Over the past few months, I have been blessed with the opportunity to teach a series of classes in modern Jewish philosophy to adult Jewish learners in different settings.   As we study the modern thinkers, Torah, the rabbis, the 20th century philosophical great thinkers, and the student’s own experience, all draw together to teach new lessons.  I am always amazed at the philosophers (past and present) I find in the room with me.  As we think about revelation, the nature of God, the role of mitzvot, and perspectives on chosenness, I am always amazed at the thirst and dep Read more...

According to the ancient Babylonian myth of the creation of the world, the culmination of the creation process is the erection of a temple to the pagan deity, Marduk. What that structure makes clear is that the holiness of space is primary, and that its' crowning representation is the holy space where Marduk was worshiped. In stark contrast to the glorification of holy space, the Torah's account of Creation establishes the capstone of creation not as any place in particular, or even any space at all. Read more...

One of the arguments separating different contemporary communities of Jews is the contention about who (or Who) wrote the Torah.  Is the Torah the direct transcript of the words of God to Moses at Sinai, so that each and every word recorded in that book is the speech of God literally?  Or is the Torah a human book, remarkable perhaps, but human nonetheless?    Read more...

Jewish education forms the backbone of our communities. We assure the community of vitality and endurance through the Hebrew studies of our children, the outreach programs for those considering conversion, and the continuing education programs for other seeking adults.  And those programs need our support. Consider today's Torah portion. God instructs Moses to take a census of the Jewish People in order for each Jew to pay a half-shekel tax to maintain the central communal institution of Jewish learning--the Mishkan (Tabernacle).   The Mishkan, a Jewish school!?! Read more...