Jewish Ideas to Change the World

Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowtiz (President & Dean of Valley Beit Midrash) explores social justice in the weekly parsha (Torah portion). This podcast series is now available as its own podcast channel titled "Social Justice in the Parsha." Make sure to subscribe! Stay Connected with Valley Beit Midrash: • Website: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org • Donate: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/donate • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ValleyBeitMidrash • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiLYSyEus7DcWMhyEZ_CQFQ • Become a Member: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member Follow Rabbi Shmuly: • https://www.facebook.com/RabbiShmulyYanklowitz Listen to all of Valley Beit Midrash’s podcasts: • Jewish Ideas to Change the World (diverse Jewish perspectives) • Social Justice in the Parsha (divrei torah by Rabbi Shmuly) • Pearls of Jewish Wisdom on Living with Kindness (Rabbi Shmuly's class series) ★ Support this podcast ★

Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz, President and Dean of Valley Beit Midrash, interviews ADL's CEO Jonathan Greenblatt ★ Support this podcast ★

Enjoy the thirty sixth session of Valley Beit Midrash's "The 40 Greatest Debates in Jewish History!" series. (1 per week for 40 weeks). Topic - Is Life about Struggle or Peace? In this class, we will explore the 40 greatest debates in Jewish history. We will study texts, reflect on the historical contexts, and discuss the values involved. Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz will present for about 20-30 minutes and then the remaining 30-40 minutes will be for questions and conversation. DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★

Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowtiz (President & Dean of Valley Beit Midrash) explores social justice in the weekly parsha (Torah portion). This podcast series is now available as its own podcast channel titled "Social Justice in the Parsha." Make sure to subscribe! Stay Connected with Valley Beit Midrash: • Website: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org • Donate: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/donate • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ValleyBeitMidrash • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiLYSyEus7DcWMhyEZ_CQFQ • Become a Member: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member Follow Rabbi Shmuly: • https://www.facebook.com/RabbiShmulyYanklowitz Listen to all of Valley Beit Midrash’s podcasts: • Jewish Ideas to Change the World (diverse Jewish perspectives) • Social Justice in the Parsha (divrei torah by Rabbi Shmuly) • Pearls of Jewish Wisdom on Living with Kindness (Rabbi Shmuly's class series) ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Rabbi Adina Lewittes ABOUT THE EVENT: How does Jewish law, a system based on such binaries as muttar (permitted) and assur (prohibited) and hayav (obligated) and patur (exempt), inform our contemporary understanding of gender which is increasingly shaped by fluidity and in some cases hybridity? In this particular case, would a trans woman who has not had gender confirmation surgery be required to undergo a ritual circumcision as part of her conversion process? Does the mitzvah of brit milah apply only to those whose gender is male or to all those whose anatomy is male? What are the consequences – halakhic, theological and cultural – of the different perspectives on this question? ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Rabbi Adina Lewittes founded Sha’ar, a northern NJ/NYC-based, values-driven Jewish community oriented around the call to societal, environmental and spiritual sustainability. For nearly twenty years, Sha’ar provided multiple gateways into Jewish life exemplified by a commitment to inclusiveness, diversity, innovation, scholarship, excellence and collaboration. Adina recently served as the Scholar in Residence at Congregation B’nai Jeshurun in NYC, a synagogue renowned for its commitment to social justice and spiritual activism. Adina is also a member of the senior rabbinic faculty of the Shalom Hartman Institute, and of the Board of Trustees of the Abraham Joshua Heschel School. In the Spring of 2022 she will serve on the faculty of the Rabbinical School at JTS teaching modern Jewish Law. Previously, Adina served as the Assistant Dean of the Rabbinical School at JTS, and founded a synagogue in Englewood, New Jersey, modelling shared leadership and collective communal responsibility. Adina regularly enjoys speaking engagements in the US and Canada and publishing essays on topics including Jewish identity, modern Jewish law, leadership, Jewish innovation, sexual/gender diversity, multifaith/multiheritage marriage and engagement, and contemporary Jewish spirituality. She is married to Andi Lewittes, and has four children, two stepchildren, and one incredible dog. -- DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Rabbi Chaim Seidler Feller ABOUT THE EVENT: A virtual tour of the Seidler-Feller collection of objects of Jewish material culture from Alsace and Iran, from India and Italy and from the US and Israel. Items include an 18th Century embroidered Italian tallit, a Yemenite wedding headdress, ketubot from across the globe and contemporary Israeli silver. The tour will include a reflection on how we came to collect Judaica and the stories that background our acquisitions. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Chaim Seidler-Feller recently celebrated his fortieth year of working with students and faculty as the Executive Director of the Yitzhak Rabin Hillel Center for Jewish Life at UCLA. He is currently Director Emeritus.. He was ordained in 1971 at Yeshiva University where he completed a Masters in Rabbinic Literature. Chaim has been a lecturer in the Departments of Sociology and Near Eastern Languages and Cultures at UCLA and in the Department of Theological Studies at Loyola Marymount University. He is currently a faculty member of the Shalom Hartman Institute,North America and of the Wexner Heritage Foundation. He was the founding director of the Hartman Fellowship for Campus Professionals and a founding member of Americans for Peace Now. In 2014 he initiated a fact finding mission for non-Jewish student leaders to Israel and the Palestine Authority which is now offered on ninety campuses. In 2020 a Festschrift entitled Swimmimg Against the Current: Reimagining Jewish Tradition in the 21st Century was published in Chaim’s honor. He is married to Dr. Doreen Seidler-Feller,a clinical psychologist,and is the father of Shulie,a photojournalist and Shaul, an ordained rabbi who is currently serving as a Judaica consultant at Sotheby’s while pursuing a doctorate in Jewish History at the Hebrew University. -- DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★

