evt-beit-avi-chai.jpg

EVENTS THIS MONTH AT BEIT AVI CHAI

Speech God spoke and the world was created. In this session, we explore the power of speech in rabbinic thought with a comparison to a neo-platonic philosopher.The rich and diverse world of Rabbinic Literature left an indelible impression on Jewish culture. The Sages devoted time to study, lived amongst the people, and took part in daily life. In our new series, we study central passages from Rabbinic Literature that relate to significant life themes – and compare them to other currents of thought in Late Antiquity

Jewish Thought in Late Antiquity- Speech: ZOOM Event

Prof. Marc Hirshman

Charity Zedaka (charity) was a hallmark of both Judaism and Christianity as noted by the emperor Julian around 362 CE. Yet each religion took its own path in developing the ethical and religious underpinnings of charitable works.The rich and diverse world of Rabbinic Literature left an indelible impression on Jewish culture. The Sages devoted time to study, lived amongst the people, and took part in daily life. In our new series, we study central passages from Rabbinic Literature that relate to significant life themes – and compare them to other currents of thought in Late Antiquity

Jewish Thought in Late Antiquity- Charity: ZOOM Event

Glorifying God In one beautiful passage of a Tannaitic commentary, the early Sages offer a veritable roadmap to differing ways of glorifying God. The rich and diverse world of Rabbinic Literature left an indelible impression on Jewish culture. The Sages devoted time to study, lived amongst the people, and took part in daily life. In our new series, we study central passages from Rabbinic Literature that relate to significant life themes – and compare them to other currents of thought in Late Antiquity

Jewish Thought in Late Antiquity- Glorifying God: ZOOM Event

The Book of Bereshit (Genesis) reveals God's expectation of mankind, telling a story of People and their challenges in a world that was created for them. We learn about human psychology, sin, punishment, education and the establishment of separate societies based on a diversity of ideas. The Book of Bereshit also reveals the power of the individual and the ability to establish a family nucleus that is faithful to the divine expectation of all human beings. Each chapter contains messages filled with great depth and meaning.Our new series focuses on revealing the secrets that establish the foundations of The People of Israel - and Humanity as a whole. &nbsp;Parashat Chayei Sara The dynamics of families&nbsp; In English | Wednesday | November 8 | 8pm (1pm EST)Parashat Toledot Mistakes and the Lessons to be Learned In English | Wednesday | November 15 | 8pm (1pm EST) Parashat Vayetzei Universal Ethics&nbsp; In English | Wednesday | November 22 | 8pm (1pm EST)Parashat Vayishlach Blaming the Victim? In English | Wednesday | November 29 | 8pm (1pm EST) &nbsp;

The Weekly Torah Portion: The Stories of The Book of Genesis

Rabbi Shai Finkelstein

The devastation inflicted on an entire range of Jewish institutions, beginning with the cessation of sacrificial worship, placed into question the ongoing relationship between God and Israel. Was this relationship severed? What alternate paths of religious devotion were established? This session will examine some of these alternatives, most notably the role of prayer.Sunday | Dec 17 | 7pm (12pm EST)

Responding to Catastrophe at Beit Avi Chai

From Rupture to Healin with Prof. Isaiah Gafni.

Sages set out to console their followers by claiming that a whole range of alternatives were capable of filling the void created by the destruction. Not the least of these was the claim that Torah-study, alongside other acts of piety unrelated to the Temple, might achieve the same results as sacrificial worship. Consequently, words intended originally as consolation ultimately evolved into independent theological doctrine.Sunday | Dec 24 | 7pm (12pm EST)

From consolation to theology with Prof. Isaiah Gafni.

From consolation to theology - Prof. Isaiah Gafni.

