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Wednesday Temple Scholars
October 14, 2015 @ 9:30 am - 12:00 pm
WEDNESDAY TEMPLE SCHOLARS PROGRAM
Begins October 14, 2015 to May 4, 2016
Space is limited. Please call The Temple for registration.
9:30-10:35 am with Rabbi David
Justice and Righteousness: Personal Ethics and National Aspirations
Using texts from Bible, Talmud, Jewish philosophy and theology, Jewish history and Jewish mysticism we will journey in exploring the Jewish values of Justice and Righteousness and their application in the North American and Israeli public squares.
Questions for exploration will include:
What do “justice” and “righteousness” mean? How have these terms evolved within Jewish tradition?
What is the human responsibility in establishing a just society?
In a world of growing political and religious polarization, do the values of “justice and righteousness” lose their meaning when they are invoked to justify diametrically opposite positions and actions?
When does the pursuit of righteousness blur into self-righteousness?
How is the personal pursuit of justice different from its national pursuit?
How do the North American and Israeli Jewish communities differ in their discussion about “justice”? And what are the implications of that difference?
What are the calls for justice in Israel and for World Jewry today?
10:50-12:00 pm with Rabbi Rapport
Jewish Life In The Golden Land
A many layered look at the joys and challenges of American Jewish Life: past, present and future. Who were the first Jews to come to this land? Why did they come? What were they seeking? And, how did their experiences shape our own still today?
We will learn of the great waves of immigration which brought our people to this Land of Freedom. Famous figures and their connection to our people and the evolving American expressions of our faith. We will examine the origins of Reform, Reconstructionist, Conservative, and Orthodox Judaism in America. Some math will be required for our discussions of the eternal challenge of “The Vanishing American Jew,” and we will conclude with a discussion of the history and future of the relationship between American Jews and our brothers and sisters in the Land of Israel. And, best of all, we are planning a field trip to Cincinnati to visit Hebrew Union College, the American Jewish Archives, and Historic Plum Street Synagogue. Join us for the journey of Jewish Life in the Golden Land.
