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About Rabbi Herbert Tarr • Courses in Jewish Studies • Lecture Series •• Participating Congregations • Registration • Past Speakers & Lecturers •
COURSES IN JEWISH STUDIES
Beginning Monday, October 22nd, 7:30 to 8:20 p.m.
Please select one 3-week course from SEMESTER I AND
another 3-week course from SEMESTER II
SEMESTER I (October 22nd, 29th & November 5th) MONDAYS
Course #1
Title: FROM THE PAGES OF THE TALMUD
Instructor: RABBI ROBERT D. BLOCK, ROSLYN SYNAGOGUE
Who is happy? Who is the person who is considered wise? When should I consider
myself successful in life? These and many other questions are addressed in “Pirkei
Avot,” a work whose title is commonly translated as “Ethics of the Fathers.” This
Talmudic tractate is traditionally studied during the summer. In this course we will
delve into the book’s wisdom and whet our appetites for further study.
Course #2
Title: GOD IN FILM
Instructor: RABBI TODD CHIZNER, TEMPLE JUDEA
This is not a film class; it is a class about God. We will use clips from popular movies
as “triggers” to delve into discussion of God’s nature. We will also include quotes
from the Bible and from the Rabbis (ancient and recent) to give the Jewish perspectives
on God’s nature.
Course #3
Title: POETS OF THE GOLDEN AGE OF SPAIN
Instructor: RABBI JUDY COHEN-ROSENBERG
COMMUNITY REFORM TEMPLE
The Golden Age of Spain was a remarkable period in the life of the Jewish people.
This class will encompass the history and poetry of that era. We will examine the work
of Yehuda Halevy and Solomon Ibn-Gabirol and see if we have anything to learn for
contemporary times from this prolific period of Jewish and Muslim creativity.
Course #4
Title: PRAISE, PETITION AND THANKSGIVING –
IS THAT ALL THERE IS?
Instructor: RABBI JENI S. FRIEDMAN, TEMPLE BETH SHOLOM
Traditional thoughts on Jewish liturgy teach us that most of our prayers are based on
the formula of praise, petition and thanksgiving. In this course we will examine early
tefillot
that may be more familiar and seem to “fit” this model, as well as look at someof the more contemporary interpretations. Are praise, petition and thanksgiving the
only ways we can connect to God through prayer, or can we find another way?
Course #5
Title: SO WHAT KIND OF JEW ARE YOU?
Instructor: RABBI MICHAEL STANGER
OLD WESTBURY HEBREW CONGREGATION
Many Jews today refer to themselves as “Reform,” “Conservative,” or “Orthodox,”
but what do these identifications really mean or entail? How do these movements
differ from each other and what are their philosophical and religious foundations? We
will explore their historical, sociological and theological development. We will also
delve into the reason why more and more people today choose not to affiliate with
any movement or identify as Jewish altogether, and what that might mean for the
future of Judaism.
Course #6
Title: AMERICAN JEWS AND ISRAEL:
DEFINING OUR CONNECTION
Instructor: RABBI MICHAEL A. WHITE, TEMPLE SINAI
During our sessions we will examine the ancient bond Jews share with the land of Israel.
We will then explore the close kinship the American Jewish community has shared with Israel
since its modern rebirth, and finally move on to some of the more contentious issues we face in
our relationship with Israel, i.e., the current struggle with Palestinian extremists, the anti-Israel
sentiments of Jimmy Carter, Tony Judt, Noam Chomsky and others.
SEMESTER II (November 12th, 19th & 26th) MONDAYS
Course #1A
Title: A RABBI READS THE GOSPELS: WHAT THE
PASSION NARRATIVES OF THE NEW TESTAMENT
HAVE TO SAY ABOUT JEWISH HISTORY, JEWISH
LAW, AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
EARLIEST CHRISTIANITY AND RABBINIC JUDAISM
Instructor: RABBI MARTIN S. COHEN
SHELTER ROCK JEWISH CENTER
These lectures will consider the passages in the New Testament that recount the story
of Jesus’ trial and execution in light of modern scholarship, especially the work of
John Dominic Crossan and Haim Cohn. The goal will be to develop a clear sense of
whether these accounts constitute reliable history, embellished legend, or pure
midrash designed to make a theological point independent of historical reality. Also,
we will discuss what these core texts of Christian faith have to say about the future of
Christian-Jewish dialogue, and whether they deserve to be considered part of the
canon of ancient Jewish literature.
Course #2A
Title: JUDAISM AND HEALING
Instructor: RABBI BENJAMIN DAVID
TEMPLE SINAI
Does our ability to heal and our belief in God somehow relate to one another? In light
of the proliferation of healing services and great focus on prayers of healing, this class
will allow us to think together about how Judaism has approached healing over time.
Where exactly does the
misheberach come from? How has it changed over time? Towhat extent do present day theologians and doctors alike link healing and the presence
of religion in one’s life?
Course #3A
Title: THE TALMUD: A BEGINNER’S GUIDE
Instructor: RABBI IRWIN HUBERMAN
CONGREGATION TIFERETH ISRAEL
This course will cover what the Talmud is, where it comes from, and why it is
important to this very day. We will also study, in English, three tracts from the Talmud
which are extremely applicable to our daily lives. In this study, we will learn what the
Talmud tells us about living a good life, a life filled with purpose and blessings.
Course #4A
Title: GOD WRESTLING, JEWISH IDENTITY AND
MODERN HEBREW POETRY
Instructor: RABBI JANET B. LISS
NORTH COUNTRY REFORM TEMPLE
As Israelis cope with the pressures of everyday life, come and join us as we read how
this is expressed in Modern Hebrew Poetry. What does it mean to consider oneself
secular while writing in the Holy Tongue and using references directly from the Bible,
the liturgy and other sacred sources. We will read Yehuda Amichai, Natan Zach, Leah
Goldberg and others. No knowledge of Hebrew is needed.
Course #5A
Title: NOT IN MY BACKYARD!
Instructor: RABBI ALAN B. LUCAS, TEMPLE BETH SHOLOM
A study of Jewish sources with respect to NIMBYism (Not in My Back Yard) to
understand where self interest ends and concern for others begins. Judaism teaches
that care for the world must begin with care for the self. But how do we move from
the legitimate concern for one’s own needs to the important concern for the needs of
others? By studying classical Jewish sources from the Bible, the Talmud and
Rambam’s Mishna Torah, we will see how Judaism wrestles with problems that
impinge on some of our most urgent contemporary issues like: how does one live in
a world of limited resources? How does one live in a land where two people claim the
rights to the same land? How do we attempt to equitably distribute precious medical
resources? Together we will explore some of Judaism’s most fascinating sources and
attempt to find solutions to some of the world’s most challenging problems.
Click here to view Lecture Series