Lunch & Learn: Torah Study, Social Justice and the Competition for Defining Judaism in Antiquity
Date: October 8, 2020Time: 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm Phone: 203-552-1818Email: info@ujajcc.orgAdd to Outlook Add to Google Calendar
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PLEASE NOTE: Beginning Thursday, April 30, Lunch & Learn is going virtual! Please register for Zoom link AND password.
Lunch & Learn is a weekly program, every Thursday from 12:30 – 1:30 pm. The Lunch & Learn program is generously sponsored by Rita Edelston.
October 8
Torah Study, Social Justice and the Competition for Defining Judaism in Antiquity
Dr. Moulie Vidas
As classical Judaism was forming in antiquity, Torah study became one of its central values, with some traditional texts hailing it as the most important one. How did Torah study come to prevail, and what did Judaism embrace of competing visions such as public service, social justice and devotion in prayer?
October 15
The Chosen People in an Age of Political Correctness
Rabbi Hayyim Angel
Explore the ideal vision of the Bible and later Jewish thought regarding our relationship with God, Jews and all of humanity.
October 22
The Italian Renaissance Meets the Synagogue
Rabbi Prof. Jeffrey Woolf
We’ve all heard of the Italian Renaissance. But few know that the great Italian artists and composers had a direct impact on Jewish life. We’ll look at some surprising examples,
such as when Michelangelo became an object of a Shabbat walk.
October 29
The Rabbis on Thanksgiving
Rabbi Eric Hoffman
As we approach the American season of Thanksgiving, let us examine and discuss Rabbinic thought in the Talmud and Midrash about what thanksgiving ought to be.
November 5
The Effects of Human Behavior on Jewish Law
Rabbanit Michelle Cohen Farber
Today’s Daf Yomi, Eruvin 88, is our lens for retrogazing the 2020 international Siyum HaShas for Women and what inspired it. That landmark event in Jerusalem was the first, though by no means the last, major celebration of women’s achievements in Talmud learning.
November 12
Priestly Blessing
Rabbi Menachem Liebtag
There’s no obvious reason why the utterance of a few special words by a member of the priestly clan could facilitate a blessing from God. Let’s explore its Biblical logic.
November 19
Between a Deed and Its Goal -- What Counts?
Rabbi Avital Hochstein
To evaluate a deed, should we consider its purpose or its outcome? The effort behind it or its final effect? Let’s probe the criteria for criteria through the classic dispute between Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Shimon.
Thursday, November 26 - Thanksgiving, no class
December 3
Zero to Hero
Rabbi Devorah Evron
Gender roles in the story of Hanukkah.
December 10
Chanukah - Finding Light After Much Darkness
Rabbi Shaul Robinson
The ancient story of Chanukah is about faith, resilience, adaptability -- and most of all hope. We will examine some classic and contemporary stories to find much light after a very difficult year.
December 17
Plague and Pandemic in Jewish History
Rabbi Dr. Henry Abramson
Over the course of their millennial, diasporic history, Jews encountered virtually every contagion known to humanity. From the Hebrew Scriptures to the Talmud, from Maimonides to modern medicine, the Jews responded to the medical and social upheavals occasioned by pandemics, developing strategies that inform the present Covid-19 condition.
Thursday, December 24, no class
Thursday, December 31, no class