Valley Beit Midrash

As part of the weekly Parsha Podcast on Divine Ethics and Human Justice with Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz -- DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/

Enjoy the twentieth session of Valley Beit Midrash's "The 40 Greatest Debates in Jewish History!" series. (1 per week for 40 weeks). Topic: Heaven vs. Earth In this class, we will explore the 40 greatest debates in Jewish history. We will study texts, reflect on the historical contexts, and discuss the values involved. Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz will present for about 20-30 minutes and then the remaining 30-40 minutes will be for questions and conversation. DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/

As part of the weekly Parsha Podcast on Divine Ethics and Human Justice with Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz -- DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/

ABOUT THE EVENT: This event will cover the Tree of Life shooting and how the historically Jewish community of Squirrel Hill embodied resilience in the aftermath ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Mark Oppenheimer directs the Yale Journalism Initiative and is a lecturer in Yale’s English department, political science department, and Divinity Schools. He received his B.A. and his Ph.D. in religious studies from Yale. He was the religion columnist for The New York Times from 2010 to 2016 and has written for The New York Times Magazine, GQ, The Washington Post, Slate, Mother Jones, The Nation, and The Believer, among others. He has been a commentator on NPR and is also the host of Tablet magazine’s podcast, Unorthodox. He is the author of four books, including The Newish Jewish Encyclopedia. He lives in New Haven, Connecticut. You can purchase his new book on the topic here –https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/611023/squirrel-hill-by-mark-oppenheimer/ -- DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, G

As part of the weekly Parsha Podcast on Divine Ethics and Human Justice with Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz This week's parsha was generously sponsored by the Isaacson's in honor of a beloved family member -- DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/

Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz interviews Deepak Bhargava ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Deepak Bhargava is currently a Distinguished Lecturer at the City University of New York’s School of Labor and Urban Studies and a Fellow at the Roosevelt Institute. He’s a lifelong activist, organizer and campaigner who ran Community Change, one of the country’s premier support centers for grassroots groups in low-income communities of color, for 16 years. He’s campaigned on poverty, immigration, racial justice at the local, state an national level and has published and spoken widely.

Enjoy the nineteenth session of Valley Beit Midrash's "The 40 Greatest Debates in Jewish History!" series. (1 per week for 40 weeks). Topic: Israel vs. the Diaspora In this class, we will explore the 40 greatest debates in Jewish history. We will study texts, reflect on the historical contexts, and discuss the values involved. Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz will present for about 20-30 minutes and then the remaining 30-40 minutes will be for questions and conversation. DONATE: http://www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ https://www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/

ABOUT THE EVENT: While the secular world may respect the elderly out of politeness or as a moral obligation, in Judaism, the Torah teaches us that we must observe the mitzvah of respecting the elderly. What does that entail? Join us to find out! ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Sharona made aliya in August 2004 from Riverdale, NY. She has a BA in Judaic Studies and an MS in Jewish Education from Yeshiva University. Prior to making aliya, Sharona served as the first Madricha Ruchanit at The Hebrew Institute of Riverdale with Rabbi Avi Weiss where she was involved in teaching numerous female converts. Sharona lives in Jerusalem and is the founder and director of Torat Reva Yerushalayim, a non-profit organization that provides Torah study groups to students of all ages and backgrounds. Sharona is also a member of Beit Hillel. DONATE: http://www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ https://www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, s

ABOUT THE EVENT: Combining insights from thousands of years of traditional Jewish wisdom and contemporary literature on spirituality with her own utterly relatable first-person storytelling, author Dasee Berkowitz helps readers embrace every moment with their families while leaning into the challenges of parenting with renewed perspective and enthusiasm. This is not a parenting how-to book. Instead, Becoming a Soulful Parent asks questions to help readers explore the contours of their inner life, developing their internal compass as they lead their families with love and wisdom. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Dasee Berkowitz is a sought-after educator and facilitator and founder of Ayeka’s Becoming a Soulful Parent program. Her groundbreaking approach to education has been enthusiastically received by scores of Jewish community centers and synagogues since the program launched in 2015. Dasee has lectured internationally, served as Scholar-in-Residence for Jewish federations, and trained facilitators at educational agen

