Listen in as Rabbi Artson and the Ziegler students discuss what it means to study Torah, inheriting Judaism from one’s parents, matrilineal & patrilineal, the role of prayer, ways that human choices alter history (or don’t), what Conservative Judaism can do to energize itself, and questions of gender!
Rabbi Artson offers an Opening Address for the new spring semester, enlisting the Ziegler students to resist the false bifurcation of Judaism — either social justice or spiritual depth — and instead to integrate the two into a way of life that is resilient, splendid, and transformative!
At the climax of a week-long dedication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem almost 3,000 years ago, King Solomon speaks to the uncontainable divine, greater than any building, to a Jewish people centered on Jerusalem but living everywhere, and to a united human family bigger than any faith or people. Come celebrate a biblical vision of unity and grandeur!
Rabbi Artson gave this Sermon on Leviticus at B’nai Jeshurun, the trail blazing congregation in New York City’s Upper West Side. Enjoy these thoughts on how our identity is shaped by those we love and the closeness that makes possible!
Unetaneh Tokef Introduction, Rosh Hashanah, 5774 (IKAR)
Right now out thoughts and prayers are rightly directed towards the East. As Rabbi Artson wrote: “Sending blessings to the people of Israel – those civilians under rocket fire, those soldiers forced into harms way, and to innocent civilians in Palestine now held hostage by the violence of Hamas. May we soon witness the re-establishment of tranquility and safety for all. And may Israel’s neighbors awaken to the reality that security and prosperity can only result from a negotiated peace.” Please also remember that we have ZSRS community in Israel along with other friends and families that can use our support.
On Tuesday at lunch I’d like to gather together (for those who can) to do two things: 1) Pray and sing together a little bit and, 2) Learn some Torah.
You may have seen the term rodef (pursuer) a lot over the past few days. I’d like to take a look at some of the primary sources that deal with this tricky category. I am not, I assure you, going to be making any sweeping statements about courses of action or passing any kind of judgment. I leave that to the experts on the ground and the ethicists they turn to.
But I think it would be useful for those of us who teach Torah to have an idea of how the rodef is utilized in a few of our texts. It will surely not be comprehensive, but only a beginning.
Rabbi Artson discusses Zionism in this week's podcast. He goes in depth about affirming our love of Zion and the earth.
