David Levin-Kruss
www.pardes.org.il
David Levin-Kruss sees himself as a bridge between Jewish heritage and those seeking to connect or re-connect to that tradition. He is on the faculty and directs special programs at the Pardes Institute, a non-denominational, open institute of Jewish studies. He holds a BA and Teachers' Certification in English Literature and Jewish Thought from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, attended Pardes, and has rabbinic ordination from the Joseph Strauss Rabbinical Seminary. Previously, he served as the director of the overseas department at the Melitz Centers for Jewish Zionist Education, and as the community director of Stanmore Synagogue, in northwest London.
TEEN: Ask the Rabbi Anything…Really, Anything
Kenneth Kaufman,
David Levin-Kruss
Teen Approved
Attention teens: calling all doubters, cynics, thinkers and believers. Take this chance to offer up the questions that have been driving you crazy and benefit from the wisdom of our Rabbis. Note: this session is for teens only.
Irrelevant, Dull, Oppressive, and Insipid
Identity and Responsibility,
Text and Thought,
Teen Approved
Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel famously dismissed much of modern religion with these words. Many would argue that this is not the case today, but even in vibrant communities there often seems to be something missing. By going back to the reasons for being Jewish, this session examines what that something is.
Heart, Mind, and Hands and What Does This Have to Do With The Wizard of Oz?
Identity and Responsibility,
Text and Thought,
Teen Approved
Is Judaism about moving moments, scholarship, or mitzvah observance? R. Neil Gillman, Prof. Gershom Scholem, and R. Joseph Soloveitchik all speak of three models of Jewish authenticity: the pietist who looks for meaning and inspiration, the scholar who sees truth in texts, and the mitzvah-observer who believes doing is what defines Judaism. Which one is most important? What are the dangers of each? Do we need all three? We will examine all three models in an effort to refine our own religious or secular lives.
Do Married Men Live Longer or Does it Just Seem Longer?
Identity and Responsibility
This session uses the commandment of a bridegroom not being allowed to do military service to unearth the answer to one of our most basic questions: How do I create a meaningful relationship and, once I’ve done that, how do I maintain it?
Wicked-pedia! Is the Democratization of Knowledge a Good Thing?
Identity and Responsibility,
Teen Approved
Because of the internet, more information is available to us than in any previous generation. But is this a blessing or are there problems with the proliferation of knowledge? Using a biblical and a Talmudic model, we will examine what is means to learn and to teach in the modern world.
