Baltimore Board of Rabbis

66th Annual Adult Institute of Jewish Studies

SAVE 10%Register by

September 23

FALL 2014 COURSE OFFERINGS

Chizuk Amuno Congregation 8100 Stevenson Road | Baltimore, MD 21208

“Learning, learning, learning— that is the secret of Jewish survival.”

– Ahad Ha’am

Made possible by a generous grant from Sol Levinson and Bros., Inc.

Tuesday Evenings October 14, 21, 28, November 4

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AND THE MITZVAH OF STUDYING EQUALS TOGETHER

THE PERFORMANCE OF ALL OTHER MITZVOT…

Have you ever noticed how many passages we find in our Siddur are actually

passages of learning? You just have to casually flip through the pages, and

what stands out? The Ethics of the Fathers, for starters. Passages of texts

taken from Mishna and Talmud. Numerous statements extracted from the

Torah, Prophets and Later Writings. There is hardly a page in the Siddur

lacking a quote somewhere from some ancient Jewish text. And yet all are

included within the concept of prayer. Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks states in

the Introduction to his Siddur: “In prayer, we speak to G-d. Through Torah,

G-d speaks to us. Praying, we speak. Studying, we listen.”

The Adult Institute offers the community an amazing opportunity to hear

G-d speak through the multitude of Jewish courses graciously taught by so

many rabbinic leaders and teachers within our unique Jewish community.

And just as there are, so we are taught, seventy faces to any understanding of

Torah, so our wonderful variety of educators offer an extraordinary blending of

different commentaries and opinions to the range of subjects being given.

Studying is not only part of prayer … it is the leitmotif of the Jew. It defines

our purpose in life, and gives us a sense of purpose of being Jewish in a world

of so many options, and a meaning of understanding and fulfillment in our

everyday actions to each other and G-d.

We hope you will enjoy the range of subjects being taught, discussed

and shared, and that, at the end of it all, you will feel that you will have

discovered something entirely new and different that will change you and

allow for a deeper sense of appreciation in your Jewish heritage.

Chaim Landau, President

Baltimore Board of Rabbis

Enjoy!!

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OUR FABULOUS FACULTY

Rabbi Craig AxlerTemple Isaiah

B.A., SUNY-New Paltz; M.A.H.L., Ordination, Hebrew Union College, Jewish Institute of Religion

Rabbi Andrew BuschBaltimore Hebrew Congregation

B.A., University of Texas at Austin; M.A.H.L., Ordination, Hebrew Union College, Jewish Institute of Religion

Rabbi Chaim LandauEmeritus, Ner Tamid Congregation

M.A., Smichah, Jews College London; M.A., Law, University of London; Smichah, Jerusalem Rabbinate

Rabbi Scott NagelTemple Oheb Shalom

B.A. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; M.A.H.L, Rabbinical Ordination Hebrew Union College, Jewish Institute of Religion

Rabbi Lawrence PinskerCongregation Beit Tikvah

B.A., Antioch College; M.A., Temple University; M.A.H.L., Ordination, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, Jewish Theological Seminary

Rabbi Elissa Sachs-KohenBaltimore Hebrew Congregation

B.A., University of Michigan; M.A.H.L., Ordination, Hebrew Union College, Jewish Institute of Religion

Rabbi Amy ScheinermanJewish Hospice Program, Howard County

A.B., Brown University; M.A.H.L., Ordination, Hebrew Union College, Jewish Institute of Religion

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Rabbi Steven SchwartzBeth El Congregation

B.A., Brandeis University; M.A., University of Maryland; Ordination, Jewish Theological Seminary

Rabbi Jerry SeidlerLifeBridge Health; Adat Chaim Synagogue

B.A., University of Pennsylvania; J.D., Vanderbilt University School of Law; M.A.H.L., Ordination, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College

Rabbi Yerachmiel ShapiroMoses Montefiore Anshe Emunah Hebrew Congregation

B.A., Brandeis University; Semicha, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical School

Rabbi Benjamin SharffHar Sinai Congregation

B.A., University of Texas at Austin; M.A.H.L., Ordination, Hebrew Union College, Jewish Institute of Religion

Rabbi Ron ShulmanChizuk Amuno Congregation

B.A., Mount Holyoke College; M.A.H.L., Ordination, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College

Rabbi Michelle SternMercy Medical Center

B.A., Mount Holyoke College; M.A.H.L., Ordination, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College

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FALL 2014 COURSE OFFERINGS

Course #1 | The Open Book: An Exploration of Midrash

Rabbi Craig Axler

You have often heard a rabbi say something like: “There’s a midrash that teaches …” And then, some fantastic detail, clearly not in the original biblical story, is added to the narrative. But what is midrash? In this course, we will look at the wide variety of genres of midrash with sample texts from antiquity to the modern day.

