Home : Adult Programs : Leland & Mary Gottstein Continuing Jewish Education
Spring Classes
Studies with Rabbi Alex Felch
An on-going weekly class of study and lively discussion of the Torah, with special focus on the Bible as living tradition as perceived by classical and modern commentaries, and its implications for our contemporary society.
Lore in the Loop and Lore in the Suburbs with Rabbi Alex Felch
Mishna Brachot - We will focus on issues regarding spiritual life, devotion in prayer, creativity in the ritual and the service of the heart, as possible venues for a closer relationship with God.
Lore in the Loop:
Lore in the Suburbs: $20 includes lunch
RACHEL WASSERMAN MELTON SCHOLAR SERIES
presented by BJE/Florence melton Adult Mini-School
at Congregation B'nai TIkvah
Jewish Denominations: Addressing the Challenges of Modernity
Faculty: Rabbi Michael Balinsky
Beyond Borders: Understanding the Arab-Israel Conflict
Faculty: Rabbi David Rosenberg
These classes are dedicated to Hazzan Joseph E. Davis, z"lin loving memory. Hazzan Joseph Davis, z"l served a B'nai Tikvah's cantor from 1979 through 2010. During his many years of service, B'nai Tikvah grew from 150 to 650 families. Hazzan Joe was passionate about Jewish education - both formal and informal. He was beloved for his unique spirit, deep knowledge and, above all, for being a mensch.
Lecture Series 2011-2012
Dr. Rachel Havrelock, Assistant Professor of English and Jewish Studies at University of Illinois at Chicago.
TOPIC: Jewish Politics - The distinct history of the Jews informs many of the political positions
held by Jews today. This series explores the history while considering
the scope and ramifications of contemporary political opinions.
The Ancient Jewish State - The Hebrew Bible chronicles the rise and fall of ancient Israel as it
provides insight into ancient ideas of Jewish nationalism. We will look
at the biblical books of Deuteronomy and Joshua to survey how these
biblical precedents contribute to ideas of the nation state. We will then
look to the books of the Maccabees and the writings of Josephus Flavius to
consider how the Jewish State survived during the Greek and Roman empires.
In both cases, we will consider how the borders were determined, when
wars were fought, and how the states in question treated non-Jewish
citizens.
The Ancient Jewish Diaspora - The very idea of Diaspora is rooted in the Jewish past. Amidst the
invasions and exiles, Jews developed strategies for group survival and
cohesion. As we consider the ancient diasporas of Persia, Babylonia,
Greece, and Rome, we will discuss the techniques with which Jews dealt
with foreign rulers, pressures to assimilate, and contact with other
cultures. We will further consider how the beginnings of Jewish diaspora
parallel American Jewish life today.
The Modern Jewish Diaspora - At the same time that Jews have placed themselves at the left as well as
the right in different places and times, they have introduced the idea of
diaspora politics to the world. Among its ontributions, diaspora
politics argues that a people does not require a state in order to survive
and flourish. As we will see, these ideas flourished after the
destruction of the Temple, during the push for Jewish emancipation in
Europe, and in present times .
The Modern Jewish State - The Zionist movement that worked to realize the State of Israel has taken
several forms and espoused various positions since the first Zionist
Congress is 1897. Here we will look broadly at the central forms of
Zionism and the State of Israel in order to survey how Israel’s domestic
and international positions have formed. Israel is arguably the central
issue in contemporary Jewish politics. As well as looking at Israeli
politics from an internal perspective, we will discuss how American Jewish
positions on Israel differ from Israeli ones.
Jewish Education Continued
