Resistance to authoritarian, oppressive regimes is as old as those regimes themselves. We will examine the historical record for resistance efforts and movements around the world with particular emphasis on the ordeal and role of Jews, as victims and/or defiers.

Sessions will be recorded, so if you miss one you can find the recording in our video library the following day.... Read more

“Hear the gay shouts of liberation in the tents of the just!” (Psalm 118:15). Reciting the festival liturgy on Pride Shabbat was an important innovation—first celebrated at Congregation Beth Simchat Torah in New York in 1973—and so was this early gay-inclusive new translation of the psalm. This session, in honor of LGBTQ Pride, will e... Read more

"Jewish Peoplehood" has recently been the nom de jour in the Jewish community. What does Jewish Peoplehood actually mean? Is it a historical phenomenon, a demographic characterization, or a genetically transmitted set of traits? Our three distinguished presenters will examine the meaning, validity, and usefulness of this term.

Program in memo... Read more

With the aid of audio clips, video, still images, and textual comparisons, Seth Rogovoy, author of Bob Dylan: Prophet, Mystic, Poet, will illustrate how Bob Dylan’s songwriting has always been profoundly rooted in Jewish writings, including the Torah, the Prophets, the Talmud, liturgy... Read more

The 1967 Six-Day War has impacted Israel in a profound way. Much has been said and written about the regional, geo-political impact of the war; however, its impact on Israeli society, economy and culture were also far-reaching, helping transition Israel from the socialism of its founders to a more individualistic, free-market society that has embraced the (American) West and its values. In this talk, we will explore how a new Israel emerged after the Six-Day War.

As awe-inspiring features of the landscape, mountains have an extraordinary power to evoke a sense of the sacred. Drawing on personal experiences and extensive research illustrated with spectacular photography, Edwin Bernbaum takes us on a fascinating journey exploring the many ways that mountains embody humanity's highest values and aspirations, with a focus on their singular importance in Judaism.

In anticipation of Shavuot, this program will explore the relationship between the Torah given at Sinai and the Torah developed in the academies of Pumbedita. Through close readings of Talmudic texts and later philosophical and theological interpretations, we will examine the radical concept of the Oral Torah, and try to understand how rabbinic tradition balances sacred origin with human creativity.

Martin Buber (1878–1965) was actively committed to the pursuit of peace. In his writings on Arab-Jewish relations in Palestine, Buber's religious and philosophical teachings are integral to his politics. Buber's private and public writings, in which he advocated for bi-nationalism to solve the conflict in the Middle East, are collected in A Land of Two Peoples.  An ardent Zionist, Buber resolutely expressed his view that reconciliation and accommodation between the Arabs and Jew... Read more

Grounded in Jewish values and concepts of what it means to be human, we will critically examine the intrusion of AI into increasingly more aspects of our daily experiences. Jewish teachings will provide a framework for critically determining if, what and when to engage with artificial intelligence applications.