• Home
• Services
• Learning
• Giving
• Tiferet Center
• Welcome!

Post-Me'ah Graduate Institute

For some years now, Temple Israel has presented outstanding scholars, as part of our Post Me’ah Graduate program, teaching interesting subjects to enthusiastic students.  Many of you have participated in the past.  This coming year we will present three modules of 5 weeks each on Monday evenings from 7:45-9:15 PM throughout the year.  Each module costs $150.00.  If more than one member in a family participates, the cost is $100.00 per person.  Please register early to insure your place in our classes.

• Module 1:  Taught by Jeff Spitzer:  “Aggadot ChaZal - Reading and Understanding Rabbinic Legends”.  Using selected Rabbinic legends, this class will investigate how these legends teach values, how these stories were edited, what cross cultural influences went into composing these legends and how academically one looks at Rabbinic legends with an eye toward understanding textual nuances and historical realities.  The goal is to provide the student with a context in which to read Rabbinic legends and to appreciate their importance in Jewish intellectual history.
  Dates:  October 24, 31, November 7, 14, 21

• Module 2: Taught by Rabbi Meir Sendor:  “The Meaning of the Mitzvot”.  The mitzvot are the units of our divine service, the terms of our relationship with God.  Jewish scholars through the ages have debated whether the mitzvoth have meanings and values addressed to human conditions, that can be expressed in human terms, or whether they are purely divine commands to be obeyed (“ours is not the reason why”).  We will examine multiple approaches to the question of the meaning of the mitzvot, from the Jewish legal, midrashic, philosophical and mystical traditions, and apply these approaches toward our own mitzvah practice.
  Dates: January 9, 23, 30, February 6, 13

• Module 3: Taught by Rabbi Barry Starr:  “Enlightenment, Emancipation and the Origins of modern Jewish Movements”.  With the coming of the modern world as we know it, new streams of Judaism began to develop.  Judaism was never monolithic to be sure, but these new streams – organized Reform, Orthodoxy as a movement, Conservative Judaism and Reconstrutionism, changed the face of the Jewish community.  We will explore the intellectual and historical origins of the Movements and what ideology motivated the founders of these streams of Judaism.  Using sources, we will try to understand their past and in doing so, perhaps better understand the Movements as they are today and as they may be in the future.
  Dates: March 12, 19, 26, April 2, 9

These classes are open to Me’ah graduates and any other congregant by request.  For more information or to register, contact Rabbi Starr at 781-784-3986 or bstarr@tisharon.org.