Shabbaton Brochure

SESSION ALEPH Friday 7:00-8:10 p.m.

A. The Wrong Time for Torah   RABBI MICHAEL CHERNICK
Two Talmudic short stories address the issue of “the wrong time for Torah.” One story centers on Moses, God’s intermediary for giving the Torah. When given a chance to see Rabbi Akiba teaching, Moses asks God why Akiba wasn’t chosen to  give Israel the Torah. God rebukes Moses for even asking. The second Talmudic story centers around Honi Ha-me`agel, who sleeps for seventy years, awakes, and returns to the Bet Midrash. The sages of the Bet Midrash remember his teachings with reverence, but reject his claim to being who he says he is, which causes his death. Each story is about “The Wrong Time for Torah.” Each tale suggests when it is the right time for Torah.

B. How Integral Is Antisemitism to the US?   PROF. DENNIS KLEIN
Recent antisemitic incidents in the US raise legitimate concerns, but is antisemitism a bad US habit, as it was and is in Europe, or an episodic flare-up?

C. Talmudic Views on 21st-Century Privacy   MARC MELZER
Each passing day today presents a novel challenge to our sense of personal privacy. What wisdom can we glean from the decidedly analog rabbis of the Talmud as we attempt to navigate the era of Big Data in a Jewish context? Which values espoused by the Rabbis are in accord with and which are in tension with our current and evolving understanding of our rights to privacy?

D. Not by might: Jewish views about democracy and the forces that threaten it   RABBI RACHEL KAHN-TROSTER
In different ways, the United States and Israel have been critical to the Jewish community not just as places of safety, but as beacons of democracy. Today, democracy in these two countries feels increasingly fragile, leading to a shrinking space for freedom and human rights. We will discuss what anti-democratic global trends mean for us as Jews, and how we can respond by looking inward or building bridges with other threatened communities.

E. Parents and Children in the Book of Genesis   RABBI JOEL PITKOWSKY
The book of Genesis contains some of the most powerful and disturbing stories of family life in the Jewish tradition. Join Rabbi Pitkowsky as we take a deep look at a few of these stories that we think we know so well, and seek a deeper understanding that may shed light on our own family dynamics.

F. Weaponizing Jews - Julian, the Last Pagan Roman Emperor   RABBI NED SOLTZ
Julian, also known as Julian II and to Christians as Julian the Apostate, was the last non-Christian Roman emperor. While only reigning from 361 to 363 CE, he was a staunch defender of traditional Roman religion as filtered through Platonic thought. We will examine both his anti-Jewish writings and his proposal to rebuild the Temple, using Jews as a weapon against Christianity and a foil for the Roman deities.

SESSION BET Saturday 1:30-2:30 p.m.

G. V’Talmud Torah K’neged Kulam: The Whys and Wherefores of Torah Study   RABBI JOYCE NEWMARK
We all know that Torah study is a central element of Jewish life, but why? In this session we will explore four compelling reasons why we study Torah and, of course, learn a little Torah.

H. “This I Believe”   DR. ELAINE COHEN
We seldom create opportunities to speak about our personal statements of belief or our skepticism about belief. Participants in this session will be asked to write a paragraph prior to the Shabbaton about what they believe or do not believe and bring it with them to this session. We will share and respond to each other in an environment of attentive listening, confidentiality, and respect. We will also read together a few faith statements of Jewish thinkers and leaders through the ages. (Participation limited to 20. They will be given an assignment and will be expected to prepare in advance of Shabbat.)

I. Teshuva Meets Neuroscience: Habits and Change in Adulthood   DR. MONA FISHBANE
Teshuva is a core value in Judaism—taking responsibility for our actions, making amends, determining to change for the better. But can we really change in adulthood? This session explores rabbinic sources on teshuva in the context of the neurobiology of habits & change. Why is change so hard? We will discuss ways to harness the power of neuroplasticity, the ability of the brain to change, allowing us to live according to our higher values.

J. Siddur Lev Shalem as a Guide to Meaningful Prayer   RABBI ARYEH MEIR
In the foreword to this Siddur, Arnold Eisen, JTS Chancellor, wrote: “The ancient rabbis knew that Jews come to prayer from a wide range of experience and a full spectrum of moods. The liturgy must speak to and for each and every one of them.” Our Lev Shalem siddur is an amazing resource for those who are already familiar with the prayers, as well as those who struggle with the meaning of the words and with faith itself. Using the Siddur as our text, we will focus on the left-hand pages of translation and reflection. Lev Shalem is a rich resource for all who want to deepen their experience of prayer.

K. Do Not Stand Idly By: Jewish Views on Gun Violence Prevention   RABBI LEE PASKIND & FREIDA HERSHMAN HUBERMAN
How can Jewish texts inform our discussion of self-protection, gun violence prevention, and gun safety? Join us for text study and a discussion of communal and individual responses to these timely topics.

