We are delighted to host Professor Leah Hochman as Beth Israel’s 2015 Scholar in Residence. Dr. Hochman’s range and depth of scholarship have made her an engaging speaker on a myriad of subjects on contemporary Jewish identity. This year’s weekend of learning will focus on the eclectic theme of “Jewish Taste and Tastes: Thinking about Beauty, Food and God.”

Friday, February 20
6:15 p.m. Shabbat Service/Scholar Sermon: What is Beauty? Modern Jews and Jewish Thought
7:30 p.m. Dinner and Discussion: Skin Deep or Down to the Bone: Who Are You Calling Ugly?
Despite a tradition of avoiding pictorial representations (based on the commandment not to make graven images), Jews have always been interested in questions about the nature of beauty. Dr. Hochman will explore the fascinating relationship of physical appearance to moral judgment by looking at Jewish sensibilities of beauty and ugliness in Judaism and Jewish thought.

Saturday, February 21
8:30 a.m. Torah study led by Dr. Hochman
10:00 a.m. Minyan service
12:00 p.m. Catered lunch
12:45 p.m. Study session: Developing Your Own Theology.
On Saturday afternoon, Dr. Hochman will speak on the subject “Developing Your Own Theology.” This informative talk will look at what theology means and how Jews from different time periods and in different places have understood and defined their ideas about God. Each of us is asked to think creatively about ways that we can implement our own ideas about God as modern, contemporary Jews and Americans living in diverse, multi-layered communities.

Sunday, February 22
9:00 a.m. Registration
9:30 a.m. Brunch
10:00 a.m. Study session:
On Sunday morning, “Food, Faith & Conflict” will investigate the complexities and meaning of food and our religious, cultural and historical relationship to it. In all religions, food can reveal the history and culture of allegiances and disagreements; the values and judgments we have about who belongs and with whom we are willing to eat; cultural predilections, ethnic mores, and those ideas and symbols that people hold dear or disdain.

Dr. Hochman currently teaches classes in medieval and modern philosophy, American Judaism, modern history, food ethics, Jewish identity and Jewish literature at the University of Southern California and Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Los Angeles. In addition to her academic pursuits and teaching schedule, she directs the Louchheim School for Judaic Studies at the University of Southern California.

Fees:
Friday dinner $25 members, $35 nonmembers
Saturday lunch and study session $15 members, $25 nonmembers
Sunday brunch and study session $10 members, $15 nonmembers
No fee for Religious School students and parents for Sunday brunch.