Course #2 | Theological Issues in the Beginning of Creation

Rabbi Chaim Landau

“In the beginning G-d created …” and from those words evolved some of the most difficult, thought-provoking, incomprehensible theological issues with which Judaism has had to grapple. We will attempt to understand and grasp a few of these issues which will include G-d in the World, Torah and Science, The Tree of Knowledge and the concept of Punishment.

Course #3 | Portraits of Wonderful American Jewish Women

Rabbi Elissa Sachs-Kohen

In this course, we will continue last year’s exploration of a few Jewish American women whose lives have meant something to the Jewish community and the larger world. This is not a comprehensive look at Jewish American women, which would be impossible in four sessions. The Jewish Women’s Archive in Boston will provide many resources for the classes.

Course #4 | Jewish Theology for 21st Century Jews

Rabbi Amy Scheinerman

The Jewish conversation about G-d and meaning, as well as the ideas that derive from our understanding of G-d (concerning Torah, ethics, identity, beliefs, practices, science and human relationships) has always been multi-vocal. Our tradition is packed with a diversity of views. We will continue the conversations, exploring a number of modern perspectives offered by well- respected thinkers of our day from across the Jewish spectrum, encouraging those present to express their views if they are comfortable doing so and helping them find their own special place of comfort under the broad spectrum of Jewish theology.

PLEASE NOTE: Two non-overlapping sessions are offered for this class. One in the first session and the other in the second session. You are welcome to register for either or both.

Course #5 | Exploring the Mishnah

Rabbi Steven Schwartz

In the year 200 CE, Rabbi Judah the Prince completed the process of codifying the Mishnah, the text that would become the core document of Rabbinic Judaism. In this class we will study selected mishnaic texts in their original Hebrew, with selected commentaries. English translations will be provided. The texts will reflect the Mishnah’s varied style and subject matter, from halachah (legal material) to aggadah (stories that teach moral lessons).

First Hour 7:00 – 8:00 p.m.

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FALL 2014 COURSE OFFERINGS Course #6 I |t’s the End of the World As We Know It: Jewish-Evangelical Relations

Rabbi Benjamin Sharff

This course will cover the history, theology and modern implications surrounding the modern Christian Evangelical movement and will cover topics such as Missionaries, Millennialists and the State of Israel. We will be asking questions such as: Why are Evangelicals so interested in Jews and the State of Israel in terms of eschatology? What is the difference between “Jews for Jesus” and “Messianic Jews?” What is the basis for the rise in popularity of Christian Zionism, and is this good or bad for the Jews? And how will the world really end? This will primarily be a lecture and text-based course wth lots of opportunities for questions.

Course #7 | Promoting the Promise of Personal Prayer

Rabbi Ron Shulman

Jewish prayer did not begin as recitation from a book. In the early centuries of Jewish experience, there was no fixed liturgy. Originally, prayer was extemporaneous, voiced because of a specific need or in response to a particular situation. Over time, Jewish prayer became more formal, scripted, and communal. Let’s explore how Jewish prayer evolved, how we can honor this history and, at the same time, promote the promise of personal prayer for ourselves.

PLEASE NOTE: This course will be conducted by Rabbi Ron Shulman at Chizuk Amuno over eight weeks. The first four classes coincide with the Adult Institute and comprise a complete segment. If interested, Adult Institute participants are welcome to continue.

Second Hour 8:15 – 9:15 p.m.

Course #8 I Abraham Joshua Heschel: Exploring His Writings and Influences

Rabbi Andrew Busch

We will explore the writings and ideas of one of the great Jewish thinkers and leaders of the 20th century. Rabbi Abraham Heschel wrote about the Prophets, theology, Jewish practice, history, community, and so much more. He is also remembered for his strong stance on social justice and civil rights. He left us a legacy to ponder together.

Course #9 I But He Was Good to His Mother: The Lives and Crimes of Jewish Gangsters

Rabbi Scott Nagel

The best known Jewish gangsters – Meyer Lansky, Bugsy Siegel,

Longy Zwillman, Moe Dalitz – were involved in the numbers racket, illegal drug dealing, prostitution, gambling and loan sharking. They were not nice men. During the rise of Nazism in the 1930s and when Israel was being founded between 1945 and 1948, however, they proved staunch defenders of the Jewish people and they were always good to their mothers. We will explore these men and the value systems, economic realities, and political pressures that led to lives of crime in New York’s Lower East Side, Brooklyn, Chicago and Los Angeles. The class will utilize first-hand accounts, maps, pictures, period press and criminal records to discuss the realities of the Jewish gangster phenomenon from its rise in the 1920s to its decline in the 1950s.