L. Talmud and Torah of Tefilat Geshem   CANTOR ESTELLE EPSTEIN
We will study the Biblical and Midrashic sources alluded to in the rich poetry of the geshem prayer recited on Shmini Atzeret.  This session will be taught in accessible Hebrew.

M. Jews of Uganda & Coffee of Kenya   RABBIS ELLIOT SCHOENBERG & CATHY FELIX
Based on our recent trip teaching and visiting with Abayudaya, the Jewish community of Uganda, we will present an update along with a cup of Kenyan coffee on the side. A fascinating insight into a little- known corner of the People Israel.

YP. Parent-Child Learning
Making your child your chevrutah; Join the Children’s Programing Committee as we explore the value of making your child/children your chevrutah. Pass on the value of Jewish learning to your children for generations to come. Time will be spend in chevrutah with your child/children. This session is meant for families with children ages 5 and older.

YK. Kadima   YONI SHEAR
How Many Frogs Is It Anyway? We will look at parshat Vayera and the arrival of the second plague, Frogs. Or is it Frog? We will have to dig and ask the great minds of the Torah commentators to help us out, but I assure you, we WILL find an answer.

SESSION GIMMEL Saturday 3:15-4:15p.m.

N. The Jewish Image in Nineteenth-Century British Poetry   MICHAEL POPKIN
In this session we will discuss poems by Blake, Shelley, Byron, Keats, Wordsworth, Browning, Arnold, and Hopkins. What were their various attitudes toward the fact that Jews were a presence in Europe in the nineteenth century?

O. K’neged Kulam - Talmud Torah Regarding EACH Mitzvah    RABBI DAVID BOCKMAN
How learning and intentionality can change the nature of performing mitzvot in our lives. We’ll look at a few examples from different areas of Jewish life and see how Talmud Torah can deepen the spirituality and the effectiveness of what we might otherwise do by rote. We will study some texts, including Kohelet, related to whether performing mitzvot requires kavana (purposeful thinking), and we’ll look philosophically into whether living a mindless life is materially different from living a mindful one.

P. Athens and Jerusalem Revisited   JUDAH SKOFF
In his landmark essay, “Athens and Jerusalem,” Leo Strauss challenged the view that Jewish tradition and Greek philosophy could be "synthesized,” in that one was based on revelation and the other on reason. In Strauss's teaching, Judaism’s highest act was obedience to the revealed word of God, while the highest act in Greek thought was the pursuit of wisdom, aided by human faculties. In recent years, Israeli philosopher and political thinker Yoram Hazony has argued that Strauss's distinction obscures the true spirit of the Torah, and was overly influenced by Christian doctrines and the German enlightenment. We will bring Strauss and Hazony into dialogue and explore what this reason/revelation debate means for us today.

Q. Text and Ethics around End of Life Decisions   SARAH MONCHAR
Halachic views of end of life decision making and withdrawal of life- sustaining measures.

R. The Gender of God in Ancient Israel   PROFESSOR BENJAMIN SOMMER
While most biblical texts seem to assume that God is a male, there are some surprising exceptions. In this session, the group will examine several texts from Genesis and Isaiah, as well as relevant material found in the archaeological record from ancient Israel, while also glancing forward to medieval Jewish echoes of these ancient perceptions of God.

S. A Seat at the Table: Changes in Arab Political Involvement in Israeli Government    HILLARY KESSLER-GODIN
Back-to-back Israeli elections in 2019 have brought about undeniable changes in both Jewish and Arab party approaches to political cooperation. Surveys of Israel’s Arab citizens, 20% of the population, have shown that a majority favor joining or supporting a government coalition, while the year’s second election brought unprecedented campaigning by center-left Jewish parties in Arab society. We will discuss this evolving political dynamic and its implications for the future of Israeli society and government.

YU. USY YONI SHEAR
Can it Be Too “Ripe”? How do we really find THE translation of the text? Can one word really make the difference? We will be learning about the end of Yoseph's life and what happens to him. Hopefully we will come away with a true translation . . . hopefully!

YG. Game Time for Everyone
The Auditorium will be open during the 3:15 session and beyond for those interested in socializing and playing games. Perfect for families and anyone who is looking to relax during the Shabbaton.

CLOSING SESSION Saturday 4:20-5:30 p.m.

Bernie, Mike, and the Changing Image of the American Jew   ANDREW SILOW-CARROLL
Bernie Sanders and Michael Bloomberg embody two very distinctive Jewish “types.” We’ll use their presidential runs as a springboard to discuss the new landscape of American Jewry and its implication for politics, Israel, and the Jewish community itself.