In the aftermath of the destruction a wide-ranging &nbsp;restructuring of Jewish religious leadership came into effect. Decisions relating to the intercalation of the Jewish calendar, as well as the need to establish a recognized legal body empowered with the authority to rule on a broad range of legal questions previously addressed in Jerusalem, now required a new authoritative center. Determining the nature of that "center”, its location and composition, will be addressed in this session.Sunday | Dec 31 | 7pm (12pm EST)

From Jerusalem to Yavne with Prof. Isaiah Gafni.

According to Jewish tradition, there is a unique relationship between the People of Israel and the Land of Israel. As part of this connection, there is a set of land-related mitzvot – mitzvot ha'tluyot ba'aretz – which deal mostly with agriculture. In our series, we will study the development of these commandments and their impact on modern day agriculture in Israel.There are numerous ways of defining the boundaries of the Land of Israel as described in the Bible for the purpose of observing land-related mitzvot. In this episode, we explore the biblical boundaries of the Land of Israel and the effect of Exile on the halachic status of some of these boundaries. We will see how geopolitical considerations affect where and how Israel grows its food and when and what agricultural produce is exported from and imported to the State of Israel, which is not necessarily equal to the Land of Israel.&nbsp;In English | Sunday | Jan 7 | 7pm (12pm EST)

Boundaries of Holiness at Beit Avi Chai

The Mitzvot of the Land in the State of Israel with Dr. Joshua Klein.

The Mitzvot of the Land in the State of Israel.

According to Jewish tradition, there is a unique relationship between the People of Israel and the Land of Israel. As part of this connection, there is a set of land-related mitzvot – mitzvot ha'tluyot ba'aretz – which deal mostly with agriculture. In our series, we will study the development of these commandments and their impact on modern day agriculture in Israel.The mitzva of orla mandates that fruit from trees less than three years old must not be eaten or utilized in any other way. In this episode, we discover how long three years actually are according to the Jewish law. We also explore the halachic definition of a tree, including how a fruit from a tree can be considered a vegetable, therefore evading the orla restriction. Finally, we also discuss the implications of who grows the trees and where.In English | Sunday | Jan 14 | 7pm (12pm EST)

"Orla" at Beit Avi Chai

According to Jewish tradition, there is a unique relationship between the People of Israel and the Land of Israel. As part of this connection, there is a set of land-related mitzvot – mitzvot ha'tluyot ba'aretz – which deal mostly with agriculture. In our series, we will study the development of these commandments and their impact on modern day agriculture in Israel.Interspecies mixing includes mixed weaving of cloth, plowing with two kinds of animals, and sowing different kinds of seeds together. In this session we consider the implications of the prohibition against such mixing, the restrictions on grafted plants and genetic engineering, and religious distinctions between those who can and cannot use the fruits and vegetables resulting from kilayim.&nbsp;In English | Sunday | Jan 21 | 7pm (12pm EST)&nbsp;

"Kilayim" at Beit Avi Chai

According to Jewish tradition, there is a unique relationship between the People of Israel and the Land of Israel. As part of this connection, there is a set of land-related mitzvot – mitzvot ha'tluyot ba'aretz – which deal mostly with agriculture. In our series, we will study the development of these commandments and their impact on modern day agriculture in Israel.Most agrarian societies practice crop rotation, including letting land lie fallow for a period of time to let it "regenerate". Jews are divinely commanded to do so in the Land of Israel every seven years, and at the same time commanded to forgive debts. We discuss the connection between these two aspects of shmita, and their agricultural and social benefits. We also explore terms like heter mechira and see how food policy, consumerism, and international relations join with halacha in determining shmita observance in the State of Israel. In English | Sunday | Jan 28 | 7pm (12pm EST)&nbsp;

"Shmita" at Beit Avi Chai

Join noted scholar Prof. Ruth R. Wisse as she speaks on the impact of October 7 on Israeli and American Jewry – and on new questions about the paradoxes in the international perception of Jews in politics and power. Moderated by Israeli journalist Moav VardiMonday I February 19 I 7pm (12pm EST)

Jews and Power After October 7 at Beit Avi Chai

Ruth R. Wisse,
Harvard University Professor Emerita,
Distinguished Senior Fellow at Tikvah.

