fter the Yom Kippur morning service, learn, study and reflect in one of the study sessions led by scholars of the Temple. Participation is open to all congregants and their guests. Sessions are held from 12:15 PM to 1:15 PM.| Does Kol Nidrei Get Us Off the Hook? A Look at Making Vows in Judaism Lecturer: Rabbi Bruce Block Location: Room 628, Goldsmith Religious School Building (10 East 66th Street) How good is your word? If you make a vow or swear an oath, must you keep it? Can you rescind it? We’ll take a look at Kol Nidrei and then take a short journey through a few biblical, Talmudic and Jewish legal texts in translation to discover the classic Jewish view of vowing and oath-taking. We’ll also learn how Kol Nidrei, misinterpreted by anti-Semites, gave rise to the infamous Oath More Judaico in the Middle Ages and how this contributed to a modern consideration of whether to retain Kol Nidrei as part of our Yom Kippur worship. |
| What Is Sin? Lecturer: Rabbi Bruce Cole Location: Room 602, Marvin and Elisabeth Cassell Community House (One East 65th Street) In the midst of overheated political campaigns, laced with religious polemic, it may be useful to examine the central message of Yom Kippur — the expiation of sin. What is the basis and explanation of sin that is presented in the Bible? In our Judaic-Christian-Islamic traditions, what are the reasons for certain actions being considered sinful? The session will explore the shifting perspectives on the concept of sin. |
| A Religion for Adults Lecturer: Rabbi Richard A. Davis, D.D. Location: The Leventritt Room (402), Marvin and Elisabeth Cassell Community House Difficile Liberté (Difficult Freedom), a collection of essays that often is considered an excellent introduction to Emmanuel Levinas’ intellectual oeuvre, includes philosophy, biblical and Talmudic commentary, as well as educational theory. One essay, “A Religion for Adults,” originally was given as a talk at the Abbey of Tioumliline in Morocco in 1957. It clarifies (if anything in Levinas is clear!) Levinas’ strong refrain that religion is, indeed, ethics. This reminds us of the classical Reform model of Jewish life out of which our contemporary Congregation Emanu-El blossomed. For an advance PDF of the article, please send an email to rabbi@rabbidavis.org. |
| Three Poems, One Theme Lecturer: Rabbi Philip Hiat Location: Room 405, Marvin and Elisabeth Cassell Community House Examine the meaning of three liturgical poems — Aleinu, Adon Olam and Yigdal — that mark the conclusion of services on the Sabbath, festivals and the High Holy Days. Authored by Abba Arika (“Rav”), Solomon Ibn Gabirol and Moses Maimonides, these poems enforce the foundation and basic tenets of our faith and belief. |
Back to Holy Days & Festivals
