March, 2015 To our members and friends, Our ongoing programs for the Institute continue full throttle, including several great recent highlights.
On Sunday, February 22, I organized a symposium, “From the Academy to the Religious Community: How we can gain religious insight from academic Jewish Studies.” Over seventy people attended at Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun in Manhattan.
We enjoyed three talks: • Dr. Chaviva Levin: “What Medieval Jewish Apostates Can Teach Us about the Mitzvah of Ahavat HaGer” (loving the convert) • Rabbi Hayyim Angel: “Afterlife in Jewish Thought: The Evolution of an Idea and Implications for Religious Life Today” • Rabbi Dr. Jeremy Wieder: “Berlin in Volozhin? The Relevance of Academic Talmud to the Denizens of the Beit Midrash” Rabbi Wieder’s and my talks are available online at our website, http://www.jewishideas.org//online-learning. This is an exciting new development in the growth of our programming, and look forward to organizing future symposia with leading rabbis and scholars on relevant issues so that we can learn and build bridges in our broader community. Stay tuned!
Here are some upcoming programs for March and April: Kehilath Jeshurun (114 East 85th Street, between Park and Lexington Avenue in Manhattan): My next two Shabbatot as part of a monthly Rabbinic Scholar program will be a sermon on the morning of Shabbat March 7 at the Sephardic minyan (services begin at 9:00am), the afternoon class (4:25 pm) on “The Golden Calf: Terrible Sin, Great Learning Methodology,” and a se’udah shelishit talk after minhah on “Orthodoxy and Archaeology: Friends or Foes?”
On Shabbat April 18, I will give the sermon at the Sephardic minyan, (services begin at 9:00am). Classes are free and open to the public.
On April 19, 26, May 3 (Sunday evenings, 7:00-8:00 pm): I will give a three-part series on the Book of Ruth at the Young Israel of Jamaica Estates, 83-10 188th Street, Jamaica, NY. Classes are free and open to the public. Second Samuel: In-Depth Bible Study: I am continuing our in-depth Tanakh learning at Lincoln Square Synagogue (68th Street and Amsterdam in Manhattan). This semester we are studying the Second Book of Samuel. Newcomers are always welcome. Classes meet on Wednesday evenings, 7:15-8:15pm.
Remaining dates for the spring semester are: March 11, 18, 25 (not March 4, Purim) Classes are co-sponsored by our Institute and Lincoln Square Synagogue. Registration is required, please go to lss.org/RabbiAngel. Yeshiva University: Honors Rabbinical Program Continuing with our teacher training program, I am currently giving a nine-part series to Honors Rabbinical Students at Yeshiva University on how to teach Bible in synagogues. This course is open to Honors Rabbinical Students at Yeshiva University.
Here are some of the highlights from the past two months: • Shabbat January 2-3: scholar-in-residence program, Young Israel of Lawrence-Cedarhurst. • Monday January 5: Lecture at the Yeshivat Chovevei Torah-Maharat Winter Intensive. • Shabbat February 7, scholar-in-residence, Congregation Ohab Shalom in Manhattan. • Thursday February 12, Book Launch of my newest book, Jewish Holiday Companion, published this past November by the Institute. • Shabbat February 27-28, scholar-in-residence at Congregation Ahavath Torah, Englewood, New Jersey. As always, I thank our members and friends for their support and for enabling us to spread our Institute’s vision through teaching and publications throughout the country and beyond. Rabbi Hayyim Angel National Scholar