Enjoy the thirty fifth session of Valley Beit Midrash's "The 40 Greatest Debates in Jewish History!" series. (1 per week for 40 weeks). Topic - On The Unity of God In this class, we will explore the 40 greatest debates in Jewish history. We will study texts, reflect on the historical contexts, and discuss the values involved. Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz will present for about 20-30 minutes and then the remaining 30-40 minutes will be for questions and conversation. DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★

Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowtiz (President & Dean of Valley Beit Midrash) explores social justice in the weekly parsha (Torah portion). This podcast series is now available as its own podcast channel titled "Social Justice in the Parsha." Make sure to subscribe! Stay Connected with Valley Beit Midrash: • Website: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org • Donate: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/donate • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ValleyBeitMidrash • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiLYSyEus7DcWMhyEZ_CQFQ • Become a Member: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member Follow Rabbi Shmuly: • https://www.facebook.com/RabbiShmulyYanklowitz Listen to all of Valley Beit Midrash’s podcasts: • Jewish Ideas to Change the World (diverse Jewish perspectives) • Social Justice in the Parsha (divrei torah by Rabbi Shmuly) • Pearls of Jewish Wisdom on Living with Kindness (Rabbi Shmuly's class series) ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Rabbi Barry Block ABOUT THE EVENT: An interview between Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz and Rabbi Barry Block on his new book “The Social Justice Torah Commentary”. Book description and where to purchase featured below. What does the Torah have to say about social justice? As the contributors to The Social Justice Torah Commentary demonstrate, a great deal. A diverse array of authors delve deeply into each week’s parashah, drawing lessons to inspire tikkun olam. Chapters address key contemporary issues such as racism, climate change, mass incarceration, immigration, disability, women’s rights, voting rights, and many more. The result is an indispensable resource for weekly Torah study and for anyone committed to repairing the world. Purchase the book here – https://www.ccarpress.org/shopping_product_detail.asp?pid=50552 ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Rabbi Barry H. Block serves Congregation B’nai Israel in Little Rock, Arkansas. A Houston native and graduate of Amherst College, Rabbi Block was ordained by Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in New York in 1991, and he received his DD, honoris causa, in 2016. A member of the CCAR Board of Trustees, currently serving as vice president of organizational relationships, Block is the editor of The Mussar Torah Commentary (CCAR Press, 2020), a finalist for the National Jewish Book Award. He also contributed to several earlier CCAR anthologies, including Inscribed: Encounters with the Ten Commandments, The Sacred Exchange, The Sacred Encounter, Navigating the Journey, and A Life of Meaning: Embracing Reform Judaism’s Sacred Path, and he is a regular contributor to the CCAR Journal. Rabbi Block currently serves as faculty dean at URJ Henry S. Jacobs Camp, similar to a role he previously held for twenty-one years at URJ Greene Family Camp. He is a past board chair of Planned Parenthood of South Texas. He is the proud father of Robert and Daniel. -- DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★

Enjoy the thirty fourth session of Valley Beit Midrash's "The 40 Greatest Debates in Jewish History!" series. (1 per week for 40 weeks). Topic - The Value of the Individual vs. the Collective In this class, we will explore the 40 greatest debates in Jewish history. We will study texts, reflect on the historical contexts, and discuss the values involved. Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz will present for about 20-30 minutes and then the remaining 30-40 minutes will be for questions and conversation. DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★

Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowtiz (President & Dean of Valley Beit Midrash) explores social justice in the weekly parsha (Torah portion). This podcast series is now available as its own podcast channel titled "Social Justice in the Parsha." Make sure to subscribe! Stay Connected with Valley Beit Midrash: • Website: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org • Donate: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/donate • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ValleyBeitMidrash • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiLYSyEus7DcWMhyEZ_CQFQ • Become a Member: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member Follow Rabbi Shmuly: • https://www.facebook.com/RabbiShmulyYanklowitz Listen to all of Valley Beit Midrash’s podcasts: • Jewish Ideas to Change the World (diverse Jewish perspectives) • Social Justice in the Parsha (divrei torah by Rabbi Shmuly) • Pearls of Jewish Wisdom on Living with Kindness (Rabbi Shmuly's class series) ★ Support this podcast ★

Enjoy the thirty third session of Valley Beit Midrash's "The 40 Greatest Debates in Jewish History!" series. (1 per week for 40 weeks). Topic - Care for the Vulnerable vs. Education: What does every community need? In this class, we will explore the 40 greatest debates in Jewish history. We will study texts, reflect on the historical contexts, and discuss the values involved. Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz will present for about 20-30 minutes and then the remaining 30-40 minutes will be for questions and conversation. DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★

Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowtiz (President & Dean of Valley Beit Midrash) explores social justice in the weekly parsha (Torah portion). This podcast series is now available as its own podcast channel titled "Social Justice in the Parsha." Make sure to subscribe! Stay Connected with Valley Beit Midrash: • Website: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org • Donate: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/donate • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ValleyBeitMidrash • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiLYSyEus7DcWMhyEZ_CQFQ • Become a Member: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member Follow Rabbi Shmuly: • https://www.facebook.com/RabbiShmulyYanklowitz Listen to all of Valley Beit Midrash’s podcasts: • Jewish Ideas to Change the World (diverse Jewish perspectives) • Social Justice in the Parsha (divrei torah by Rabbi Shmuly) • Pearls of Jewish Wisdom on Living with Kindness (Rabbi Shmuly's class series) ★ Support this podcast ★

