Highlights From Our 2019 Program:
“Because the Middle East is Funny”: Explore Israeli History Through Comedy
Benji Lovitt It has been said that throughout our history, Jews have laughed to keep from crying. In a country which has experienced its share of ups and downs, Israel has developed its own unique brand of humor. Benji tracks the changes in Israeli society through classic movie, TV, and comedy clips. 
Words Matter! In Conjunction with the Global Day of Jewish Learning
Peninah Schram From the beginning, Jews have been known as the People of the Book. However, Jews are also the people of the spoken word. Biblically, the world was created with the spoken word (“Blessed is He Who Spoke, and the world came into being – blessed is He. Blessed is He Who maintains creation; blessed is He Who speaks and does…”). With this verse, Judaism teaches us that words and actions are synonymous. Storyteller Peninnah Schram will share stories from the Jewish oral tradition that explores this theme, "Words Matter" or "Are Words Only Words?" Along with focusing on the oral word, Jews have emphasized and valued listening. By using wit and intriguing questions, these sacred stories and folktales have transmitted this wisdom of the importance and power of words from generation to generation. This session is a performance of stories, including participatory stories. 
The Torah of Police Accountability
Rabbi Aryeh Bernstein Decades-old public distrust of police and outrage over police brutality and misconduct has amplified in recent years, nationwide and in Chicago, especially in the aftermath of the public release of the video of the murder of Laquan McDonald. In this session, we will study what the Torah teaches us about the role of accountability in sustaining a well-functioning justice system, and learn about current, coalition-based campaigns to establish better forms of such accountability for Chicago police, through contract reform and civilian oversight, and how you can get involved through the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs. 
Marketing the Torah- an Ancient and Contemporary Debate
Leah Rosenthal In this session we will read and discuss a section from the Talmud which narrates a conflict between two great Rabbinic figures of Mishnaic times- Rabbi Yehuda Hanassi and Rabbi Hiyya HaGadol. The nature of their debate, and the Talmudic narrative that describes it, will lead us to discussion of issues facing many educational institutions today- the marketing and dissemination of Jewish values and content. 
Why is it so hard to talk about death?
Shoshana Waskow & Michael Slater As members of our local Chevra Kadisha for the past 15 years, we've cared for dozens of members of our community after death. We are not infrequently the ones to start conversations with family, friends, patients and community members about how they want to die and what they want to happen to their bodies after death. We will share some of what we've learned and invite you into the conversation. |
A Religion without Art?
Ranana Dine Open a major art history textbook, and it is not surprising to see Judaism described as anti-visual art or iconoclastic. But why do people think that Jews did not make visual art, or if they did, it was necessarily abstract? During this session we will explore traditional Jewish sources about visual art and discuss what types of art Jews made historically. We will then look at the development of the idea that Jews did not make art in philosophical and art historical discourse before concluding by looking at how the idea of "Jewish artlessness" has impacted modern Jewish thought. 
I didn't say it, the Rabbis did:
David & Jonathan as the Paradigmatic Relationship Rabbi Daniel Atwood We will be studying texts from the story of David and Jonathan in the Book of Samuel and its history of interpretation in discussing how the Rabbis 2000 years ago saw a queer relationship as the paradigm for all relationships. 
Two Jews, Three Rings: Circus Arts and Biblical Studies
Ora Horn Prouser & Ayal Prouser In this workshop we will become sacred artists, modeling active, artistic, and just plain fun methods of studying Bible through circus arts. We will study a Biblical text from Genesis and will use the circus arts to process that text. We will engage in building human pyramids and in partner acrobatics to embody the relationships between characters from the text. We will open up the world of embodying text, seeing how we may think differently with our bodies than we do with our minds. We will see how our physical sense of balance impacts on our reading of text. This workshop will be co-taught by a biblical scholar and a circus professional and is accessible to all skill and ability levels (we promise!). 
Finding B. Berman: A Case Study in Getting Past a Genealogical Brick Wall
Martin Fischer In this genealogical case study, Martin Fischer explains how the family history of a Maywood, Illinois, Jewish family was researched, including by accessing online documents and visiting the Waldheim cemetery offices in Forest Park. He will discuss how not knowing the family patriarch's first name constituted a temporary obstacle for the research project and how he overcame this road block. Marty will share tips on best practices for conducting Jewish family history research. 
Kabbalistic Connective Drumming
Matt Kanter & M Hurley Harnessing and flowing through the deep power and connectivity of music in general and drums in particular, as we take a few timeless moments to tune into our respective and collective and overarching rhythms in resonance with the universe and All . 
Utilizing Museum Collections to Teach Torah
Lauren Perlman The Torah is our holiest and most revered book. It tells the story of our laws and our people....and it contains no pictures. How can we engage all kinds of learners in Torah study? Join me and let’s discuss examples of meaningful Torah lessons that include visual and hands-on components, all inspired by artwork from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Oriental Institute, The British Museum and more. |
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Divine Disability: A Disability Studies Approach to God and the Bible
Ora Horn Prouser & Ayal Prouser Analyzing biblical characters as individuals with disabilities has contributed a great deal to our reading of the Bible and to our understanding of the importance of diversity and inclusiveness in the Jewish world. How does it impact on our understanding of Moses when we think of him struggling to speak? Why is it significant that Jacob walked with a limp? This becomes even more significant when we consider what it means to think about images of God as differently abled. Using the tools of disability studies we will read biblical texts and think about the ramifications of this study for our understanding of God and of Jewish life. |
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