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learning

Members of the Reconstructionist Movement Grapple With Tough Israel/Palestine Topics

January 19, 2022 by Gillian Jackson

Last week, a handful of AARC members attended a lecture by Rabbi Rebecca Alpert titled ‘Reconstructionism without Zionism.’ The event was the beginning of a series of lectures hosted by a coalition of Rabbis and members of the Reconstructionist community that are concerned about the conflict between Israel and Palestine. The series was not hosted by the Reconstructing Judaism official body or the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. The lectures will occur bi-weekly and cover a range of topics including Decolonizing Jewish Liturgy, Rethinking Israel Education: Teaching Jewish Kids to Think Critically about Israel/Palestine, Becoming an Abolitionist: Antiracism and Antizionism and more. To learn more about the upcoming lectures, check out the coalition’s website here.

The lecture was opened with an appeal for all participants to sit with their uncomfortable feelings about Israel, be curious about what feels challenging, and remain open to hearing divergent viewpoints. Rabbi Brian Walt invited everyone to take part in a prayer to open the lecture:

Barukh atah Adonai Elo heinu melekh ha’olam asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu lirdof tzedek v’shalom l’chol yoshvei tevel. 

Blessed is the Source of Life that makes us holy through mitzvot, calling us to pursue justice and peace for all.

If you want to read Rabbi Alpert’s lecture, you can find the source info here from an article she published on Rabbi Brant Rosen’s blog. In her lecture, Rabbi Alpert argued that we need to redefine what it means to be Jews in diaspora. She maintained that how Mordechai Kaplan related to Israel in the post-WWII era needs to be subject to ‘transvaluation’ in the same way that we have transvalued (or redefined) other concepts within Judaism such as the assertion of Jews as the ‘chosen people.’ Rabbi Alpert concluded by urging the Jewish community to consider the ethical implications of war and occupation.

Upon the conclusion of her lecture, the floor was opened up for 45 minutes questions. It was clear during the Q & A that participants had a lot to say about the subject of Zionism, and Rabbi Alpert’s opinion on the subject. The level of emotion and the fact that over 280 people attended the lecture demonstrates our communities’ need to grapple with this issue. The coalition hosting the lecture provided this space for discussion in the form of a Google group after the lecture.

If last week’s lecture is an example of the level of passion on the topic, we are in for an engaging series of lectures and discussions!

To attend next week’s lecture, sign up here.

Filed Under: Event writeups, Reconstructionist Movement Tagged With: learning, palestine

Exciting Opportunities for Learning Abound!

November 4, 2019 by Gillian Jackson Leave a Comment

Global Day of Jewish Learning and Other Opportunities for Independent Study

Reconstructing Judaism will participate in the Global Day of Jewish Learning, presented by the Aleph Society on November 17th. The Reconstructionist community is invited to join via live-stream at 1pm Eastern Time to experience Rabbi David Teutsch’s presentation on “Feedback that Works: The Art of Tochecha (the rebuke).”

For a long term project, check out Project Zug, operated by the Hadar Institute. which offers courses in Jewish learning on subjects ranging from “Death Penalty in the Talmud” to “Bob Dylan: A Jewish Journey Between Home And Exile.” By signing up on the website, you can follow a facilitated course led by a rabbi or scholar.

Reconstructing Judaism’s own online initiative, Ritualwell, offers interactive online classes through its Immersions program. Featuring in depth study with rabbis and teachers, the site’s topics include “Ethical Eating,” “Poetry as Sanctuary,” and “Jewish Mysticism.”

Last but not least, our own Rabbi Ora will kick off a new Ta’Shma: Come and Learn series on January 11, 2020; the series continues on subsequent Second Saturdays. I hope you are inspired to take advantage of one of these wonderful opportunities for learning!

Filed Under: Community Learning Tagged With: learning

January Community Learning–Sunday morning

January 7, 2015 by ravmichal

Everyone is invited to join the Beit Sefer students in their learning about mitzvot/commandments. Our study will dovetail with the second session of the guided reading series that began last week (yes, you can still join this!) We will explore the nature and history of Judaism’s system of laws and ethics, its evolution over the centuries and what our own relationships with this concept in our lives.

Join us at 10am on Sunday, January 18th at the JCC. Preparatory reading materials will be available via email in advance or at 9:30 that morning.  To receive/reserve study materials or for any other questions about learning at the AARC contact Rav Michal.

Filed Under: Community Learning, Rabbi's Posts, Upcoming Activities Tagged With: learning, mitzvah

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