Enjoy the thirty second session of Valley Beit Midrash's "The 40 Greatest Debates in Jewish History!" series. (1 per week for 40 weeks). Topic - Zealousness vs. Tolerance In this class, we will explore the 40 greatest debates in Jewish history. We will study texts, reflect on the historical contexts, and discuss the values involved. Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz will present for about 20-30 minutes and then the remaining 30-40 minutes will be for questions and conversation. DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★

Enjoy the thirty first session of Valley Beit Midrash's "The 40 Greatest Debates in Jewish History!" series. (1 per week for 40 weeks). Topic - Halacha vs. State: What's the Vehicle for Progress In this class, we will explore the 40 greatest debates in Jewish history. We will study texts, reflect on the historical contexts, and discuss the values involved. Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz will present for about 20-30 minutes and then the remaining 30-40 minutes will be for questions and conversation. DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★

Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowtiz (President & Dean of Valley Beit Midrash) explores social justice in the weekly parsha (Torah portion). This podcast series is now available as its own podcast channel titled "Social Justice in the Parsha." Make sure to subscribe! Stay Connected with Valley Beit Midrash: • Website: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org • Donate: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/donate • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ValleyBeitMidrash • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiLYSyEus7DcWMhyEZ_CQFQ • Become a Member: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member Follow Rabbi Shmuly: • https://www.facebook.com/RabbiShmulyYanklowitz Listen to all of Valley Beit Midrash’s podcasts: • Jewish Ideas to Change the World (diverse Jewish perspectives) • Social Justice in the Parsha (divrei torah by Rabbi Shmuly) • Pearls of Jewish Wisdom on Living with Kindness (Rabbi Shmuly's class series) ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Rabbi Yoni Rosensweig ABOUT THE EVENT: When we don’t feel well, we usually go and see the doctor. But do we have to? Can I let my health slip? Is there an obligation to stay healthy? Come and learn the basic sources behind this question and the meaning behind this technical discussion. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Rav Yoni Rosensweig is the Rabbi of the Netzach Menashe community in Beit Shemesh, a teacher in Midreshet Linenbaum, and author of several books. -- DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★

Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowtiz (President & Dean of Valley Beit Midrash) explores social justice in the weekly parsha (Torah portion). This podcast series is now available as its own podcast channel titled "Social Justice in the Parsha." Make sure to subscribe! Stay Connected with Valley Beit Midrash: • Website: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org • Donate: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/donate • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ValleyBeitMidrash • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiLYSyEus7DcWMhyEZ_CQFQ • Become a Member: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member Follow Rabbi Shmuly: • https://www.facebook.com/RabbiShmulyYanklowitz Listen to all of Valley Beit Midrash’s podcasts: • Jewish Ideas to Change the World (diverse Jewish perspectives) • Social Justice in the Parsha (divrei torah by Rabbi Shmuly) • Pearls of Jewish Wisdom on Living with Kindness (Rabbi Shmuly's class series) ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual presentation by Rabbi Marc Gopin ABOUT THE EVENT: Around the globe, people who work in the helping professions are often heroic bridge-builders and creators of peaceful societies. They have in common, Marc Gopin argues, a set of cultivated moral character traits and psychosocial skills. They tend to be kinder, more reasonable, more self-controlled, and more goal-oriented towards peace. They are united by a particular set of moral values and the emotional skills to put those values into practice, allowing them to excel in what he calls “Compassionate Reasoning.” In this book, Gopin draws upon the history of ethics along with his own thirty-year career in the field of peacebuilding to develop an understanding of this type of reasoning. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Marc Gopin is the Director of the Center for World Religions, Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution (CRDC), and the James H. Laue Professor at the School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution, at George Mason University, Arlington, Virginia, USA. Gopin has pioneered multi-million dollar projects at CRDC on peacebuilding in the Israeli/Palestinian, Syrian and Afghanistan conflicts, and consulted with many governmental agencies in the United State and Europe. Gopin has engaged in back-channel diplomacy with religious, political and military figures on both sides of conflicts. He has appeared on numerous media outlets, including CNN, CNN International, The Jim Lehrer News Hour, National Public Radio, Voice of America, and the national public radios of Sweden and Northern Ireland. He has been published in numerous publications, including the International Herald Tribune, the Boston Globe, the Christian Science Monitor, and his work has been featured in news stories of the Times of London, the Times of India, Associated Press, and Newhouse News Service. Gopin has received the Andrew Thomas Peacebuilder Award from the New York State Dispute Resolution Association, as well as the Rumi Peace and Dialogue Award. Dr. Gopin received a Ph.D. with honors from Brandeis University in 1993. You can purchase the book here – https://global.oup.com/academic/produ... -- DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★

