Sinai and the Mystery of Midrash-Making
According to our sages, both the Written and Oral Torah were revealed to the Jewish people. This means we have inherited a very rich, diverse heritage of Midrash, Jewish legendary tradition. We will look at an array of Midrashic texts on Sinai, to help us understand the enigmatic splendor of the Sinai moment, and discover how we ourselves can receive revelation and the ever-unfolding Torah in our lives.
Transcending Trauma: Mythic Dimensions of the Book of Ruth
In this presentation we shall study the story of Ruth which is read on Shavuot. We will look at Ruth as a trauma survivor, who lived through multiple losses. Through struggles on her life journe, Ruth affirmed life in the face of death, and ultimately fulfilled her destiny as the progenitor of the Davidic, Messianic lineage. In this precarious post-911 world, we are all trauma survivors, trying to find our way in the world, to hear the deeper calling of our lives, to discern how to best serve the needs of the planet. We shall enter the mythic dimensions of the story of Ruth, and look for reflections of our life in this story. Through Ruth’s story we shall see how we too can transcend trauma and loss in our life, and hear our own calling towards deeper fulfillment.