and later rabbinic teaching searching for wisdom to safeguard our only shared home.
The Ground on Which We Stand: Jewish Values Summoning Us to Care for Our Only...
Rabbi Sheldon Lewis, 3/26/24
Explicitly and implicitly, Torah texts point to the idea that we are stewards of a planet to which we never gain title. Surprisingly visionary obligations follow to treat this earth with reverence. This course will focus on a journey through Torah and later rabbinic teaching searching for wisdom to safeguard our only shared home.
What REALLY Happened on Purim
Jehon Grist, 3/24/24
Esther’s story is exciting, romantic and disturbing. Set in the imaginary lavish court of the Persian king 2,400 years ago, it is an early example of anti-Semitism. Is there actual history here? Why did many Jews oppose its addition to the Biblical Canon? We will explore key parts of the text of the Book of Esther and its world, then fast forward to its ‘movie midrash’ – how Hollywood has interpreted the story.
Multiple presenters: The Heretic in the Room, part 5
Prof. Naomi Seidman: “Off the Derekh” in Contemporary Orthodoxy, 3/19/24
Heresy is as old as Orthodoxy; we already find it in the Bible! It then continues as a thread, sometimes subterranean, others front and center, throughout Jewish history and thought. This course will take you on a journey from the Bible to today, stopping to consider heresy from the Talmud and Spinoza to the false messiah Shabbatai Zvi and the antinomian thinker Jacob Frank, all the way to the complex paths of those who leave Orthodoxy today.
Multiple presenters: The Heretic in the Room, part 4
Prof. Ariel Mayse—Modern Antinomianism: Shabbatai Zvi and Jacob Frank, 3/12/24
Heresy is as old as Orthodoxy; we already find it in the Bible! It then continues as a thread, sometimes subterranean, others front and center, throughout Jewish history and thought. This course will take you on a journey from the Bible to today, stopping to consider heresy from the Talmud and Spinoza to the false messiah Shabbatai Zvi and the antinomian thinker Jacob Frank, all the way to the complex paths of those who leave Orthodoxy today.
Why Jewish Holidays Are Always Late or Early: How the Jewish Calendar Evolved
Ron Feldman, 3/6/24
Examine Jewish timekeeping as a way to understand Jewish attitudes toward the natural world. In particular, we will trace the history and differences among ancient Jewish calendars of the Bible, Dead Sea Scrolls, and Talmud with particular focus on different ways of incorporating the rhythms of the lunar month (a natural cycle) and Sabbath (a non-natural cycle).
Multiple presenters: The Heretic in the Room, part 3
Profs. Hannah Ginsborg & Sam Berrin Shonkoff—Modern Europe: Spinoza, 3/5/24
Heresy is as old as Orthodoxy; we already find it in the Bible! It then continues as a thread, sometimes subterranean, others front and center, throughout Jewish history and thought. This course will take you on a journey from the Bible to today, stopping to consider heresy from the Talmud and Spinoza to the false messiah Shabbatai Zvi and the antinomian thinker Jacob Frank, all the way to the complex paths of those who leave Orthodoxy today.
Multiple presenters: The Heretic in the Room, part 2—Talmud: “The Other,”...
Prof. Charlotte Fonrobert, 2/27/24
Heresy is as old as Orthodoxy; we already find it in the Bible! It then continues as a thread, sometimes subterranean, others front and center, throughout Jewish history and thought. This course will take you on a journey from the Bible to today, stopping to consider heresy from the Talmud and Spinoza to the false messiah Shabbatai Zvi and the antinomian thinker Jacob Frank, all the way to the complex paths of those who leave Orthodoxy today.
Multiple presenters: The Heretic in the Room, part 1—The Korach Rebellion
Prof. David Biale, 2/20/24
Heresy is as old as Orthodoxy; we already find it in the Bible! It then continues as a thread, sometimes subterranean, others front and center, throughout Jewish history and thought. This course will take you on a journey from the Bible to today, stopping to consider heresy from the Talmud and Spinoza to the false messiah Shabbatai Zvi and the antinomian thinker Jacob Frank, all the way to the complex paths of those who leave Orthodoxy today.
