To our members and friends
On Sunday, February 10, we held a symposium on the need for our schools and communities to do more to promote ethical behavior as a basic Torah teaching. Our program featured Rabbi David Jaffe, a National Jewish Book Award Winner for his book, Changing the World from the Inside Out; Dr. Shira Weiss, author of several books on ethics; Rabbi Daniel Feldman, a Rosh Yeshiva at Yeshiva University who has authored several books on ethics in halakhah; and myself. You may now view the symposium on YouTube, at https://www.youtube.com/
If you have not yet seen our symposium on Conversion from October 21, featuring Rabbi Marc Angel, Rabbi Yona Reiss, and myself, please see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GG17aaahdPQ.
Looking ahead to our upcoming educational programs:
On Shabbat, February 22-23, I will be the scholar-in-residence at the University of Pennsylvania. This is part of our initiative to spread our core vision to university students across the country. For our latest reports from our Campus Fellows of our University Network, please see https://www.jewishideas.org/article/campus-fellows-report-november-2018.
On Sundays: March 3, March 31, April 7, 7-8 pm: I will give one class on Purim (March 3), and two on Pesah (March 31, April 7), at the Young Israel of East Brunswick. 193 Dunhams Corner Rd, East Brunswick, NJ 08816.
On Mondays, March 4, 11, 18, 25, April 1, and April 15, 1:00-2:15pm I will teach a six-part series on the Book of Psalms, integrating classical commentary and contemporary scholarship as we learn more about prayer and religious experience. It will be held at Lamdeinu Teaneck, at Congregation Beth Aaron, 950 Queen Anne Road, Teaneck. To register, go to lamdeinu.org.
On Shabbat March 22-23, I will be the scholar-in-residence at the Boca Raton Synagogue in Boca Raton, Florida. Our impact on communities across the country has been remarkable, and we have built up a beautiful network of participants in our work as a result.
I also am the guest editor for Conversations 34, which will feature a collection of Rabbi Marc D. Angel’s essays in celebration of his fifty years in the rabbinate. We also plan on holding several events in honor of this momentous occasion in the coming year.
As always, thank you for all of your support, and we will continue to spread our vision to educators, university students, and the broader Jewish community.
Rabbi Hayyim Angel
National Scholar
Institute for Jewish Ideas and Ideals