Enjoy the eighteenth session of Valley Beit Midrash's "The 40 Greatest Debates in Jewish History!" series. (1 per week for 40 weeks). Topic: Pro-life vs. Pro-choice In this class, we will explore the 40 greatest debates in Jewish history. We will study texts, reflect on the historical contexts, and discuss the values involved. Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz will present for about 20-30 minutes and then the remaining 30-40 minutes will be for questions and conversation. DONATE: http://www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ https://www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/

Enjoy the seventeenth session of Valley Beit Midrash's "The 40 Greatest Debates in Jewish History!" series. (1 per week for 40 weeks). Topic: What is Greater: Learning or Action? In this class, we will explore the 40 greatest debates in Jewish history. We will study texts, reflect on the historical contexts, and discuss the values involved. Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz will present for about 20-30 minutes and then the remaining 30-40 minutes will be for questions and conversation. DONATE: http://www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ https://www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/

ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Rabbi Norman Solomon was born in Cardiff, South Wales, on 31 May 1933. This coincided with the Jewish festival of Shavuot and with the running of the Derby, won by Tommy Weston on Lord Derby’s Hyperion. The first of these events was by far the more influential on my development, for the festival celebrates not only the First-Fruits but the proclamation of the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai. Cardiff, capital city of Wales, was still a major port, and came under attack from the air in World War II. It was a great place to grow up, enlightened, tolerant, with a vigorous musical life in which I was able to take part. There was a small but active Jewish community, inclined to Zionism (they were fond of pointing out that Israel was comparable in size and population to Wales); they were not on the whole very religious, but I came under the influence of some families of refugee German Orthodox Jews. From Cardiff High School I entered St John’s College, Cambridge in 1951 with no break; though Na

ABOUT THE EVENT: Bring a laptop (or pen and paper), and an open view of yourself. Confidentiality assured. The purpose of this workshop is to bring all the lofty concepts of Teshuva down to earth, and down to each of us and our own life. Join me as we spend about 45 minutes in a guided introspective writing exercise to do some critical stock-taking so we can move forward to change. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Dr. David I. Bernstein is the Dean of the Pardes Institute for Jewish Studies on Jerusalem. Previously he was the Director of Midreshet Lindenbaum. He lectures widely and travels with student and adult groups to Poland and other Jewish heritage sites in Europe as historian-in-residence. DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/

ABOUT THE EVENT: This event will cover the discussion of “But really, what is antisemitism? Is there antisemitism at my university? If so, what can I do about it?” ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Rachel Underweiser conducted a research study through the Woodrow Wilson Fellowship at Johns Hopkins University called “The Perception of Antisemitism on College Campuses in the U.S. and the U.K,” which has become the largest study on antisemitism at universities to date. Hundreds of interviews and surveys later, she has quantitative and qualitative data on what antisemitism means to both Jewish and non-Jewish students – and practical tools to combat hate wherever, and whenever, it manifests. She now works for the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism and their front-facing initiative called [tbh] Together Beat Hate where she researches, writes, and conceptualizes innovative ways to discuss and counter hate, bigotry, and discrimination. DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Rabbi Gideon Sylvester serves as the British United Synagogue’s rabbi in Israel. He has taught Jewish approaches to Human Rights to Israelis studying at the Hebrew University and rabbinic students from the Diaspora. Before that he served as an Adviser at the Office of the Prime Minister of Israel. He is currently writing his doctorate about Settlers involved in religious peacebuilding with Palestinians. His essay on the legitimacy of publicly criticising Israel appeared in the festschrift published by Maggid Books for Rabbi Sacks. His essay on the significance of Yom Ha’atzmaut appeared in the Koren Yom Ha’atzmaut-Yom Yerushalayim Machzor. Rabbi Gideon has written a fortnightly Parshat Hashavuah column for the Jerusalem Post and a monthly column for Haaretz.com. He is a frequent contributor to the Judaism page of the Jewish Chronicle. Before making aliya, Gideon served as rabbi of Radlett United Synagogue turning it from an embryonic shul into Britain's fastest growing community. DONATE:

