Jewish History and Thought

What is Midrash and Why it Matters

Simply defined, “midrash” means to seek or to inquire. Midrash has come to define the process of Jewish biblical interpretation. We will take a deeper look at this classical approach to the Bible and explore its methods. We will see that Midrash is more than an approach to interpreting texts; it has been the mechanism through which Judaism renews itself in every generation.

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From Temple to Torah — The Rise of Rabbinic Judaism

How did Judaism transform from a priest-led and sacrifice-centered religion to one focused on study and prayer? We will look at the historical circumstances that gave rise to the Judaism that still flourishes today and the figures who accomplished this amazing transformation.

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A Living Torah — Ongoing Revelation in Rabbinic Thought

How we view the nature of our founding cultural texts has profound implications for the way they function in our culture and the way we read them. By way of comparing different approaches to the interpretation of the U.S. Constitution, we will explore the doctrine of the “Living Torah” that came to define Jewish approaches to Scripture. We will see how the “Living Torah” makes it possible for the Jewish community to tackle the challenges of tradition and change.

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