Enjoy the thirtieth session of Valley Beit Midrash's "The 40 Greatest Debates in Jewish History!" series. (1 per week for 40 weeks). Topic - Hobbes vs. Anarchist: A King vs. No King In this class, we will explore the 40 greatest debates in Jewish history. We will study texts, reflect on the historical contexts, and discuss the values involved. Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz will present for about 20-30 minutes and then the remaining 30-40 minutes will be for questions and conversation. DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual presentation by Jonnie Schnytzer ABOUT THE EVENT: Taking a journey back in time with texts from Midrash & Kabbalah, we will look at how death can be understood and as a result, perhaps what life is about (this can be 1-4 lessons spanning from the idea of death in the Bible and the circle of life in kabbalah through to the idea of resurrection of the dead and the secret of death according to Zohar). ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Jonnie Schnytzer is a Phd candidate focusing on medieval kabbalah. His dissertation is focused on the kabbalistic system of thought of Rabbi Joseph ben Shalom Ashkenazi. Jonnie is also preparing a critical edition of Ashkenazi’s commentary on Sefer Yesira. Probably the only PhD student in Jewish Philosophy who can say that he once beat the head of Israeli naval commandos in a swimming race, Jonnie’s also the author of Mossad thriller, The Way Back, which paints a picture of contemporary Israel. Jonnie has recently orchestrated the publishing of an English edition of ‘The Hitler Haggadah’, an important piece of Moroccan Jewish history from the Holocaust. Jonnie has also taken on several leadership roles in the Jewish world, including advisor to the CEO of Birthright and executive manager with StandWithUs. He lectures on a wide variety of topics relating to Judaism and Israel, especially about the untold stories and unspoken heroes of Jewish history. Jonnie is happily married, with four gorgeous little kids, lives in Israel and thinks that Australian Rules Football is the greatest sport ever invented. -- DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★

Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowtiz (President & Dean of Valley Beit Midrash) explores social justice in the weekly parsha (Torah portion). This podcast series is now available as its own podcast channel titled "Social Justice in the Parsha." Make sure to subscribe! Stay Connected with Valley Beit Midrash: • Website: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org • Donate: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/donate • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ValleyBeitMidrash • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiLYSyEus7DcWMhyEZ_CQFQ • Become a Member: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member Follow Rabbi Shmuly: • https://www.facebook.com/RabbiShmulyYanklowitz Listen to all of Valley Beit Midrash’s podcasts: • Jewish Ideas to Change the World (diverse Jewish perspectives) • Social Justice in the Parsha (divrei torah by Rabbi Shmuly) • Pearls of Jewish Wisdom on Living with Kindness (Rabbi Shmuly's class series) ★ Support this podcast ★

Russ Linden is a management consultant, leadership instructor and author, who's worked with public and nonprofit organizations for 35 years. He's also a regular shul goer, and often gives the D'var Torah R his lay-led Shabbat morning service. You can purchase the book (Loss and Discovery: What the Torah Can Teach Us about Leading Change) on Amazon at the link below! https://www.amazon.com/Loss-Discovery-Torah-Leading-Change/dp/1666701114 ★ Support this podcast ★

Enjoy the twenty ninth session of Valley Beit Midrash's "The 40 Greatest Debates in Jewish History!" series. (1 per week for 40 weeks). Topic - The Mussar Movement vs. the Hasidic Movement In this class, we will explore the 40 greatest debates in Jewish history. We will study texts, reflect on the historical contexts, and discuss the values involved. Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz will present for about 20-30 minutes and then the remaining 30-40 minutes will be for questions and conversation. DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★

Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowtiz (President & Dean of Valley Beit Midrash) explores social justice in the weekly parsha (Torah portion). This podcast series is now available as its own podcast channel titled "Social Justice in the Parsha." Make sure to subscribe! Stay Connected with Valley Beit Midrash: • Website: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org • Donate: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/donate • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ValleyBeitMidrash • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiLYSyEus7DcWMhyEZ_CQFQ • Become a Member: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member Follow Rabbi Shmuly: • https://www.facebook.com/RabbiShmulyYanklowitz Listen to all of Valley Beit Midrash’s podcasts: • Jewish Ideas to Change the World (diverse Jewish perspectives) • Social Justice in the Parsha (divrei torah by Rabbi Shmuly) • Pearls of Jewish Wisdom on Living with Kindness (Rabbi Shmuly's class series) ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Mindy Weisel ABOUT THE EVENT: This compelling and candid memoir (AFTER: The Obligation of Beauty) by Mindy Weisel, an internationally acclaimed artist and author, traces her search for beauty in her life, which began as a child born in the Bergen-Belsen Displaced Person’s Camp to parents who had survived the Auschwitz concentration camp. This is not her parents’ story, rather, it is a courageous and honest portrait of her struggle to understand the black hole she was born into. Her successful journey in becoming an artist with her own voice, and an unshakable will to live with beauty, is most inspiring. By weaving an eloquent tapestry of her art, narrative, poetry and journals, Ms. Weisel offers moving insights into her life and work, especially her deep-seated conviction that beauty and love can overcome tragedy. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Mindy Weisel, an internationally renowned artist, author and speaker, was elected into the Smithsonian Archives of American Artists in 2000. Her works are in the permanent collections of the National Museum of American Art, Oxford University, and the Israel Museum, among many other public and private collections. Weisel is the author of DAUGHTERS Of ABSENCE: Transforming a Legacy of Loss; and TOUCHING QUIET: Reflections in Solitude. She is also a member of the United States Art In Embassies Program; and the Jerusalem Biennial. Weisel, the mother of three, resided in Washington, D.C. for over forty years, where she was an Associate Professor at the Corcoran College of Art and Design (1996-2005). She received her BFA at George Washington University and did her post graduate work at American University, Washington, D.C. Weisel’s extensive interviews and TV appearances are documented on her website www.mindyweisel.com. Among them, CNN, Bloomberg, Jewish Women’s Archives. Currently, Mindy Weisel resides in Jerusalem Israel, with her husband. You can purchase the book here – https://www.amazon.com/AFTER-Obligation-Beauty-Mindy-Weisel/dp/1913532550/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Mindy+Weisel+AFTER&qid=1631562301&sr=8-1 -- DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Dr. David I. Bernstein ABOUT THE EVENT: Mordechai Anilewicz was one of the leaders of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising in the spring of 1943. Yet alongside him in the ghetto was another Jewish leader, Emmanuel Ringleblum, who chose the pen over the sword. Two heroes, two different kinds of heroism, for their own time and place — and beyond. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Dr, David I. Bernstein is the Dean of the Pardes Institute for Jewish Studies in Jerusalem. Previously he was the Director of Midreshet Lindenbaum. He has a BA and MA in History and a Ph.D. in Religious Education from NYU. His passion for Jewish history has taken him as historian-in-residence with student and adult groups to Poland, Prague, Budapest, Vienna, Berlin and other important European sites of Jewish life. -- DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★

