Bible Philosophy Rabbinic Literature

Intro to the Jewish Bookshelf

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Educator: Rabbi Avi Strausberg

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Course Details
Sessions
10
Recommended for
Everyone
Description

The Jewish people have long been called the "People of the Book," a fitting name given our deep love for the Jewish textual tradition. For hundreds of years, we've pored over the same sacred texts in an attempt to unlock their wisdom, understand their relevance, and take part in a dialogue and debate that spans generations. Yet, it can be difficult to enter into this conversation without having a good sense of what these foundational books are, how they work, and how to best bring them into our own libraries and lives. In this course, we'll take a close look at the essential core texts that make up the Jewish Bookshelf beginning with the Torah. 

In the course of our study, we will learn not only what these texts are and how they work but we'll use them as an entryway into conversations about creation in the Torah, self-defense in rabbinic texts, and revelation through the eyes of modern thinkers. 

Educator
Rabbi Avi Strausberg is the Director of National Learning Initiatives at Hadar, and is based in Washington, DC. Previously, she served as the Director of Congregational Learning of Temple of Aaron in St. Paul, Minnesota. Avi studied at Hadar as a year fellow, and served on our summer faculty in 2014. She received her rabbinic ordination from Hebrew College in Boston and is a Wexner Graduate Fellow.  She also holds a Masters in Jewish Education.  While pursuing her studies, Avi was honored to serve as a rabbinic intern at Kehillath Israel and Temple Sinai.  She has taught students of different ages and backgrounds at Kehillath Israel, Temple Sinai, Makor, and Hadar.  Additionally, Avi has worked as a chaplain intern at Hebrew Senior Life and organized an anti-trafficking campaign as a rabbinic fellow at T’ruah.  Energized by engaging creatively with Jewish text, she has written several theatre pieces inspired by the Torah and maintains a Daf Yomi haiku blog in which she writes daily Talmudic haikus. Avi is most grateful for her wife, Chana, and two children, Ori and Niv.