The Bible Now: Genesis, part 4
Profs. Robert Alter & Ron Hendel,, 2/6/24
Joseph and His Brothers: Genesis 37-50
Explore the book of Genesis: major themes, style, character, and authorship. Topics include: Origins, Ancestors, Jacob’s Family, and Joseph and His Brothers. We will also consider Genesis within the broader context of ancient Near Eastern literature. The recommended translation is Robert Alter, Genesis: Translation and Commentary.
The Bible Now: Genesis, part 3
Profs. Robert Alter & Ron Hendel,, 1/30/24
Jacob’s Family: Genesis 25-36
Explore the book of Genesis: major themes, style, character, and authorship. Topics include: Origins, Ancestors, Jacob’s Family, and Joseph and His Brothers. We will also consider Genesis within the broader context of ancient Near Eastern literature. The recommended translation is Robert Alter, Genesis: Translation and Commentary.
What REALLY Happens on Tu BiShvat: From the Kabbalah to the Kibbutz
Rabbi Peretz Wolf-Prusan & Rachel Biale, 1/24/24
Tu BiShvat (the 15th of the month of Shvat) appears in the Talmud as one of four new years in the calendar, dedicated to trees. We will learn about the mystical meaning of the holiday and hear about tree planting as a formative experience of a childhood (Rachel) and an emerging young adult (Peretz) on kibbutzim, and explore how a minor agricultural task become the symbol of Jewish Spiritual and National revival.
Profs. Robert Alter & Ron Hendel—The Bible Now: Genesis, part 2
Profs. Robert Alter & Ron Hendel, 1/23/24
Session 2: Ancestors: Genesis 12-25
Explore the book of Genesis: major themes, style, character, and authorship. Topics include: Origins, Ancestors, Jacob’s Family, and Joseph and His Brothers. We will also consider Genesis within the broader context of ancient Near Eastern literature. The recommended translation is Robert Alter, Genesis: Translation and Commentary.
The Bible Now: Genesis, part 1
Profs. Robert Alter & Ron Hendel, 1/16/24
Explore the book of Genesis: major themes, style, character, and authorship. Topics include: Origins, Ancestors, Jacob’s Family, and Joseph and His Brothers. We will also consider Genesis within the broader context of ancient Near Eastern literature. The recommended translation is Robert Alter, Genesis: Translation and Commentary.
Session 1: Origins: Genesis Chapters 1-11
Yes, I Want to be a Mentsh!, part 2
Rabbi Judy Shanks, 12/6/2023
Take a taste of Mussar, the Jewish ethics project where you learn together then set your own curriculum. Think of the qualities you want to increase: patience, gratitude, generosity? And what about the ones you want to lessen: anger, judgment, gossiping? Rabbi Judy Shanks will offer timeless texts and practices from the Mussar tradition to help you further on the path to reach your full potential as mentshen (good people) in the world.
Yes, I Want to Be a Mentsh!
Rabbi Judy Shanks, 11/29/2023
Take a taste of Mussar, the Jewish ethics project where you learn together then set your own curriculum. Think of the qualities you want to increase: patience, gratitude, generosity? And what about the ones you want to lessen: anger, judgment, gossiping? Rabbi Judy Shanks will offer timeless texts and practices from the Mussar tradition to help you further on the path to reach your full potential as mentshen (good people) in the world.
Tu Be’Av: The Little-Known Jewish Summer Love Festival
David & Rachel Biale
On Tu Be’Av (the fifteenth of Av), “the daughters of Jerusalem would go out and dance in the vineyards. And what would they say? ‘Young man, lift up your eyes and see—whom would you choose.'” (Talmud, Ta’anit). Learn about the holiday and dip into romantic love stories from the Bible and Midrash.
