It is like oxygen, it is a many-splendored thing, it lifts us up where we belong, and it is all we need. On Tuesday February 8th 7:30pm just before Valentine’s Day, the Stanton Street Beit Midrash will be talking about Interpersonal Love in Judaism.
Men and women of all backgrounds welcome!
Part of Rabbi Yuter’s Politics of Exclusion in Judaism Series, this class concludes Chapter 3 of Rambam’s Laws of Repentance, discussing the Leadership by Fear and the redemptive powers of repentance.
Politics of Exclusion – Rambam, Leadership by Fear, Conclusion & Repentance
Shabbat Schedule
Friday January 28st
Candle Lighting: 4:49pm
Minha / Carlebach Kabbalat Shabbat: 4:50pm
Shabbat January 29th
Shaharit: 9:30am
Minha: 4:45pm
Seudah Shelishit and talk by Yori Yanover on Kol Haposel BeMumo Posel – Finding Fault with Others
Havdallah: 5:30pm
Upcoming Events
Shabbat Feb 5th, Parashat Terumah / Rosh Hodesh Adar I
Special Hot Kiddush in honor of Rabbi Yuter!
Rabbi’s Classes
Sunday 9:00am
Politics of Exclusion in Judaism
In every generation Jews have not only defined themselves for who they are but also for what they are not. The challenges of living in an ever evolving world necessitated an equally adaptive definition for those who are unwelcome. In this class we will explore the origins and evolution of how major sources defined the legitimacy of what it meant to be part of Judaism.
Due do a conflict, the Stanton Street Shul Beit Midrash will not meet this Tuesday, but will be postponed until February 8th
Tuesday February 8th 7:30pm
Beit Midrash Session: Love in Judaism
It is like oxygen, it is a many-splendored thing, it lifts us up where we belong, and it is all we need. In the Tuesday before Valentine’s Day, the Stanton Street Beit Midrash will be talking about Love in Judaism – and not just limited to loving God.
Men and women of all backgrounds welcome!
Dear Friends,
Despite being a media junkie, I’ve never been a fan of watching the State of the Union address live on television. The text is usually distributed to media outlets for their analysis and some even publish a transcript so there is no risk of missing the content. My own reservations of the event itself were best summarized by Chief Justice John Roberts’ declining to attend in person: “To the extent the State of the Union has degenerated into a political pep rally, I’m not sure why we are there.”
But this year there was a completely different tone to the SOTU address. In a display of solidarity for the recovering Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, the seating in the chamber was not the typical “left” and “right” groups but rather Democrats sat next to their Republican colleagues. Senator Barbara Boxer described the palpable difference as follows:
I felt in the audience those of us who were sitting in a different configuration, I think it was less of a kind of a cheering squad for the president, or a booing squad if you will…I think it was kind of more grown up…I don’t know–it just seemed more appropriate the way we were responding to the president.
In a time when political discourse has been particularly contentious, the simple act of sitting next to a colleague – of removing an artificial physical barrier – can itself mitigate divisiveness. Of course each side would still have their ideologies, but just treating each other as equals and not opponents is a huge step for overcoming the pettiness which so often permeates politics.
I’d like to extend this metaphor to any sort of divisions we may have with fellow Jews. It is relatively easy to find what divides us, be it religious or social, and pretend that large segments of our community simply do not exist or worse, that we can cheer for our group and boo another. I’d like to suggest that at least in this respect we ought to look at Congress as an example and simply sit with those “other” people. We just might find that they are not as different as we once have thought.
Shabbat Shalom!
Rabbi Josh Yuter
In the final “Who’s Who in the Talmud” segment on R. Akiva, Rabbi Yuter discusses R. Akiva’s days in prison and execution.
Who’s Who in the Talmud – The Death of R. Akiva Source Sheet PDF
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