Our kehillah is blessed with ongoing and ever-increasing opportunities for everyone who is interested to broaden and deepen their learning and engagement with classical Jewish texts and ideas. Here are two examples of immediate interest:
On Tuesday mornings, right after services at about 7:45, we study Talmud tractate Rosh Hashana. This Tuesday morning, we will begin the final four pages of this tractate, which discusses the Torah's commandment to sound the shofar on Rosh Hashana. If you've ever wondered what the difference is between a tekiah and a teruah, or why hallel is omitted on Rosh Hashana, or what happens when Rosh Hashana and Shabbat coincide; join us for a little Talmud study on Tuesday mornings and find out. Men and Women are welcome. At some point in the coming weeks, we'll complete that tractate of Talmud with a festive gathering, a siyum, to which everyone is invited.
Life, Death, Resurrection, The World to Come, the Messianic Era, Paradise, the Garden of Eden: All these are very important topics in Jewish thought, and the last chapter of Talmud tractate Sanhedrin deals with all of them. This chapter is widely referred to as "Perek Cheilek," in reference to its opening words: "All Israel have a share (cheilek) in the world to come. . . ." We began reviewing this chapter at the beginning of the summer, and are now several pages into it. And yet, we are still learning more about each of these ideas every time we open the gemara. The stories and examples are engaging and entertaining, and the subject matter is conversation-provoking, to say the least. We study on shabbat afternoons, before mincha; the times are in each week's bulletin, and men and women are welcome to take part. Also, if you miss a week, don't feel badly...we're happy to have you join whenever you can make it.
We'll be adding to our roster of shiurim (classes) in the fall, including a new series "Living Each Day Jewishly," based on topics from Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, the Abridged Code of Jewish Law; and "Zohar: the Book of Enlightenment" for those interested in the more mystical side of Jewish thought. And we're always looking for new topics to explore, so if you have ideas, be in touch with me!
Shabbat Shalom