Come and join Congregation Tiferet Israel for an unforgettable Torah experience! All classes will be held at Congregation Tiferet Israel, and all are welcome to attend. Coffee and snacks will be provided!

What Defines a Righteous Gentile?: A Rabbinic Controversy

(Dr. Miriam Bodian)

Judaism differs from other monotheistic faiths in that it does not aim to convert all of humanity. Indeed, the rabbinic concept of the “righteous gentile” reflects the conviction that non-Jews can live full spiritual lives as well as merit a “portion in the World to Come.” Yet, while the Torah elucidates in great detail what it means to be a righteous Jew, it has little to say about what it means to be a righteous gentile. In this shiur we will look at some important texts that reflect different rabbinic understandings of God’s legal and moral expectations for gentiles.

Jewish Life in Renaissance Europe: History, Politics, Religion and Conflic

(Dr. Miriam Bodian)

What was life like for Jews living in Renaissance Europe? How were they treated by their host nations, and what were the dynamics between the Jewish community and its non-Jewish neighbors? Where were they tolerated? Where were they persecuted? In this shiur, we will explore what life was like for Jews living in a pre-Enlightened Europe in order to see how such an impactful but controversial character like Shakespeare’s Shylock, could have been created.

A Pound of Flesh: The Trial of Shylock and Shakespeare’s Impact on Jewish Law

(Rabbi Dan Millner)

In any production of William Shakespeare’s play, The Merchant of Venice, the character of Shylock - the cruel, greedy, hapless Jewish moneylender, always seems to take center stage. While scholars and critics have attempted to understand Shylock as either villain or victim - evidence of Shakespeare’s anti-Jewish sentiments or proof of his progressive views on the politics of Jewish persecution, one thing is clear: Shylock wants his pound of flesh! What would happen if Shylock were to bring his case before a Jewish court? Does his contract have any halakhic validity? If so, how, and if not, why?  Can we as Jews learn anything practical from this most controversial play? In this shiur, we will explore the “Trial of Shylock” in order to see how this strange case has impacted internal Jewish discourse concerning matters ranging from self-autonomy, elective surgery and end of life matters, to civilian causalities of war and organ donation. While Shakespeare’s Shylock has caused much harm to the perception of “the Jew,” it is possible that at the same time, Shylock’s infamous villainy has enabled halakha to frame real-life scenarios in ways it could not have done otherwise.

The Beginning of the Flowering of Our Redemption: Messianism, Morality, and the Jewish State

(Adam Sales)

Religious Zionism, following the writings of Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook, expresses the idea that the religious motivation for Zionism is based on the belief that the State of Israel is a precursor to the final messianic state. Guided by the writings of Rabbi Yehudah Amital, we will critique this messianic approach in favor of a different idea of Rabbi Kook's: Universalist Morality.

Phoenix Rising: Jewish Views on a Mystical Bird

(Justin Karp)

The “Chol,” also known as the “Phoenix,” is an interesting bird in Jewish thought…but is it real? You bet your tail feathers it is! In this shiur, we will explore the origins of the legendary Phoenix and see how it relates to Judaism. With an analytical approach, we will weave together sources from various Jewish texts, modern day psychology and historical accounts in order to create a nest of deeper Jewish understanding. Lastly, we will take a “CHOListic” approach in order to give birth to a transformative idea behind this ancient bird.

The Pursuing Fetus: Abortion in the Talmud

(Adam Sales)

In this shiur, we will analyze the Talmud's moral and legal reasoning behind abortion, specifically when the mother's life is at risk. We will focus on the clever and still-relevant interpretation of Rabbi Chaim Soloveitchik of Brisk.

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