ABOUT THE EVENT: How does the Talmud understand the phrase “Tikkun Olam” and how that informs our own social justice work. In essence, it tries to move us from using that term as a “catch-all” to having a sophisticated understanding of it that helps guide us ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Rabbi Devin Maimon Villarreal has worked in Jewish education for over ten years as a classroom teacher in both orthodox and community day schools during which he was awarded the Covenant Foundation’s Pomegranate Prize for emerging Jewish educators. In his most recent past position he also served as Jewish Studies department chair. Currently, he teaches as adjunct faculty at Hebrew Union College’s DeLeT program for teachers and works as an Education Consultant for organizations such as Pedagogy of Partnership and the Institute for Jewish Ideas and Ideals. At the center of all of his work is his belief in Judaism’s ability to help people discover and nourish their best selves. He received semikha (rabbinic ordination) from Yeshivat Cho

ABOUT THE EVENT: Professor Ross will discuss the virtues and limitations of employing allegory as a method of reconciling religious truth claims with science, as evidenced in Maimonides’ defense of creation ex nihilo in his Guide to the Perplexed. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Professor Tamar Ross is Professor Emeritus of the Department of Jewish philosophy at Bar Ilan University. She continues to teach at Midreshet Lindenbaum. She did her Ph.D. at the Hebrew University and served as a post-doctoral fellow at the Center for Jewish Studies at Harvard. She is the author of Expanding the Palace of Torah: Orthodoxy and Feminism. Her areas of expertise include: concepts of God, revelation, religious epistemology, philosophy of halacha, the Musar movement, and the thought of Rabbi A.I. Kook. DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our

ABOUT THE EVENT: A class on the relevance of Shmita (meaning, letting go periodically of a GOOD practice) to Jewish morals (as distinguished from teshuva which is letting go of sinful practice. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Jerusalem-born rabbi Leah Shakdiel is a proud iconoclast. More than 30 years ago, the Orthodox feminist appealed, successfully, to the Supreme Court of Israel for the right to sit on the Yerucham Religious Council, where she served from 1988 to 1993. She is active in religious peace organizations, was ordained last year and now serves as the rabbi at the Center for Women’s Justice. At 69, she is also the matriarch of a large family, which includes seven children (some from her husband’s first marriage), 27 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity. DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just

Enjoy the sixteenth session of Valley Beit Midrash's "The 40 Greatest Debates in Jewish History!" series. (1 per week for 40 weeks). Topic: A Purpose to Life vs. No Meaning to Life? In this class, we will explore the 40 greatest debates in Jewish history. We will study texts, reflect on the historical contexts, and discuss the values involved. Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz will present for about 20-30 minutes and then the remaining 30-40 minutes will be for questions and conversation. DONATE: http://www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ https://www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/

ABOUT THE EVENT: Building Beloved Community For generations, we have carried the Torah’s audacious dream of a society redeemed, a world imbued with justice and shared responsibility. To manifest that dream, we must start with the realization that every person is created in God’s own image, deserving of love and dignity. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Rabbi Sharon Brous is the senior and founding rabbi of IKAR and has devoted her rabbinate to reinvigorating Jewish tradition and practice and advancing soulful, multi-faith justice work in Los Angeles and around the country. Brous’s 2016 TED talk, “Reclaiming Religion,” has been viewed by more than 1.4 million people and translated into 23 languages. In 2013, she blessed President Obama and Vice President Biden at the Inaugural National Prayer Service, and returned in 2021 to bless President Biden and Vice President Harris, and then to lead the White House Passover Seder that spring. DONATE: http://www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: https:/