Deatra Cohen & Adam Spiegel, 6/24/2026 · You may be surprised to learn that Eastern European Jewish communities not only nurtured culturally rich plant healing traditions, but they were also part of broad, intimate networks of communal healing with their non-Jewish neighbors (Poles, Ukrainians, Lithuanians, Belarusians, Romanians, Tatars, Roma, and more). In this virtual course, instructors Deatra Cohen and Adam Siegel, authors of the groundbreaking book Ashkenazi Herbalism, will explore how these Jewish folk medicine traditions necessarily encompassed Eastern European Jewish cuisine and foodways. We will discuss the role of "humble" plants in herbal healing and touch upon the fascinating importance of magico-religious medicine for community health.

Rachel Biale, 6/11/2026 · "It is Torah, and I must study it!" With these famous words in Brachot 62a, Rav Kahana justified hiding under his teacher’s bed to observe him having sex. In this series, author Rachel Biale leads an exploration of The Torah of Sex. By diving into the Mishnah and Talmud, we will uncover how the ancient rabbis conceptualized sexual ethics and practices, contraception and abortion, and the place of sex in marriage. From the "proper intention" of the bedroom to laws regarding procreation and infertility, we will see how the rabbis navigated the tension between individual desires and privacy, and the need for communal legal frameworks for regulating sexual expression and activity.

Rachel Biale, 6/4/2026 · "It is Torah, and I must study it!" With these famous words in Brachot 62a, Rav Kahana justified hiding under his teacher’s bed to observe him having sex. In this series, author Rachel Biale leads an exploration of The Torah of Sex. By diving into the Mishnah and Talmud, we will uncover how the ancient rabbis conceptualized sexual ethics and practices, contraception and abortion, and the place of sex in marriage. From the "proper intention" of the bedroom to laws regarding procreation and infertility, we will see how the rabbis navigated the tension between individual desires and privacy, and the need for communal legal frameworks for regulating sexual expression and activity.

Naomi Seidman, 6/3/26 · How did the "Father of Psychoanalysis" sound in the languages of the Jewish people? This three-part series explores the fascinating reception history of Sigmund Freud’s work in Hebrew and Yiddish. We trace the journey of psychoanalytic theory from the clinical halls of Vienna to the bustling world of Eastern European Jewry. By examining how Freud’s radical ideas were translated and transformed, we uncover a unique chapter of Jewish intellectual history where the "unconscious" met the "Holy Tongue" and the vernacular of the masses.

Rachel Biale, 5/28/2026 · "It is Torah, and I must study it!" With these famous words in Brachot 62a, Rav Kahana justified hiding under his teacher’s bed to observe him having sex. In this series, author Rachel Biale leads an exploration of The Torah of Sex. By diving into the Mishnah and Talmud, we will uncover how the ancient rabbis conceptualized sexual ethics and practices, contraception and abortion, and the place of sex in marriage. From the "proper intention" of the bedroom to laws regarding procreation and infertility, we will see how the rabbis navigated the tension between individual desires and privacy, and the need for communal legal frameworks for regulating sexual expression and activity.

Naomi Seidman, 5/27/26 · How did the "Father of Psychoanalysis" sound in the languages of the Jewish people? This three-part series explores the fascinating reception history of Sigmund Freud’s work in Hebrew and Yiddish. We trace the journey of psychoanalytic theory from the clinical halls of Vienna to the bustling world of Eastern European Jewry. By examining how Freud’s radical ideas were translated and transformed, we uncover a unique chapter of Jewish intellectual history where the "unconscious" met the "Holy Tongue" and the vernacular of the masses.

Naomi Seidman, 5/20/26 · How did the "Father of Psychoanalysis" sound in the languages of the Jewish people? This three-part series explores the fascinating reception history of Sigmund Freud’s work in Hebrew and Yiddish. We trace the journey of psychoanalytic theory from the clinical halls of Vienna to the bustling world of Eastern European Jewry. By examining how Freud’s radical ideas were translated and transformed, we uncover a unique chapter of Jewish intellectual history where the "unconscious" met the "Holy Tongue" and the vernacular of the masses.

Nick Underwood, 5/19/2026 · How did Jews shape the identity of modern France, and how did Paris transform the Jewish experience? This three-part series journeys through the 19th and 20th centuries to uncover the vibrant, diverse Jewish communities of the "City of Light". From the flourishing Yiddish culture of the Marais to the courage of the French Resistance, we explore a history of revolution, acculturation, and the rise of modern antisemitism. Set to a curated soundtrack of Jewish music, we will navigate the complex dual identity of being "French" and "Jewish," looking beyond the Dreyfus Affair to see how a global center of art and politics became a vital hub of modern Jewish life.

Rabbi Chayva Lehrman, 5/18/2026 · How did the religious landscape of the ancient Near East transform into distinct, competing traditions? This session focuses specifically on Rabbinic Judaism as it began to chart its own path during Late Antiquity. We examine the inter-religious friction and intellectual cross-pollination of the era, uncovering the critical turning points and challenges to authority that shaped the foundations of the modern Jewish world. As the capstone of the series, this session draws together the themes explored throughout.

Reuven Firestone, 5/17/2026 · How did the religious landscape of the ancient Near East transform into distinct, competing traditions? This session focuses specifically on Rabbinic Judaism as it began to chart its own path during Late Antiquity. We examine the inter-religious friction and intellectual cross-pollination of the era, uncovering the critical turning points and challenges to authority that shaped the foundations of the modern Jewish world. This session focuses on Islam.

Nick Underwood, 5/12/2026 · How did Jews shape the identity of modern France, and how did Paris transform the Jewish experience? This three-part series journeys through the 19th and 20th centuries to uncover the vibrant, diverse Jewish communities of the "City of Light". From the flourishing Yiddish culture of the Marais to the courage of the French Resistance, we explore a history of revolution, acculturation, and the rise of modern antisemitism. Set to a curated soundtrack of Jewish music, we will navigate the complex dual identity of being "French" and "Jewish," looking beyond the Dreyfus Affair to see how a global center of art and politics became a vital hub of modern Jewish life.

Nick Underwood, 5/6/2026 · How did Jews shape the identity of modern France, and how did Paris transform the Jewish experience? This three-part series journeys through the 19th and 20th centuries to uncover the vibrant, diverse Jewish communities of the "City of Light". From the flourishing Yiddish culture of the Marais to the courage of the French Resistance, we explore a history of revolution, acculturation, and the rise of modern antisemitism. Set to a curated soundtrack of Jewish music, we will navigate the complex dual identity of being "French" and "Jewish," looking beyond the Dreyfus Affair to see how a global center of art and politics became a vital hub of modern Jewish life.