ABOUT THE EVENT: How are honeybees portrayed in biblical and later Jewish sources? Why is honey kosher? What is the status of other hive products – bee pollen, propolis, royal jelly? Join Rabbi Amalia to discuss this and other issues relating to bees. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Rabbi Amalia Haas facilitates life cycle events, programming and retreats grounded in Torah, mindfulness, bibliodrama, nature, art and music. She was ordained in 2020 by Yeshivat Maharat and completed a residency in Chaplaincy at the Cleveland Clinic. She is also a Holding Space Consultant with the Institute for Birth, Breath and Death. Her company Bee Awesome markets kosher raw honey for Rosh HaShanah. Her varietal honey tasting and experiential calendar and honey bee programs inspire communities to save the bees and avert climate crisis. She holds an M.A. in Jewish Education from Yeshiva University and a B.A. in Musical Performance from Oberlin College. Amalia lives in Northeast Ohio with her husband Adam, six children ages 10 – 24, and many hives. Reach Amalia at [email protected] or 330-552-8BEE. -- DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★

Enjoy the twenty eighth session of Valley Beit Midrash's "The 40 Greatest Debates in Jewish History!" series. (1 per week for 40 weeks). Topic - Spinoza vs. the Rabbis of Amsterdam In this class, we will explore the 40 greatest debates in Jewish history. We will study texts, reflect on the historical contexts, and discuss the values involved. Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz will present for about 20-30 minutes and then the remaining 30-40 minutes will be for questions and conversation. DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Professor Marc Zvi Brettler ABOUT THE EVENT: Hannukah is a prime example of a post-biblical festival—but it has left its tracks in the Bible, and is based on biblical texts. We will look at the earliest evidence we have for this festival, and how it has changed over time. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Marc Zvi Brettler is the Bernice and Morton Lerner Distinguished Professor of Judaic Studies in the Department of Religious Studies at Duke University. His books How to Read the Jewish Bible; The Jewish Study Bible (edited with Adele Berlin); and The Bible and the Believer (with Peter Enns and Daniel Harrington). He co-edited The Jewish Annotated New Testament, and co-authored The Bible With and Without Jesus: How Jews and Christians Read the Same Stories Differently, both with Amy-Jill Levine. He is deeply committed to making the Jewish community more aware of the richness of Jewish literature from the past, including the New testament, and to introducing academic biblical study to the broader community, as reflected in TheTorah.com, which he co-founded. Marc describes himself as a liberal observant Jew. ★ Support this podcast ★

Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowtiz (President & Dean of Valley Beit Midrash) explores social justice in the weekly parsha (Torah portion). This podcast series is now available as its own podcast channel titled "Social Justice in the Parsha." Make sure to subscribe! Stay Connected with Valley Beit Midrash: • Website: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org • Donate: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/donate • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ValleyBeitMidrash • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiLYSyEus7DcWMhyEZ_CQFQ • Become a Member: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member Follow Rabbi Shmuly: • https://www.facebook.com/RabbiShmulyYanklowitz Listen to all of Valley Beit Midrash’s podcasts: • Jewish Ideas to Change the World (diverse Jewish perspectives) • Social Justice in the Parsha (divrei torah by Rabbi Shmuly) • Pearls of Jewish Wisdom on Living with Kindness (Rabbi Shmuly's class series) ★ Support this podcast ★

Enjoy the twenty seventh session of Valley Beit Midrash's "The 40 Greatest Debates in Jewish History!" series. (1 per week for 40 weeks). Topic - What's the Purpose of Mitzvot? Obedience vs. Meaning In this class, we will explore the 40 greatest debates in Jewish history. We will study texts, reflect on the historical contexts, and discuss the values involved. Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz will present for about 20-30 minutes and then the remaining 30-40 minutes will be for questions and conversation. DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★

Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowtiz (President & Dean of Valley Beit Midrash) explores social justice in the weekly parsha (Torah portion). This podcast series is now available as its own podcast channel titled "Social Justice in the Parsha." Make sure to subscribe! Stay Connected with Valley Beit Midrash: • Website: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org • Donate: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/donate • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ValleyBeitMidrash • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiLYSyEus7DcWMhyEZ_CQFQ • Become a Member: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member Follow Rabbi Shmuly: • https://www.facebook.com/RabbiShmulyYanklowitz Listen to all of Valley Beit Midrash’s podcasts: • Jewish Ideas to Change the World (diverse Jewish perspectives) • Social Justice in the Parsha (divrei torah by Rabbi Shmuly) • Pearls of Jewish Wisdom on Living with Kindness (Rabbi Shmuly's class series) ★ Support this podcast ★