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Course #10 | The Talmud Sees It Differently: A ‘Humanistic’ Approach to Living Jewishly

Rabbi Lawrence Pinsker

We will study three texts from the Babylonian Talmud that raise questions about what Jews believe and how they behave. Did ancient Judaism have unrealistic expectations of Jews and of others? Are there really rewards from cultivating a healthy “working relationship” with G-d? Was “spirituality” a part of Jewish life and, if so, just what did that mean?

Course #11 | Jewish Theology for 21st Century Jews

Rabbi Amy Scheinerman

The Jewish conversation about G-d and meaning, as well as the ideas that derive from our understanding of G-d (concerning Torah, ethics, identity, beliefs, practices, science and human relationships) has always been multi-vocal. Our tradition is packed with a diversity of views. We will continue the conversations, exploring a number of modern perspectives offered by well-respected thinkers of our day from across the Jewish spectrum, encouraging those present to express their views if they are comfortable doing so and helping them find their own special place of comfort under the broad spectrum of Jewish theology.

PLEASE NOTE: Two non-overlapping sessions are offered for this class. One in the first session and the other in the second session. You are welcome to register for either or both.

Course #12 | Zionism Redux: Approaches Not Taken

Rabbi Jerry Seidler

The class will focus on 20th and 21st

century conceptualizations of Zionism which were and are not mainstream. From Simon Rawidowiez to Judith Butler, we will explore their thoughts and potential value today.

Course #13 | The History and Development of Chassidut

Rabbi Yerachmiel Shapiro

Come to know the figures, the ideas and the surrounding atmosphere that led to one of the greatest breakthroughs in Jewish thought and spirituality. The course will be source-based but accessible to all.

Course #14 | Tzelem Elo-im/G-d’s Image

Rabbi Michelle Stern

Go into a church and you’ll find iconography of G-d. Go into a synagogue, and you’ll find words on the walls. What do these words tell us about how we imagine G-d? Come explore different ways the Bible, mystics and contemporary Jews have conceptualized G-d and how these imaginings may deepen our own relationship with the One.

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העמוקה תודתיתודה רבהרב תודות

TODAH RABBAH!

DEEPEST GRATITUDE

RAV TODOT!

The Baltimore Board of Rabbis expresses heartfelt gratitude to

for its generous support of the 66th annual

Adult Institute of Jewish Studies

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REGISTRATION INFORMATION

To join Jews of all denominations as we learn together, register for the 66th annual Adult Institute of Learning sponsored by the Baltimore Board of Rabbis.

Registration fee: $30 per adult; Save 10% – Register by September 23

Register Online: Enter baltimorerabbis.org/adult-institute in your computer browser to open BBR’s website. Click on Registration Form and fill in the required information. Fees for online registrations will be charged to the major credit card of your choice. Click Proceed to Payment.

That’s all there is! No risk of forms or checks getting lost in the mail.

Register by Mail:If you don’t have access to a computer, complete the registration form and mail it with your check, payable to the Baltimore Board of Rabbis, to:

Baltimore Board of Rabbis Adult Institute of Jewish Studies c/o Jewish Community Services 5750 Park Heights Avenue Baltimore, MD 21215

NOTES:Each individual attending must be registered. Please register anyone attending with you by furnishing that person’s first and last names, address, telephone number, email address and the number of each class he/she will attend.

No tickets to classes will be mailed to you prior to opening night. When you arrive at Chizuk Amuno, check in at the appropriate station, give us your name and the names of the courses you expect to attend, and we will tell you the locations of your classrooms.

Please identify course selections by number.

Classes fill early so register TODAY! Invite a friend to join you for four Tuesday evenings this fall. Fourteen courses taught by Baltimore’s best rabbinic and academic minds await you! Don’t miss this opportunity to learn a lot, see your friends and neighbors and experience the joy of reconnecting with your Jewish heritage.

Questions? Call and leave a message at 410-653-7375 or email bbrabbis@gmail.com. We will respond as soon as possible.

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FIRST REGISTRANTName:

Address:

City: State: Zip Code:

Email Address: Phone:

Name of Congregation (if any):

How did you learn about the Institute?

❏ Jewish Times ❏ Mailing ❏ Website ❏ Friend or Family Member

❏ Poster ❏ Synagogue ❏ Other _________________________

Course choice for Session 1: Class number

Course choice for Session 2: Class number

SECOND REGISTRANTName:

Address:

City: State: Zip Code:

Email Address: Phone:

Course choice for Session 1: Class number

Course choice for Session 2: Class number

TOTAL FEES: _____ Adult(s) @ $30 per person or

_____ $27 per person if received by September 23

Check enclosed: $

PLEASE ATTACH A SECOND PAGE TO LIST ALL REQUIRED INFORMATION FOR

ANY ADDITIONAL REGISTRANTS INCLUDED IN THIS RESERVATION.

REGISTRATION FORM

Kindly complete and mail in with your check. Please print clearly.

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