Ruth R. Wisse,
Harvard University Professor.

The core dispositions of early Hasidism include joy, generosity, equanimity, respect, non-judgmentalism, and love for God, Torah, and people. Led by spiritual masters, beginning with the Baal Shem Tov (d. 1760), the Hasidim foregrounded fervent prayer, storytelling, open-hearted Torah, and sacred melody (niggun) as vehicles for inner growth and transformation. The teachings of Hasidism show us how to embrace our unique personalities, how to be genuinely present, how to build community, how to fuse body and spirit, how to trust God and our own inner selves.Sunday | February 4 | 7pm (12pm EST) | zoom

An Introduction to Hasidism at Beit Avi Chai

The Baal Shem Tov - With Rabbi Dr. Nehemia Polen.

The Baal Shem Tov.

The core dispositions of early Hasidism include joy, generosity, equanimity, respect, non-judgmentalism, and love for God, Torah, and people. Led by spiritual masters, beginning with the Baal Shem Tov (d. 1760), the Hasidim foregrounded fervent prayer, storytelling, open-hearted Torah, and sacred melody (niggun) as vehicles for inner growth and transformation. The teachings of Hasidism show us how to embrace our unique personalities, how to be genuinely present, how to build community, how to fuse body and spirit, how to trust God and our own inner selves.Sunday | February 11 | 7pm (12pm EST) | zoom

Niggun and Storytelling - With Rabbi Dr. Nehemia Polen.

Niggun and Storytelling.

The core dispositions of early Hasidism include joy, generosity, equanimity, respect, non-judgmentalism, and love for God, Torah, and people. Led by spiritual masters, beginning with the Baal Shem Tov (d. 1760), the Hasidim foregrounded fervent prayer, storytelling, open-hearted Torah, and sacred melody (niggun) as vehicles for inner growth and transformation. The teachings of Hasidism show us how to embrace our unique personalities, how to be genuinely present, how to build community, how to fuse body and spirit, how to trust God and our own inner selves.Sunday | February 18 | 7pm (12pm EST) | zoom

Women in Hasidism - With Rabbi Dr. Nehemia Polen.

Women in Hasidism.

The core dispositions of early Hasidism include joy, generosity, equanimity, respect, non-judgmentalism, and love for God, Torah, and people. Led by spiritual masters, beginning with the Baal Shem Tov (d. 1760), the Hasidim foregrounded fervent prayer, storytelling, open-hearted Torah, and sacred melody (niggun) as vehicles for inner growth and transformation. The teachings of Hasidism show us how to embrace our unique personalities, how to be genuinely present, how to build community, how to fuse body and spirit, how to trust God and our own inner selves.Sunday | February 25 | 7pm (12pm EST) | zoom

Hasidism in the Modern Period - With Rabbi Dr. Nehemia Polen.

Hasidism in the Modern Period.

Focusing on a story in Tractate Hullin, we find a narrative that portrays a dichotomy between a "good" and a "bad" heretic, offering a glimpse into the complexities of theological dissent within the Jewish-Christian communities. What makes this narrative particularly intriguing is what it demonstrates about rabbinic knowledge of contemporary Christian beliefs.In English | Sunday | March 10 | 7pm (1pm EDT)

Good and Bad Heretics at Beit Avi Chai

Humour and Satire in Interreligious Dialogue with Prof. Michal Bar-Asher Siegal.

Humour and Satire in Interreligious Dialogue.