Enjoy the twenty sixth session of Valley Beit Midrash's "The 40 Greatest Debates in Jewish History!" series. (1 per week for 40 weeks). Topic - Body vs. Soul In this class, we will explore the 40 greatest debates in Jewish history. We will study texts, reflect on the historical contexts, and discuss the values involved. Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz will present for about 20-30 minutes and then the remaining 30-40 minutes will be for questions and conversation. DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★

This lecture is in honor of Dr. Sherman Minkoff. ABOUT THE EVENT: The Hebrew School I attended as a child taught us about every catastrophe that befell the Jewish People. It was a tale of endless destruction, persecution, and exile. But left out of the story they told us was the best part — the miraculous capacity of the Jewish People to turn catastrophe into opportunity, and tragedy into creativity. The Jewish talent for renewal, re-invention, and resilience can give us hope for our future. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Rabbi Ed Feinstein is senior rabbi of Valley Beth Shalom in Encino, California. He serves on the faculty of the Ziegler Rabbinical School of the American Jewish University, the Wexner Heritage Program, the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem and lectures widely across the United States. He is the author of several books, including: Tough Questions Jews Ask – A Young Adult’s Guide to Building a Jewish Life, (Jewish Lights, 2003), was chosen for the American Library Association’s Top Ten Books on Religion for Young Readers and a finalist for the National Jewish Book Award. Jews and Judaism in the Twenty-First Century: Human Responsibility, the Presence of God and the Future of the Covenant (Jewish Lights, 2007) was also a finalist for the National Jewish Book Award, Capturing the Moon (Behrman House, 2008) retells the best of classic and modern Jewish folktales. Most recently, Chutzpah Imperative! – Empowering Today’s Jews for a Life that Matters (Jewish Lights, 2014), offers a new way to “do Judaism,” Rabbi urges us to recover this message of Jewish self empowerment, or chutzpah, to reshape the world. An engaging lecturer and storyteller, Rabbi Feinstein unites the ancient Jewish love of ideas with the warmth of Jewish humor. -- DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★

Stay Connected with Valley Beit Midrash: • Website: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org • Donate: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/donate • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ValleyBeitMidrash • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiLYSyEus7DcWMhyEZ_CQFQ • Become a Member: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member Follow Rabbi Shmuly: • https://www.facebook.com/RabbiShmulyYanklowitz Listen to all of Valley Beit Midrash’s podcasts: • Jewish Ideas to Change the World (diverse Jewish perspectives) • Social Justice in the Parsha (divrei torah by Rabbi Shmuly) • Pearls of Jewish Wisdom on Living with Kindness (Rabbi Shmuly's class series) ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Dr. Jon Greenberg Event Co-Sponsored By: Sinai and Synapses, Scientists and Synagogues Program ABOUT THE EVENT: The class will cover many of the following ideas – *How the discoveries of Isaac Newton and Ferdinand Magellan changed the halachic definitions of up and down *Changing meaning within Tanach: Why is “a land dripping with milk and honey” a blessing in Torah but a curse in Isaiah?” *How did the Talmud’s classification of living things anticipate a scientific discovery by 1700 years? *Structure of the Solar System in the Talmud and later ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Jon Greenberg received his Bachelor’s degree with honors in biology from Brown University and his Master’s and Doctorate in agronomy from Cornell University. He has also studied with Rabbi Chaim Brovender at Israel’s Yeshivat HaMivtar and conducted research on corn, alfalfa, and soybeans at Cornell, the US Department of Agriculture, and the University of Pennsylvania’s Institute for Cancer Research. Since 1989, he has been a science teacher and educational consultant. Dr. Greenberg was Senior Editor of science textbooks at Prentice Hall Publishing Co. Previously on the faculty of Yeshivas Ohr Yosef, the School of Education at Indiana University, and the University of Phoenix, he has taught at the Abraham Joshua Heschel School since 2008. He is a frequent speaker at synagogues, schools, and botanical gardens. Dr. Greenberg publishes his essays on Biblical and Talmudic botany on his Web site, TorahFlora.org. He can be contacted at 201-261-0385 or [email protected]. -- DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★

ABOUT THE EVENT: This event will be a book interview of Dr. Fishbane’s latest work of original poetry entitled: “EMBERS OF PILGRIMAGE”. Rabbi Dr. Aubrey Glazer, who wrote the interpretive introduction, will offer a valuable voice in drawing meaning from the poetry while in conversation with Dr. Fishbane. Rabbi Dr. Aubrey is also the Director of The Panui Institute, of which this book is a project. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Dr. Eitan P. Fishbane is Associate Professor of Jewish Thought at The Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS), where he teaches students in all five graduate and undergraduate schools. Fishbane earned his Ph.D. and B.A., summa cum laude, from Brandeis University, and he served on the faculties of Carleton College and Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion before coming to JTS in 2006. A 2015-2016 JTS Chancellor’s Fellow, Fishbane recently completed a term of service on the Faculty Executive Committee; he serves on the Rabbinical School Council at JTS, as B.A. and M.A. Advisor in Jewish Thought, and as Division Chair for Jewish Mysticism at the Association for Jewish Studies (AJS). Among his published works are The Art of Mystical Narrative: A Poetics of the Zohar (Oxford University Press, 2018) and As Light Before Dawn: The Inner World of a Medieval Kabbalist (Stanford University Press, 2009). Fishbane was a 2011 recipient of the Charles A. Ryskamp Fellowship from the American Council of Learned Societies. -- DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★

