Around the Calendar with Drisha

Rabbi Jonathan Ziring will present a three-part exploration of how the three classical processes of redemption have been altered, for better and worse, by the prevalence of social media.

Rabbi Jonathan Ziring will present a three-part exploration of how the three classical processes of redemption have been altered, for better and worse, by the prevalence of social media

Rabbi Jonathan Ziring will present a three-part exploration of how the three classical processes of redemption have been altered, for better and worse, by the prevalence of social media.

Handout : https://drisha.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/reading-eicha-throughout-the-ages_handout.pdf

Handout: https://drisha.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/handout_theological-justification-in-the-midst-of-tragedy.pdf

Community Kinnot, led by Rabba Wendy Amsellem and Rabbi David Silber, joined by members of Drisha's learning community for recitation and discussion.

The story of Ruth speaks of the imperative to accept the virtuous person into the Jewish community. But Ruth is more than that. She teaches us how to walk the path of Avraham. A close reading of this megilla will bear this out

Today our Seder nights are guided by the liturgical prompts of the Haggadah, but it wasn't always this way. Our tradition records that in the times of the Mishnah, Rabbis gathered in Lod and Bnai Brak on the Seder night to tell the story of the Exodus. Unscripted, in their own words. Join us and listen in as a gathering of scholars and rabbis re-enact this seder at our second annual Seder Telling.

The Megillah is distinct among books of the Bible not merely for its lack of explicit mention of God, but also for the absence of any suggestion that the Jewish people might one day return to the Land of Israel. This begs questions about identity, whether and how to remain distinct, and the theological purpose of doing so. Even in the final chapters of the Megillah, readers might wonder how firm t...

In this class we will analyze a Talmudic story in which  woman accuses the exilarch of sitting in a stolen sukkah. The story follows a legal discussion about performing the mitzvot of Sukkot using stolen items. Looking at the literary and cultural context, we will examine the interpersonal interactions in the story and the ways the story nuances and personifies the themes of the surrounding discus...

With the arrival of Elul and Yamim Noraim comes a focus on the all-important triad of Mehilah, Selihah, and Kapparah, loosely translated as forgiveness, pardon, and atonement. This class will examine closely these terms, both what distinguishes them from one another and what holds them together, using the tools of philology and philosophy. By considering the history of these terms as well as their...

What is forgiveness, and why should we forgive? Asked both about the particular (why should I forgive my friend for lying to me?) and the general (what role should forgiveness play in a life well lived?), forgiveness poses difficult questions. Over the course of three sessions, we’ll consider three different conceptions of forgiveness and its place in a life. First, we'll look at forgiveness as a...

Confession, viddui, plays a central role in the Yom Kippur service. We will study four great biblical narratives in order to gain a deeper understanding of the role of confession in a redeemed life.

What do we pray for when we pray that God forgives us? What does repentance look like? What does it mean to be atoned? In this three-part series, we will attempt to answer these questions by looking closely at the liturgical poetry recited over the course of Elul and the Yamim Noraim, namely the selichot and the piyyutim specific to Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. In each class, we will first address...

Confession, viddui, plays a central role in the Yom Kippur service. We will study four great biblical narratives in order to gain a deeper understanding of the role of confession in a redeemed life.

What do we pray for when we pray that God forgives us? What does repentance look like? What does it mean to be atoned? In this three-part series, we will attempt to answer these questions by looking closely at the liturgical poetry recited over the course of Elul and the Yamim Noraim, namely the selichot and the piyyutim specific to Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. In each class, we will first address...

With the arrival of Elul and Yamim Noraim comes a focus on the all-important triad of Mehilah, Selihah, and Kapparah, loosely translated as forgiveness, pardon, and atonement. This class will examine closely these terms, both what distinguishes them from one another and what holds them together, using the tools of philology and philosophy. By considering the history of these terms as well as their...

What is forgiveness, and why should we forgive? Asked both about the particular (why should I forgive my friend for lying to me?) and the general (what role should forgiveness play in a life well lived?), forgiveness poses difficult questions. Over the course of three sessions, we’ll consider three different conceptions of forgiveness and its place in a life. First, we'll look at forgiveness as a...

Confession, viddui, plays a central role in the Yom Kippur service. We will study four great biblical narratives in order to gain a deeper understanding of the role of confession in a redeemed life.

What do we pray for when we pray that God forgives us? What does repentance look like? What does it mean to be atoned? In this three-part series, we will attempt to answer these questions by looking closely at the liturgical poetry recited over the course of Elul and the Yamim Noraim, namely the selichot and the piyyutim specific to Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. In each class, we will first address...

With the arrival of Elul and Yamim Noraim comes a focus on the all-important triad of Mehilah, Selihah, and Kapparah, loosely translated as forgiveness, pardon, and atonement. This class will examine closely these terms, both what distinguishes them from one another and what holds them together, using the tools of philology and philosophy. By considering the history of these terms as well as their...

What is forgiveness, and why should we forgive? Asked both about the particular (why should I forgive my friend for lying to me?) and the general (what role should forgiveness play in a life well lived?), forgiveness poses difficult questions. Over the course of three sessions, we’ll consider three different conceptions of forgiveness and its place in a life. First, we'll look at forgiveness as a...

Confession, viddui, plays a central role in the Yom Kippur service. We will study four great biblical narratives in order to gain a deeper understanding of the role of confession in a redeemed life.

The book of Eikha describes the terrible events surrounding the destruction of Jerusalem and the subsequent exile of Judea's inhabitants. What does this book have to say about the theology of suffering? More specifically, how does the book of Eikha regard God's role in the events and what does this mean for Israel's relationship with God? In today's class, we will examine the literary artistry of...

An examination of the character and fabric of the day as seen through the standard liturgy and biblical readings of Tisha B'Av.