Smiling through Tears? Jewish Humor in Antiquity, part 4
Prof. Erich Gruen
This program considers a number of texts composed by Jews dwelling under imperial rule in antiquity in order to understand how the humor in those texts reflects the experience and attitudes of a subordinate people. The topic of this lecture is “Jonah: Prophecy or Parody?”
The Bible on the Couch: A Rabbi and Psychiatrist Analyze Sacred Texts, part 1
Rabbi Judy Shanks & Dr. James Gracer
The presenters join forces to bring a psychological lens to our Biblical ancestors. We explore hidden motivations, possible diagnoses, and complicated relationships between siblings, spouses, G-d, and humans. Teachings draw on midrashic texts and modern psychological theories.
Smiling through Tears? Jewish Humor in Antiquity, part 3
Prof. Erich Gruen
This program considers a number of texts composed by Jews dwelling under imperial rule in antiquity in order to understand how the humor in those texts reflects the experience and attitudes of a subordinate people. The topic of this lecture is “Jonah: Prophecy or Parody?”
Ruth: A Literary Masterpiece, a Lesson in Kindness
Shalhevet Robinson
The Book of Ruth is an extraordinary novella with a simple but profound goal: to take us from the alienation of grief into a healed society. Where does it fit in the tapestry of the Hebrew bible?
Smiling through Tears? Jewish Humor in Antiquity, part 2
Prof. Erich Gruen
This program considers a number of texts composed by Jews dwelling under imperial rule in antiquity in order to understand how the humor in those texts reflects the experience and attitudes of a subordinate people. The topic of this lecture is “Judith and Susanna: Feminist Heroines?”
Smiling through Tears? Jewish Humor in Antiquity, part 1
Prof. Erich Gruen
This program considers a number of texts composed by Jews dwelling under imperial rule in antiquity in order to understand how the humor in those texts reflects the experience and attitudes of a subordinate people. The topic of this lecture is “Esther: Triumph or Travesty?”
Mind, Body and Soul: Maimonides’ Eight Chapters, part 2
Rabbi Peretz Wolf-Prusan
Maimonides’ “The Eight Chapters” just might be the best introduction to his philosophy, and perhaps to all medieval Jewish philosophy. It is a prescription to you, his beloved reader, for a healthy mind, body and soul.
Mind, Body and Soul: Maimonides’ Eight Chapters, part 1
Rabbi Peretz Wolf-Prusan
Maimonides’ “The Eight Chapters” just might be the best introduction to his philosophy, and perhaps to all medieval Jewish philosophy. It is a prescription to you, his beloved reader, for a healthy mind, body and soul.
Qohelet (Ecclesiastes), part 4
Robert Alter & Ron Hendel
We explore the poetry and philosophy of Qohelet (or Kohellet, Ecclesiastes) in the context of biblical and ancient Near Eastern wisdom literature.
Qohelet (Ecclesiastes), part 3
Robert Alter & Ron Hendel
An exploration of the poetry and philosophy of Qohelet (or Kohellet, Ecclesiastes) in the context of biblical and ancient Near Eastern wisdom literature
Qohelet (Ecclesiastes), part 2
Robert Alter & Ron Hendel
An exploration of the poetry and philosophy of Qohelet (or Kohellet, Ecclesiastes) in the context of biblical and ancient Near Eastern wisdom literature
Qohelet (Ecclesiastes), part 1
Robert Alter & Ron Hendel
An exploration of the poetry and philosophy of Qohelet (or Kohellet, Ecclesiastes) in the context of biblical and ancient Near Eastern wisdom literature.
Talmud for Beginners, part 4
Prof. Daniel Boyarin
The Talmud has been compared to an ocean. Prof. Boyarin offers “beginners’ floaties” so you can start swimming in this expansive, complex, and often enigmatic foundational text of Jewish culture.
Talmud for Beginners, part 3
Prof. Daniel Boyarin
The Talmud has been compared to an ocean. Prof. Boyarin offers “beginners’ floaties” so you can start swimming in this expansive, complex, and often enigmatic foundational text of Jewish culture.
