Ethan Tucker. Fall Lecture Series, Part 4: In week four, we will look at rabbinic texts that divide between Jews and Gentiles of all sorts, including the ger toshav. When is it appropriate to treat citizens and non-citizens differently? We will look at issues of power, authority, jurisprudence and marriage, among others.

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When is Essence Unavoidable? (Fall Lecture Series 2017)

Ethan Tucker. Fall Lecture Series, Part 3: In week three, we will survey rabbinic texts that emphasize times and places where the Gentile/Jewish boundary is dissolved. Specifically, in what areas of law and practice is a ger toshav treated identically to a Jew? Put another way, when does the rabbinic tradition say that essence and status are incidental and residency or behavior are all that matter? When are rights independent of political power? We will look at issues of civil law application and various forms of religious participation, among others.

When Gentiles are Like Jews (Fall Lecture Series 2017)

Ethan Tucker. Fall Lecture Series, Part 2: Having seen the Biblical material in depth, we will now look at how Rabbinic sources attempt to resolve inconsistencies in the Biblical treatment of the ger. Along the way, the Rabbis create two types of gerim and two types of outsiders who can enter into the Jewish community—the ger toshav (a non-Jewish resident in Jewish communities) and the ger tzedek, the righteous convert who begins a Gentile and becomes a Jew.

From Stranger to Convert: Turning a Biblical Outsider into a Rabbinic Insider (Fall Lecture Series 2017)

Ethan Tucker. Fall Lecture Series, Part 1: In this session we will look at the biblical category of the ger—often defined as the stranger or resident alien. What is this person’s place in the community of Biblical Israel? What are the ger’s privileges and responsibilities? In what ways are they a part of and not a part of the people of Israel?

In or Out? Biblical Definitions of the Ger (Fall Lecture Series 2017)

Aviva Richman explores midrashim on Hannah and prayer as invitations to speak up to power. Recorded at the 2017 Executive Seminar.

Praying on the Margins: Prayers of Protest

Yaffa Epstein of Pardes. The first time the Shofar is mentioned in the Torah is in connection with the giving of the Torah. But - what is the connection between the Shofar, and the Covenantal moment of Sinai? And what can the Shofar teach us about our own relationship to Torah? This session will explore these questions, and attempt to understand how we bring our full selves to both repentance, and Torah study. Recorded live at the Community Beit Midrash on September 26, 2017. Rabba Yaffa Epstein represented Pardes.

The Cry of the Covenant (Community Beit Midrash)

Eliezer Diamond of JTS. Vidui is an essential - according to Rambam, the essential - element of the teshuvah process. We will examine its transformative power drawing on rabbinic wisdom and insights from psychology and twelve step programs. In particular we will look at its dual role of challenging and comforting us. Recorded live at the Community Beit Midrash on September 26, 2017. Dr. Eliezer Diamond represented JTS.

Vidui: Self-Transformation through Honesty (Community Beit Midrash)

Erin Leib Smokler of Yeshivat Maharat. The season of the High Holidays contains both climactic moments (Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur) and in-between times (the Aseret Yemei Teshuva). What is the meaning and the message of this rhythm? How might we harness the unique energies of both kinds of time in doing the work of teshuvah? Recorded live at the Community Beit Midrash on September 26, 2017. Dr. Erin Leib Smokler represented Yeshivat Maharat.

Pondering Liminality (Community Beit Midrash)

David Silber of Drisha. Rav Nachman of Breslov famously said that the goal of Torah study is to transform our study into prayer. The ancient liturgical poets, though, strove to make our prayers a form of Torah study by interlacing the blessings with poems that recount biblical narratives. How do the piyyutim (liturgical poems) of Yom Kippur reflect the essential nature of the day? How can these prayers help us arrive at a deeper understanding of ourselves? Recorded live at the Community Beit Midrash on September 26, 2017. R. Silber represented Drisha.

The Prayers of Yom Kippur (Community Beit Midrash)

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