We turn our attention to the question of humor within early Christian writings. We examine the parallels between the humorous elements found in Christian texts and those identified in polemic rabbinic literature directed towards Jews. Through a comparative analysis, we attempt to discern commonalities and differences in the use of humor as a rhetorical device, shedding light on the diverse strategies employed by both communities in expressing dissent and engaging in religious polemics.In English | Sunday | March 17 | 7pm (1pm EDT)

An Ancient Christian Joke? at Beit Avi Chai

Jews and the American Civil Rights Movement and Beyond Prof. Eli LederhendlerIn this series we analyze how race became American society’s most pressing domestic issue in the postwar decades, how Jews in America were affected by this trend, and whether Jews can be considered an influential party to that national debate. Did the legacy of the civil rights struggle have special meaning for Jews? How can we account for the “disappearing Jew” in the identity politics of the post-sixties yearsWhile the legal battles for equal protection under the law were under way, a new kind of struggle was shaping up in the streets of the nation’s cities, the nation’s capital, and on college campuses. What were the ramifications of Jewish involvement in the movement and how were Jews affected? What were the early achievements and the initial costs of street activism? And did the Black-Jewish Alliance survive the end of the decade?In English | Sunday | April 7 | 7pm (12 pm EDT) | zoom

"Jews, Counterculture, and the Black-Jewish Alliance" at Beit Avi Chai

From the March on Washington to 1968.

Why did “militancy” and “radicalism” take precedence over equality in the new racial and identity politics of the late 60s, and how did this influence Jewish life? What lessons, if any, did Jews in America draw from the Civil Rights struggle? Where do we see continuities in Jewish public and community life between the 60s and the following years, and where can we see changes?In English | Sunday | April 14 | 7pm (12 pm EDT) | zoom

"Black Power and Jewish Identity" at Beit Avi Chai

New Dilemmas after 1968.

The first Jews reached Greece in the early Hellenistic period as entrepreneurs, tempted by the possibilities of trade, military activity and other opportunities. They established themselves quickly into communities which resembled each other, with similar institutions uniting them. In the next few centuries, a steady stream of Jewish emigrants arrived from Judaea to the cities of the Greek diaspora. We will discuss how it was possible for Jews to dwell in cities “not their own” and what their strategies were for coping with, accepting and participating in Greek life without losing their identities.

The Long History of the Jews of Greece at Beit Avi Chai

The First Jews of Ancient Greece with Dr. Katherine Aron-Beller.

The First Jews of Ancient Greece.

The study of Byzantine Jewry – its political and social history no less than its cultural institutions and achievements – has long been the stepchild of Jewish scholarship. A further challenge is the continually shifting borders of the Byzantine world. For a few hundred years, Jews were granted freedom of settlement and movement within the Empire and were not excluded from the Christian socio-economic space. We will attempt to define Jewish life in Greece at this time and how Jews coped with their loss of the Holy Land. We will also look at the beginnings of the Karaite communities in Greece.

The Rhomanian Jews of Byzantine with Dr. Katherine Aron-Beller.

The Rhomanian Jews of Byzantine.

Spanish speaking exiles found a welcoming haven in the Ottoman Empire in the late XV and early XVI centuries. The newcomers settled in central parts of the mainland, particularly around Salonika, turning the city into one of the most important ports in the Ottoman Empire. The Sephardim, who were innovative and radical, constituted the majority of the city’s population and developed communities with many institutions. Among them was the false messiah Sabbatai Zevi, whose presence and followers in Greece caused an emotional upheaval in the Jewish community the reactions to which continued until the XX century.

The Sephardi Jews and Sabbatai Zevi with Dr. Katherine Aron-Beller.

The Sephardi Jews and Sabbatai Zevi.

Among the unique Greek Jewish communities in the late XIX and early XX centuries, Salonika was considered the most distinguished. Until the arrival of the Nazis in 1941, the city housed two-thirds of Greek Jewry, resulting in over one-third of its population being Jewish. The Jews of Salonika were the undisputed masters in almost all sectors of the economy. They represented all social classes, and were to be found in every profession. In this last session, we will follow the city’s history in the XX century by looking at different historical events up to the Jews’ return in the post-war years.