Series 4: The Others Within – Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in a Pluralistic Movement

Wednesdays, 5 PM PT

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 When Jews Made Fellow Jews “Other”: Hasidism and Its Opponents

Wednesday February 2^nd at 5:00 PM PT

Teacher:

David Fishman, JTS

Description: The Hasidim, followers of the Ba’al Shem Tov and his spiritual heirs, emerged in the 18th century with controversial ideas related to Jewish practice and belief. While Hasidim coexisted peacefully with non-Hasidim in many communities, the Mitnagdim (“opponents”) in many larger Jewish centers in Eastern Europe reacted to the Hasidim not only with condemnation, but with writs of excommunication and measures to persecute the members of the new movement. This internal Jewish religious strife led to the division of the community into rival “denominations” for the first time in nearly a thousand years. We will study the conflict between the Hasidim and Mitnagdim and reflect on how the core principles of the dispute continue to shape our Jewish lives and guide our homes and institutions.

From Kinyan to Brit: Options for Egalitarian Partnerships in Conservative Halakhah

Wednesday February 9th at 5:00 PM PT

Teacher: Gail Labovitz, Ziegler

Description: In classical Jewish law, marriage and divorce are unilateral acts in which a man “sets aside” a woman as his wife at the wedding, and releases her in divorce; concomitantly, the ceremony presumes a heterosexual couple. Could it be possible to have a Jewish marriage in which each partner, of whatever gender, is equally responsible for initiating the binding relationship, and has equal rights to seek its end when necessary? Rabbi Labovitz will discuss her recent responsum for the CJLS, adopted in April of 2020, to validate new, egalitarian options for Jewish marriages.

Series 5: Halakha – The Process Moving Forward & the Forward-Moving Process

Wednesdays, 5 PM PT

  Demystifying the CJLS: How does the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards work?

Wednesday February 16^th at 5:00 PM PT

 Teacher: Rabbi Pamela Barmash, CJLS

Description: The “Law Committee,” the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards, gives guidance to the Conservative/Masorti movement globally and is one of the key institutions of the Conservative movement. We will discuss how it operates: How are its members, both rabbis and laypeople, appointed? How are the topics of teshuvot (responsa) selected? How do the CJLS members discuss drafts, and how do the CJLS rabbi/authors rewrite their drafts? What are the politics and spiritual and intellectual commitments that affect whether a paper is approved? Rabbi Pamela Barmash, the co-chair of the CJLS, will let us into the details of the process..

The End of Life

Wednesday February 23^rd at 5:00 PM PT

 Teacher: Rabbi Elliot Dorff, CJLS

Description: Does Conservative Judaism approve of assisted suicide/aid in dying? How do the theological, moral, and legal sources contribute to our understanding of these sensitive topics? And what can we learn from this conversation about dying to inspire us in our living?

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CongAmHaYam21

The dates of the classes are shown.  Click on all of them. They start at 10 a.m.  You will be notified the day of the class by email, once you register.