Talmud for Beginners, part 2
Prof. Daniel Boyarin
The Talmud has been compared to an ocean. Prof. Boyarin offers “beginners’ floaties” so you can start swimming in this expansive, complex, and often enigmatic foundational text of Jewish culture.
Talmud for Beginners, part 1
Prof. Daniel Boyarin
The Talmud has been compared to an ocean. Prof. Boyarin offers “beginners’ floaties” so you can start swimming in this expansive, complex, and often enigmatic foundational text of Jewish culture.
Divinity and Infinity: Exploring the Infinite in Mathematics and Judaism
Dr. Larry Lesser
Explore—in a lively, interactive way—how math concepts can help illuminate some big ideas in Judaism, including the value of life, the value of commandments, and the coexistence divine transcendence and immanence.
Torah From the Bedroom, part 1
David and Rachel Biale
Sexuality in the Jewish tradition
People of the Book, but What Book? The Confrontation between Torah &...
Ron Reissberg
Apparently uncomfortable with various portions of the Torah, the rabbis provide interpretations that tend to neutralize the troubling aspects of those texts.
People of the Book, but What Book? The Confrontation Between Torah &...
Ron Reissberg
Apparently uncomfortable with various portions of the Torah, the rabbis provide interpretations that tend to neutralize the troubling aspects of those texts.
Am Yisrael High: Jews and Cannabis
Eddy Portnoy
This talk details the long history of Jews and cannabis, and will delve into aspects that range from religious texts to medieval manuscripts to contemporary artifacts, all of which reveal deep Jewish involvement in the science, the marketing, the legalization, and the usage of cannabis.
People of the Book, but What Book? The Confrontation Between Torah &...
Ron Reissberg
Apparently uncomfortable with various portions of the Torah, the rabbis provide interpretations that tend to neutralize the troubling aspects of those texts.
Bible, Midrash, Art: The Richness of Bible Narratives, part 4
Jody Hirsh
Examine stories as they are presented in the Bible, dive into traditional Midrash (Rabbinic interpretations that are themselves stories) and examine how artists of all types have interpreted these stories.
Bible, Midrash, Art: The Richness of Bible Narratives, part 2
Jody Hirsh
Examine stories as they are presented in the Bible, dive into traditional Midrash (Rabbinic interpretations that are themselves stories) and examine how artists of all types have interpreted these stories.
Bible, Midrash, Art: The Richness of Bible Narratives, part 1
Jody Hirsh
Examine stories as they are presented in the Bible, dive into traditional Midrash (Rabbinic interpretations that are themselves stories) and examine how artists of all types have interpreted these stories.
Not Your Grandparents’ Judaism: Exploring Personal Jewish Spiritual Growth,...
Rabbi Lavey Derby
This course is an invitation to explore our own personal, ongoing spiritual formation as we examine how Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi z’l, Rabbi Arthur Green, and others have responded to the spiritual challenges of our age.
Illuminated Medieval Passover Haggadahs
Rabbi Yoel Kahn
Medieval Jews created marvelously illustrated Haggadahs. The pictures in these 14th–16th century books can tell us about how their illustrators and viewers imagined the Biblical story, and about their own day.
Becoming Elijah: Prophet of Transformation
Daniel Matt
Explore Elijah’s development from the Bible to Rabbinic Judaism, Kabbalah, and Jewish ritual, culminating in the Hasidic notion that within each of us lies hidden a beḥinat Eliyyahu (an aspect of Elijah).
Not Your Grandparents’ Judaism: Exploring Personal Jewish Spiritual Growth,...
Rabbi Lavey Derby
This course is an invitation to explore our own personal, ongoing spiritual formation as we examine how Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi z’l, Rabbi Arthur Green, and others have responded to the spiritual challenges of our age.
Not Your Grandparents’ Judaism: Exploring Personal Jewish Spiritual Growth,...
Rabbi Lavey Derby
This course is an invitation to explore our own personal, ongoing spiritual formation as we examine how Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi z’l, Rabbi Arthur Green, and others have responded to the spiritual challenges of our age.
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