4-Part Thursday Series, July 7, 14, 21 & 28 10:00 – 11:00 AM PST/1:00 – 2:00 PM EST (Noon - 1:00 PM CST) 20:00 - 21:00 Israel Time She is the poster woman for Jewish feminism and women’s Torah study. Schools have been named for her, responsa written against her. She’s been hailed as a heroine and denounced as an adulteress, held up as exemplar and as cautionary tale. But who was she, Bruria the Tannaite, the only female sage…

What’s the difference between history and historiography? Between reality and religion? In Moses’ last words to the Israelites, he recounts the long history of the people in a manner that orients their consciousness (or perhaps brainwashes them) into understanding the events of their history—events that, in the original telling, simply occurred—as filled with theological import. In doing so, he creates a religion, and we, the readers of the Book of Deuteronomy, are treated to a rare opportunity to glimpse the…

What was it like to be a Jew in Lincoln’s armies? The Union army was as diverse as the embattled nation it sought to preserve, a unique mixture of ethnicities, religions, and identities. Almost one Union soldier in four was born abroad, and natives and newcomers fought side-by-side, sometimes uneasily. Yet though scholars have parsed the trials and triumphs of Irish, Germans, African Americans, and others in the Union ranks, they have remained largely silent on the everyday experiences of…

Wednesdays mornings from 10:00-10:45 am   Give yourself the gift of calm. Join Julie Potiker for this grounding way to start the day and move from a place of fear to a place of calm. In these forty-five-minute mindfulness sessions, you will experience bringing your attention to the present moment without judgment. For past sessions, visit: https://blubrry.com/balancedmind/ About Julie: Julie Potiker is a mindfulness expert with extensive teacher training in a variety of tools and methods, including Mindful Self-Compassion. Through her…

In the Bible Elijah is a zealous prophet, attacking idolatry and injustice, championing God. He performs miracles, restoring life and calling down fire. When his earthly life ends, he vanishes in a whirlwind, carried off to heaven in a fiery chariot. Was this a spectacular death, or did Elijah escape death entirely? The latter view prevailed. Though residing in heaven, Elijah revisits earth—to help, rescue, enlighten, and eventually herald the Messiah. Because of his messianic role, Jews open the door…

Sefaria is a free, living library of Jewish texts, in Hebrew and in translation. The texts in the Sefaria library are fully searchable, categorized by topic, and related sections of text are interlinked, making it easy for users to move from one source to another. Join Rabbi Nevarez for a virtual primer on how to use this incredible textual tool, and even learn how to build your own text sheet! There is no fee, but please RSVP for planning purposes.…

Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz is internationally regarded as one of the most brilliant and influential rabbis of our time. He has been lauded by Time magazine as a “once-in-a-millennium scholar” and by Ted Koppel of Night Line as “one of the very few wise men that I’ve ever met.” Arthur Kurzweil—himself a Jewish scholar, author, teacher, and publisher—was a disciple of Rabbi Steinsaltz’s for over 25 years, and served as the Rabbi’s designated chauffer in the United States. While stuck in…

Wednesdays mornings from 10:00-10:45 am   Give yourself the gift of calm. Join Julie Potiker for this grounding way to start the day and move from a place of fear to a place of calm. In these forty-five-minute mindfulness sessions, you will experience bringing your attention to the present moment without judgment. For past sessions, visit: https://blubrry.com/balancedmind/ About Julie: Julie Potiker is a mindfulness expert with extensive teacher training in a variety of tools and methods, including Mindful Self-Compassion. Through her…