Taught by Rabbi Steve Gutow

In this four-part course, we will discuss “myths” about Jewish Law, ask what makes Jewish Law “law,” and examine the concepts, and the structure and methodology underlying the Jewish legal system. Where possible, particular attention will be paid to sources of American legal concepts that may be found in the Jewish legal system, to the analogies between the two systems as they are today with a focus on how the two systems may use different concepts and approaches to specific cases. We will study some specific subjects of Jewish law, still being determined. Familiarity with American Law or Halacha (Jewish law) is helpful. Minimum of six participants to run the class. Contact Steve

(stevegutow@gmail.com).

Rabbi Steve Gutow is is a lawyer with a law degree from the University of Texas Law School and taught a course in Jewish Law as an adjunct Professor at St. Louis University Law School. He is also a Visiting Scholar at the Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. He brings a powerful depth and richness of expertise in organizing, advocacy and reaching across the divisions that have undermined the sense of shared obligation and fate in America and beyond.

This past summer, Rabbi Joy Levitt and Rabbi Michael Strassfeld were invited to participate in the Encounter Intensive Seminar. Encounter brings Jewish lay and professional leaders to spend four days in Bethlehem, Ramallah and East Jerusalem to hear and witness the Palestinian point of view and experience. Rabbi Strassfeld describes it as “a powerful and disturbing experience that most American Jews don’t have.” Join us as Rabbi Strassfeld shares his learnings and thoughts.

Taught by Ruth Messinger

We will do a deep dive into the issue of tzedakah and consider its application to our own lives and to the life of the SAJ community.

What is tzedakah and what do our texts and sages have to say about the practices of giving? How do we and how might we make our own decisions about giving? How can we choose among the many needs that present themselves to us in our lives, on our computers, courtesy of the U.S. Postal Service or on the phone? What criteria should we be using? Whose expertise can we trust? What do we want our children to know about tzedakah and how can we build that into our family lives and into our school?

“The Soul of the Stranger: Reading Torah from a Transgender Perspective”

During the shabbat service, this talk will describe Ladin’s childhood experiences of how her transgender identity fostered her relationship with God and the Torah, and the approach to reading Torah which grew out of those experiences, and is presented in her recent book.

1:15pm: Poetry Reading and Discussion on “Poems of Midrash & Shechina.” Joy is a prolific and world-traveling poet. Joy will read and explore poems that penetrate and explore torah themes as well as muse on the “Schechinah,” traditionally seen as the feminine, in-dwelling presence of the Divine.

Co-sponsored with Keshet.

D’var torah and afternoon teaching. Rabbi Helen Plotkin is co-founder of the Beit Midrash at Swarthmore College, where she teaches courses in Biblical Hebrew and classical Hebrew texts. She is founder and director of Mekom Torah, a Philadelphia-area Jewish community learning project serving adults, teens, and families. She is editor and annotator of the recent book, In This Hour: Heschel’s Writings in Nazi Germany and London Exile. Rabbi Plotkin holds a BA from Swarthmore College in Philosophy and Linguistics, an MA from the University of Michigan in Ancient Chinese Language and Thought, and rabbinical ordination from the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.

Dr. Benjamin D. Sommer