“Teach us to number our days."
"And acquire a Heart of Wisdom" (Psalm 90:12)
Daniel Smith
Saturday 7:25 PM–8:40 PM
University Center 126
Identity & Responsibility,
Text & Thought
Rabbinic descriptions of the life cycle provide insight for spiritual and psychological development. Every stage of life presents its tasks and challenges. Every life crisis can be an opportunity for growth.
Madam Potiphar
Letzaheq: Toy, Laugh, Seduce? A Very Flexible Verb
David J. Zucker
Saturday 7:25 PM–8:40 PM
University Center 303 B
Identity & Responsibility,
Text & Thought
Genesis chapter 39 depicts Joseph in Egypt in Potiphar’s house. Madam Potiphar is depicted as scheming and seductive. A key to uncovering this biblical mystery is the term that she uses to “accuse” Joseph of improper behavior. Was he “toying” with her as she claims? The same Hebrew word, letzaheq, can mean laughing (as in Yitzhaq/Isaac), playing, mocking, entertaining, fondling, etc.
On the Fence: The Mechitza in the Modern Synagogue
Josh Fine
Saturday 7:25 PM–8:40 PM
Breckenridge 5106
The mechitza is a physical boundary separating men from women at a prayer service. It has also become a defining distinction between Orthodox and non-Orthodox denominations of Judaism. Nearly all Orthodox synagogues utilize a mechitza, while nearly all non-Orthodox synagogues do not. Few synagogue attributes arouse as much passion as the mechitza. It has been defended as a spiritual aid that fosters a cohesive community not divided by familial units, and it has been derided as alienating and sexist. With the rise of independent prayer communities seeking to bridge denominational divides, the mechitza has proven to a be a thorny issue where compromise is elusive. In this session, we will study a selection of ancient and contemporary texts about the mechitza. Why is it so important to some and so offensive to others? And in the context of a non-denominational community, can diverse Jews come together over a symbol that by definition divides?
Return of the Tsars?: Jewish Life in Contemporary Russia
Gideon Lichfield,
David Shneer,
Nadya Strizhevskaya
Saturday 7:25 PM–8:40 PM
University Center 116 A
After a bout of post-Soviet freedom, Russia has returned to normal: authoritarianism, corruption, and suspicion of anyone foreign. And yet the Jewish community is thriving. Join an ex Moscow correspondent and a professor of Russian Jewish history to learn whether the bad days for Russia's Jews are over, or whether anti-Semitism will rear its head again.