Enjoy the twenty fifth session of Valley Beit Midrash's "The 40 Greatest Debates in Jewish History!" series. (1 per week for 40 weeks). Topic - Love: Emotion vs. Deed In this class, we will explore the 40 greatest debates in Jewish history. We will study texts, reflect on the historical contexts, and discuss the values involved. Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz will present for about 20-30 minutes and then the remaining 30-40 minutes will be for questions and conversation. DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★

Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowtiz (President & Dean of Valley Beit Midrash) explores social justice in the weekly parsha (Torah portion). This podcast series is now available as its own podcast channel titled "Social Justice in the Parsha." Make sure to subscribe! Stay Connected with Valley Beit Midrash: • Website: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org • Donate: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/donate • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ValleyBeitMidrash • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiLYSyEus7DcWMhyEZ_CQFQ • Become a Member: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member Follow Rabbi Shmuly: • https://www.facebook.com/RabbiShmulyYanklowitz Listen to all of Valley Beit Midrash’s podcasts: • Jewish Ideas to Change the World (diverse Jewish perspectives) • Social Justice in the Parsha (divrei torah by Rabbi Shmuly) • Pearls of Jewish Wisdom on Living with Kindness (Rabbi Shmuly's class series) ★ Support this podcast ★

Enjoy the twenty fourth session of Valley Beit Midrash's "The 40 Greatest Debates in Jewish History!" series. (1 per week for 40 weeks). Topic: Judging Others Favorably vs. Judging for Justice In this class, we will explore the 40 greatest debates in Jewish history. We will study texts, reflect on the historical contexts, and discuss the values involved. Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz will present for about 20-30 minutes and then the remaining 30-40 minutes will be for questions and conversation. DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual presentation by Rabbi Dr. Devorah Schoenfeld ABOUT THE EVENT: The Song of Songs is a collection of poems describing romantic love, and is traditionally read as an allegory for the love between God and God’s people. Traditional commentaries have tended to read the Song of Songs as one continuous narrative, telling a single love story between two lovers. But is the Song of Songs one story or many? And how many lovers are there really? Using Rashi’s commentary and Midrash Rabbah as well as modern scholarship we will look at different possible answers to these questions, and how they can help us think about what it means to love God in a complicated world. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Rabbi Dr. Devorah Schoenfeld is associate professor of Judaism at Loyola University Chicago. She received her PhD from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley in 2007 and her rabbinic ordination from Yeshivat Maharat in 2019. Her research is on biblical interpretation and Jewish-Christian relations. -- DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★

Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowtiz (President & Dean of Valley Beit Midrash) explores social justice in the weekly parsha (Torah portion). This podcast series is now available as its own podcast channel titled "Social Justice in the Parsha." Make sure to subscribe! Stay Connected with Valley Beit Midrash: • Website: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org • Donate: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/donate • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ValleyBeitMidrash • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiLYSyEus7DcWMhyEZ_CQFQ • Become a Member: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member Follow Rabbi Shmuly: • https://www.facebook.com/RabbiShmulyYanklowitz Listen to all of Valley Beit Midrash’s podcasts: • Jewish Ideas to Change the World (diverse Jewish perspectives) • Social Justice in the Parsha (divrei torah by Rabbi Shmuly) • Pearls of Jewish Wisdom on Living with Kindness (Rabbi Shmuly's class series) ★ Support this podcast ★

Enjoy the twenty third session of Valley Beit Midrash's "The 40 Greatest Debates in Jewish History!" series. (1 per week for 40 weeks). Topic: Prioritizing the Poor vs. Equity Toward all Parties In this class, we will explore the 40 greatest debates in Jewish history. We will study texts, reflect on the historical contexts, and discuss the values involved. Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz will present for about 20-30 minutes and then the remaining 30-40 minutes will be for questions and conversation. DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual presentation by Jonnie Schnytzer ABOUT THE EVENT: Chassidic masters created a Jewish revolution, which rekindled a mass of souls that were on the verge of burning out. They chose stories & melodies over the study-hall. In this series we feel the power & charm of the Chassidic stories, as well as learn how these brought God and His Torah not only to the learned, but also to the locksmith. Let’s go back in time and hear the stories as they were told in the heart of forests, inside wagons and ultimately, penetrating into the very study-halls, which opposed the Chassidic movement (this can be 1-8 lessons focusing on the background and rise of the Besht, the story of Chassidic masters and the stories they told (Ba’al Shem Tov, R. Nahman of Breslav, The Rozhiner Rebber, Chabad etc), the many aspects of the chassidic story – the idea of a multilayered story suited for everyone; giving simple meaning as well as vehicles carrying secrets, the story as a new way of teaching Torah, the story as a magical charm redefining time etc.) ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Jonnie Schnytzer is a Phd candidate focusing on medieval kabbalah. His dissertation is focused on the kabbalistic system of thought of Rabbi Joseph ben Shalom Ashkenazi. Jonnie is also preparing a critical edition of Ashkenazi’s commentary on Sefer Yesira. Probably the only PhD student in Jewish Philosophy who can say that he once beat the head of Israeli naval commandos in a swimming race, Jonnie’s also the author of Mossad thriller, The Way Back, which paints a picture of contemporary Israel. Jonnie has recently orchestrated the publishing of an English edition of ‘The Hitler Haggadah’, an important piece of Moroccan Jewish history from the Holocaust. Jonnie has also taken on several leadership roles in the Jewish world, including advisor to the CEO of Birthright and executive manager with StandWithUs. He lectures on a wide variety of topics relating to Judaism and Israel, especially about the untold stories and unspoken heroes of Jewish history. Jonnie is happily married, with four gorgeous little kids, lives in Israel and thinks that Australian Rules Football is the greatest sport ever invented. -- DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★

Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowtiz (President & Dean of Valley Beit Midrash) explores social justice in the weekly parsha (Torah portion). This podcast series is now available as its own podcast channel titled "Social Justice in the Parsha." Make sure to subscribe! Stay Connected with Valley Beit Midrash: • Website: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org • Donate: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/donate • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ValleyBeitMidrash • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiLYSyEus7DcWMhyEZ_CQFQ • Become a Member: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member Follow Rabbi Shmuly: • https://www.facebook.com/RabbiShmulyYanklowitz Listen to all of Valley Beit Midrash’s podcasts: • Jewish Ideas to Change the World (diverse Jewish perspectives) • Social Justice in the Parsha (divrei torah by Rabbi Shmuly) • Pearls of Jewish Wisdom on Living with Kindness (Rabbi Shmuly's class series) ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Professor Paul Franks ABOUT THE EVENT: What is the legacy of German Judaism, and what can it still offer us today? German Judaism began with Moses Mendelssohn’s controversial German translation of the Humash in 1783, and ended with the Nazi pogrom of November 1938. The best known slogan of the Torah-true wing of German Judaism is “Torah im derekh erets” (“Torah with the way of the land”). But this slogan is often misunderstood as nothing more than an educational philosophy that came in one flavor. In fact, it is an ideal of humanity articulated, in several competing versions, in the context of the quest for Jewish civil rights. The German-Jewish tradition raises vital questions that remain relevant today: What is the mission of Jews within civil society? What makes a Jewish community Jewish? What role should Jews play within the ongoing struggle for social justice and civil rights? ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Paul Franks is the Robert F. and Patricia Ross Weis Professor of Philosophy and Judaic Studies at Yale University. He was educated at Gateshead Yeshiva; Balliol College, Oxford; and Harvard University. Before arriving at Yale in 2011, he was the inaugural holder of the Jerahmiel S. and Carole S. Grafstein Chair in Jewish Philosophy at the University of Toronto. He has also taught at University of Michigan, Indiana University Bloomington, University of Notre Dame, and University of Chicago, and he has given shiurim at synagogues and Jewish community centers throughout Britain, Israel, and North America. Paul works at the intersection of the Jewish and German philosophical traditions, specializing in Kantian and post-Kantian metaphysics, epistemology, and philosophy of the humanities and social sciences. He is the translator and annotator, with Michael L. Morgan, of Franz Rosenzweig, Philosophical and Theological Writings (Hackett, 2000); and he is the author of All or Nothing: Systematicity, Transcendental Arguments, and Skepticism in German Idealism (Harvard, 2005), as well as over fifty academic articles. He is currently writing, with his collaborator Morgan, an ambitious survey that will reveal the dynamic interaction between Jewish philosophy and modern European philosophy from Luria to Levinas, and he is also working on a monograph on Kant’s metaphysical and epistemological legacy. -- DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★

A virtual event presentation by Rabbi Dr. Aryeh Cohen ABOUT THE EVENT: By any measure (except the rawest type of vengeance) our carceral system is broken. In this class we will take a look at a Rabbinic understanding of justice which is not punishment centered, but rather center’s the victim’s experience and looks at the threeway relationship between victim/survivor, offender, and society as the basis for creating safety and justice for everybody. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Rabbi Dr. Aryeh Cohen is Professor of Rabbinic Literature at American Jewish University, Rabbi in Residence at Bend the Arc: Jewish Action, Southern California, a co-convener of the Black Jewish Justice Alliance (BJJA), and immediate past chair of Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice (CLUE). He was the recipient of the 2016 Giant of Justice Award from CLUE. Cohen‘s latest book is Justice in the City: An Argument from the Sources of Rabbinic Judaism. -- DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★

Enjoy the twenty second session of Valley Beit Midrash's "The 40 Greatest Debates in Jewish History!" series. (1 per week for 40 weeks). Topic: Auschwitz vs. Sinai: Which is the More Central Jewish Narrative Today? In this class, we will explore the 40 greatest debates in Jewish history. We will study texts, reflect on the historical contexts, and discuss the values involved. Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz will present for about 20-30 minutes and then the remaining 30-40 minutes will be for questions and conversation. DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/ ★ Support this podcast ★

Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowtiz (President & Dean of Valley Beit Midrash) explores social justice in the weekly parsha (Torah portion). This podcast series is now available as its own podcast channel titled "Social Justice in the Parsha." Make sure to subscribe! Stay Connected with Valley Beit Midrash: • Website: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org • Donate: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/donate • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ValleyBeitMidrash • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiLYSyEus7DcWMhyEZ_CQFQ • Become a Member: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member Follow Rabbi Shmuly: • https://www.facebook.com/RabbiShmulyYanklowitz Listen to all of Valley Beit Midrash’s podcasts: • Jewish Ideas to Change the World (diverse Jewish perspectives) • Social Justice in the Parsha (divrei torah by Rabbi Shmuly) • Pearls of Jewish Wisdom on Living with Kindness (Rabbi Shmuly's class series) ★ Support this podcast ★