Readings in Jewish Spirituality
(Monthly Downtown Lunch)

Led by Emanu-El Scholar, Rabbi Lawrence Kushner

Our first text will be Your Word is Fire: The Hasidic Masters on Contempla­tive Prayer, Arthur Green and Barry Holtz, Jewish Lights Publishing.

Mechanics’ Institute
Board Room
57 Post Street
San Francisco, CA 94104 )

Monthly Tuesdays, Noon-1:15 pm
10/27, 11/24, 12/22, 1/26, 2/23, 3/23, 4/27, 5/25




Heschel

We will read, discuss, and argue about the correct interpretation of short selections by Abraham Joshua Heschel (1907-1972) from the anthology, Moral
Grandeur and Spiritual Audacity: Essays by Abraham Joshua Heschel and Susannah Heschel.

Together with Martin Buber, Heschel almost single-handedly brought Jewish spirituality to liberal American Judaism. We will consider his vision on such topics as, contemplative prayer, political protest (Heschel marched with Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.), the meaning of Sinai, radical amazement, and how to be a Jew.

Alternate Tuesday evenings, 7:00 - 8:30 pm, usually on the Tauber calendar

Fall: Oct 13, 27, Nov 10, 24
Winter: Jan 5, 19, Feb 2, 16
Spring: Mar 16, Apr 13, 27, May 11, 25




Kolel: Sefat Emet
Shabbat Mornings, 9:15 - 10:15 am
5th floor

Rabbi Kushner’s Shabbat Morning Kolel Torah discussion group this year will commence on Saturday September 12. We will study selections from Rabbi Yehudah Aryeh Leib Alter of Ger’s Classic, Sefat Emet. As in the past we will meet in room 54; 9-10:15 am sharp. Coffee is on us.

We'll supply the hand-outs. Those wishing, however, to have their own copies of our text may purchase Arthur Green’s The Language of Truth-The Torah Commentary of the Sefat Emet, Rabbi Yehudah Leib Alter of Ger, available at Amazon. (A limited number of the textbook will be available to purchase the first day of the hevra).

(NOTE: The class WILL NOT meet on 9/19, 10/24, 11/14, 12/26, 1/2, 5/1). Watch for future announcements regarding changes in schedule.
Last session is May 29.

Whatever You Want (And where and whenever you want it.)

Small group reading seminars: topic, calendar and times up to each group. (e.g. Jewish History; Israel; Bible in Hebrew; Bible in English; Jewish Holidays and How to Observe Them, Introduction to Talmud; Heschel; Soloveitchek; etc.)

Create your own elective (English and/or Hebrew)
All you need are a minimum of five people.
Seminars can meet anywhere, offices downtown,
Emanu-El, private homes.

Izbica (Ishbitz): Readings in Intermediate Hebrew from the May HaShiloah of Rabbi Mordecai Joseph Leiner of Izbica has changed to:

Readings in Pirke de Rabbi Eliezer
(Alternate Thursday Evenings)

For barely intermediate Hebrew students (and those who don't mind first hearing people haltingly read Hebrew and ask occasional grammatical questions, before the English discussion).  We will read and discuss short selections from the classical, Ninth/Tenth Century, mystical Midrash, Pirke de (chapters of) Rabbi Eliezer in the original Hebrew. (Big, square texted, Hebrew with easy-to-read vowels.)

Students are encouraged (but not required) to meet on the off-weeks in hevruta (small study groups) to prepare the assignment. An excellent English translation is available.  In addition to improving our Hebrew skills, we will explore such topics as: Creation; Good & Evil; Covenant; Torah; the origin of religious practices, and other great themes from Genesis and Exodus.

Texts:
Pirke de Rabbi Eliezer (Vocalized Hebrew edition)
Pirke de Rabbi Eliezer (English translation) Friedlander translation

Meets every other Thursday evening from 7:00 - 8:30 pm

Fall: 10/15, 10/29, 11/12, 12/3, 12/17
Winter: 1/14, 1/28. 2/11, 2/25
Spring: 3/11 3/25, 4/8, 4/22, 5/6, 5/20





Pirke Avot (Chapters or Sayings of the Fathers)
Meets monthly on Thursday evenings 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm, 5th Floor

A monthly seminar for those who wish to read what is probably the most well known and beloved post-Biblical text in Judaism. Our text will be in vocalized Hebrew with extensive English footnotes and apparatus. [This is easy Hebrew; virtually every line is a bumper sticker for Judaism's take on how to be a human being.] We will (very slowly) read one aphorism at a time in the original, then discuss its meaning at length, trying to understand the rabbinic mind and its message to contemporary Jews. E. g. "If I am not for myself..." "Who is wise?" "The world stands on three things..." etc.

The textbook, Ethics of the Fathers, by Philip Blackman, is available at Amazon, $7.95, please click here

Class scheduled dates: 11/5, 12/10, 1/21, 2/18, 3/18, 4/15, 5/13

To register for the class go to http://www.emanuelsf.org/register
Fees: $18 members -- $20 non-members