The Jewish Lives series, published by Yale University Press, explores the stories of historical and present-day influential individuals whose Jewish experiences shaped their contributions to culture, science, and politics. Local professors lead these book discussions.
There is a standard Jewish joke that our bodies serve only one purpose...to hold up our Yiddishe Kups (our Jewish minds). Judaism, however, does teach about the importance of caring for our bodies; they are holy vessels given to us by God. We will examine some texts on the relationship between our minds, our bodies and our spirits...
The coexistence of Orthodoxy and feminism sounds like an oxymoron to many. However, in today’s world, there is a vibrant movement to develop the social and religious roles of women within Orthodox communities.
Join Anthony Wexler to delve into two powerful, and very different, works of Holocaust literature: Elie Wiesel’s iconic first-person testimony, Night (1960), and Art Spiegelman’s remarkable graphic novel, Maus (1991).
The Jewish Sermon on the Mount compares the universal ethics of Judaism and Christianity. The class will analyze "Judeo-Christian" ethics showing the similarities as well as differences between the two faiths. Was Jesus a universalist Jew? Find out in this in-depth discussion.
Recounting a range of gendered experiences - including sexual barter and the dissolution of familial ties - Renata Laqueur's diary is a compelling account of the dehumanization enforced by the Nazis in Bergen-Belsen. Despite many attempts, Laqueur was never able to find an American publisher for her diary.
Join Steven Windmueller for a look at American Jewish behavior in reaction to our country in crisis.
Henry Ford was an American icon, innovator, industrialist, and also an ardent antisemite. Ford used his fame and fortune to disseminate his vitriol - blaming Jews for all the ills in America. This class will examine the dark side of the self-made billionaire whose prejudice still resonates today.
This on-line book club takes a deep dive into the issues coming out of three points of a triangle, YOU, JUDAISM, and TECHNOLOGY. Before COVID 19, we suffered from our digital devices and other forms of technology driving us when we in fact should be the drivers.
The intersection of Jewish and popular music culture has been an exceedingly rich and productive encounter. Is it Jewish? Is it American? Can we claim the voices of such luminaries as Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Carole King, and a host of others?
A close look at 4 individuals who helped shape both the lives of American Jews and the broader American society in which they lived. We will explore their basic biographies as well as the lasting impact their legacies had on both Jewish and American history.
Journey through all twenty-four books of the Jewish Bible, studying them one-by-one, with master teachers as your guides. This unique approach explores the major themes, broad context, and key events of each book - all in an open, thoughtful, participatory atmosphere.
Journey through all twenty-four books of the Jewish Bible, studying them one-by-one, with master teachers as your guides. This unique approach explores the major themes, broad context, and key events of each book - all in an open, thoughtful, participatory atmosphere.