The Art of Jewish Papercutting with local artist Lisa Rauchwerger (Zoom)
Sunday, March 30, 1:30 – 3:00 p.m.
Join local Judaic Artist/Writer/Teacher/Chef Lisa Rauchwerger in an online presentation, as she shares with us the Art of Jewish Papercutting. Lisa will give us a brief background into the origins of papercutting, then take us on a journey through her own work, sharing examples and symbolic meaning in what she describes as Visual Midrash. There will be an opportunity to ask questions after the presentation. Please register for Zoom
Cooking Jewish food with love in the USSR (Beit Midrash)
Saturday, April 5, 12:45 – 2:15 p.m.
Join us for an informal talk on Shabbat immediately after kiddush lunch. Beth David Congregant Dina Yevelev will speak about her self-published cookbook, Cooking with Love: My Secret Recipes Book, about balabustas from the Jewish shtetls in Russia. The book also includes memories of secretly keeping Jewish traditions (such as baking matzos) under the communist regime.
Jewish Book Discussion Group (Beit Midrash)
Beyond the Golden Rule – Jewish Perspective on Dialogue and Diversity by Rabbi David A. Kunin
Saturday, April 19, 12:45 – 2:15 p.m.
Most interreligious conferences focus on common themes which all religions share: peace, social justice, and the Golden Rule. Are these commonalities the sum total of religion? Are we really all the same, with just a few unimportant particularities, or are the particularities important? Are they in actuality the essences that define us? Join us on April 19, as Rabbi Kunin leads a discussion on this book which he wrote in 2015. The paperback edition of this book is currently out of print. If you send Rabbi an email and donate $15 to his discretionary fund, he’ll send you a copy of the e-book.
Sudden Death and Jewish Genetics: Author Talk (Zoom)
Monday, April 21, 7:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Susan Liebman, professor of genetics at the University of Nevada, Reno, will speak about her new book The Dressmaker’s Mirror: Sudden Death, Genetics, and a Jewish Family’s Secret. She will discuss many aspects of genetic diseases, including genetic disease transmission, mutations, prevention, diagnosis, screening, genetic testing, and gene therapy. A question and answer session will follow. Please register for Zoom.
Navigating the Sea of Sacred Jewish Literature (zoom)
Tuesdays, April 1 & 22, 7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Join Rabbi Roller as we embark together on a voyage of discover through the vast and diverse world of Jewish sacred literature. We will examine the unique characteristics of each genre and explore their historical contexts.
Starting with the varieties of biblical literature as a foundation, we will see how rabbinic, medieval, and modern texts build upon, reinterpret, and expand this core. Through this journey, we’ll gain insight into the rich tapestry of intertextuality that characterizes Jewish literature, witnessing how each era contributes to an ongoing, dynamic conversation within Jewish tradition.
This class is held online only. Register once for a Zoom link that works for all sessions of this class.. Register for Zoom.
Major Themes in Jewish Theology (Beit Midrash/zoom)
Tuesdays, March 18, April 8 & 29, 7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
In this class, we will explore some of the underlying theological concepts in Judaism, such as monotheism, covenant, hermaneutics (authority of scripture), life after death, theodicy (question of evil), the balance between faith and science, and the meaning of redemption, among many other topics. Each session will be a standalone lecture on one of these topics. If you can’t attend in person, join on Zoom! Register once for a Zoom link that works for all sessions of this class. Register for Zoom.
SAVE THE DATE – Scholar-in-Residence Weekend
May 16-17, 2025 with Rabbi David Golinkin
SEE SCHEDULE
Rabbi David Golinkin is President of The Schechter Institutes, Inc. and President Emeritus of the Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies. For twenty years he served as Chair of the Va’ad Halakhah (Law Committee) of the Rabbinical Assembly which gives halakhic guidance to the Masorti Movement in Israel. For a complete bio click here.
Talmud Study with Rabbi Kunin (Zoom)
Fridays, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Please join Rabbi David Kunin for weekly Talmud study online. The Talmud is the foundational document of rabbinic Judaism, containing laws and lore which underlie how Jews approach the world. Its dialectic toward truth yields a multiplicity of answers which we will explore in depth. All are welcome. No prior Talmud study experience necessary.
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Torah Study with Rabbi Kunin (Beit Midrash)
Tuesdays, 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
The Torah is our timeless treasure, with answers for the pivotal questions of the past, present and future. Sometimes it challenges us, and sometimes it disturbs us. Nonetheless there is always room for learning and debate. Each week in this series, we will examine ideas and issues from the weekly parasha and, through discussion and argument, discover meaningful connections between the wisdom of our Torah and our modern lives. Please join this weekly informal Torah study session with Rabbi Kunin on a drop-in basis.