SPRING 2012
RABBI EMERT’S ADULT EDUCATION ROUNDTABLE
Description:
Jews have been asking questions of their rabbis for centuries. Rabbis have responded to their congregants’ inquires by examining traditional Jewish law rooted in ancient texts like the Bible and the Talmud, medieval codes and commentaries. Liberal Jews today wonder whether the values of those ancient texts and the cultural assumptions of those times still have meaning for us “moderns.”
In this roundtable we will examine real questions asked by liberal Jews of their modern rabbis stemming from congregational life. I have selected 6 of some 77 questions from a two volume work just published by the CCAR Responsa Committee, Reform Responsa for the Twenty-First Century Volume 1 and 2. (If you would like to download the book as a searchable PDF for computer, web enabled handhelds like the iPhone or Blackberry, as well as the iPad or Kindle, go to: http://ccar-ebook.com/#Responsa.)
Come and learn, debate and argue whether or not the conclusions reached by the modern rabbis conform with your understanding or approach to how Jewish values should beunderstood in the 21st century.
Tuesday evenings at 7:00-8:00pm
Session I: March 6, 2012
INHERITANCE: IS THERE GUIDANCE IN JEWISH TRADITION AS TO HOW MUCH ONE SHOULD LEAVE TO A CHILD AND HOW MUCH FOR CHARITABLE BEQUESTS?
Session II: March 13, 2012
IS IT PERMISSIBLE FOR ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS CHABAD, AISH HATORAH, AND OTHERS EITHER DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY TO SOLICIT SYNAGOGUE MEMBERS FOR PROGRAMS, ACTIVITIES, WORSHIP AND FINANICAL SUPPORT?
Session III : March 20, 2012
MAY NON-JEWS a) WEAR A TALLIT AT SERVICES? b) PARTICIATE IN THE WRITING OF A TORAH SCROLL? c) LEAD PARTS OF THE WORSHIP SERVICE?
Session IV: March 27, 2012
IS IT PROPER FOR A CHILD TO REJECT A PARENT’S REQUEST FOR CREMATION?
Session V: April 3, 2012
DO JEWS WHO HAVE TATOOING AND BODY PIERCING FOR THE SAKE OF ADORNMENT OR SELF-EXPRESSION “VIOLATE” JEWISH TRADITION?
Session VI: April 10, 2012
SHOULD LIBERAL RABBIS OFFICIATE AT GAY MARRIAGES? SHOULD GAY MARRIAGE OR COMMITMENT CEREMONIES BE VIEWED WITH THE SAME CLASSIFICATION “KIDDUSHIN” TO MARRIAGES BETWEEN TWO HETEROSEXUALS?
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