Come to Hadar's Open Beit Midrash on Monday nights to engage first-hand with texts in havruta or in one of several learning groups. Food and energetic atmosphere provided.
Choose from weekly sessions on topics ranging from the Zohar to Geniza Fragments to the Torah Portion, Midrash and manicures.
When: Monday nights, February 27-March 26, 2012
Time: 7:30pm - 9:00pm; (Arvit will take place at 7:10pm)
Cost: Free
Where: Mechon Hadar, 190 Amsterdam Avenue (at 69th St.)
Sessions Include (full descriptions below):
- Praying “Sacred Trash”: Prayers from the Genizah - R' Elie Kaunfer
- The Song of Songs: What Can It Mean to Us?- Alicia Ostriker
- History,Canonization, and Holiness: Masekhet Megillah - Joshua Barton
- Keli Yakar: New Insights on the Weekly Torah Reading - Miriam-Simma Walfish
- Ritual, Myth and Narrative in the Book of Zohar: The Mysteries of the Child and The Wise Old Man - Dr. Jonatan M. Benarroch
Genesis Rabbah: A New Twist on the Creation Narrative - Rabbi Yael Buechler (Sprecial Midrash Maicure Workspo by Rabbi Buechler on March 5 - See below for Details)
Special StereoSinai performance on February 27! - See below
Co-sponsored by Kehilat Hadar 
Praying “Sacred Trash”: Prayers from the Genizah
Taught by Rabbi Elie Kaunfer
Together we will examine some of the varieties of prayers discovered in the Cairo Genizah, and connect them to our own siddur texts. We will look at liturgical poems as well as standard prayers, and connect them to their Biblical references to open up deeper meanings of the prayer experience.
Rabbi Elie Kaunfer is co-founder and executive director of Mechon Hadar. Elie is the author of Empowered Judaism: What Independent Minyanim Can Teach Us About Building Vibrant Jewish Communities (Jewish Lights).
The Song of Songs: What Can It Mean to Us?
Taught by Alicia Ostriker
"If the text does not apply to us it is an empty text," says the scholar Gerald M. Bruns. In this class we'll study sections of Shir Hashirim, the most beautiful and most ancient love poem in the world, to see what it tells us about human love and divine love. Then we'll write our own poems inspired by the text and our own insights. No previous poetry-writing experience is necessary. You may bring your own copies of the text or use the instructor's handouts.
Alicia Ostriker has published fourteen poetry collections, including The Book of Seventy, which received the 2009 National Jewish Book Award for Poetry. The Crack in Everything and The Little Space: Poems Selected and New, 1969-1989, were both National Book Award finalists. Her newest collection is The Book of Life: Selected Jewish Poems 1979-2011. As a critic, Ostriker has written several books on poetry and on the Bible, most recently For the Love of God: the Bible as an Open Book.
History,Canonization, and Holiness: Masekhet Megillah
Taught by Joshua Barton
In these sessions we will explore sugyot from the Babylonian Talmud Tractate Megillah discussing the status of certain books of the Hebrew Bible. According to the Rabbis, which books were included, and why? Which books may be translated, and why? What, if any, historical reality can be inferred from these sugyot? What is the status of the Megillah specifically? Some of the sugyot will also touch on topics related to the Laws of Purim. Each class may be attended separately, there is no need to attend them in series. All sources will be studied in Hebrew, with English translations provided.
Joshua Barton is a graduating rabbinical student at JTS, also pursuing an MA in Talmud and Rabbinics. Previously he has taught at the Beit Midrash and the Northwoods Kollel at Camp Ramah in Wisconsin.
Keli Yakar: New Insights on the Weekly Torah Reading
Taught by Miriam-Simma Walfish
In this class we will explore the drashot of R Ephraim of Luntschitz, an itinerant preacher in the late 16th century. His drashot, which are often a commentary on Rashi, are full and psychological insights into human character and the nature of community. We will examine selections of these sermons, seeing what additional insights they can offer in our own readings of the parasha.
Miriam-Simma Walfish is the director of Mechon Hadar's Summer High School Program and coordinator of afternoon learning during the year. She is a graduate of the Pardes Educators Program, where she studied in the Pardes Kollel and through which she received an MA in Jewish Education from Hebrew University. She also studied at the Drisha Institute for Jewish Education and at Midreshet Ein haNatziv. She has taught Tanakh and Talmud at the Heschel High School in New York City, at the Northwoods Kollel and Beit Midrash of Ramah Wisconsin, andat the National Havurah Institute.
Ritual, Myth and Narrative in the Book of Zohar: The Mysteries of the Child and The Wise Old Man
Taught by Dr. Jonatan M. Benarroch
This session will focus on the story of the Yanuqa (the child prodigy) which appears in the Zohar Balaq pericope; and on the Sabba story (the story of the wise old man), in the Mishpatim pericope. These stories are one of the central narrative units of Zoharic literature. These stories are unique by their rich poetic framework, and by their mystical-theosophical Halakhic homilies revealed by a small child and a wise old man. During this session we will focus on the different aspects of these Zoharic units, and reveal some of their mysteries.
Jonatan Benarroch received his BA, MA and PhD degrees from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. His PhD research was on Allegory, Symbol and Myth in the book of Zohar.
Last year he was a visiting scholar at the Tikvah program in Princeton, and this year he is a visiting researcher, as a Fulbright scholar, at Harvard law school and the Harvard Center for Jewish studies, focusing on Mythical and Mystical aspects of Jewish law in Zoharic literature.
Genesis Rabbah: A New Twist on the Creation Narrative
Taught by Rabbi Yael Buechler
February 27th & March 5th
This two-part series will offer a deep exploration of the creation story, with special attention to the historical circumstances of the authors of the Midrashim. There will be Chevrutah time as well as time to create summary "Tweets" of these Midrashim. Come ready to be captivated at the wonders of creation.
On Monday, March 5th, from 9:00-10:00 p.m., Rabbi Buechler will be offering a Midrash Manicures workshop in honor of Purim.
Midrash Manicures is a new form of creative Jewish expression, where manicures are designed for the weekly Torah portion and holiday. Join Rabbi Buechler to learn the skills of intricate nail art design so that you can have your very own Purim Midrash Manicure.
Rabbi Yael Buechler is the founder of Midrash Manicures an educational venture that features a weekly manicure for the Parasha. RabbiBuechler received a Masters in Midrash from the Jewish Theological Seminary and was named one of The Jewish Week's "36 under 36" Jewish innovators in 2010. Rabbi Buechler serves as the Coordinator of Student Life in the Middle School at the Solomon Schechter School of Westchester.
SPECIAL PERFORMANCE FEBRUARY 27th at 9:00pm by Stereo Sinai!
Join us for this incredible musical experience by Stereo Sinai.
Stereo Sinai is the Good Book like you've never heard it before.
Dubbed "biblegum pop," the band's signature sound is the heretical combination of ancient, holy tongues with blasphemous backbeats and synthesized pop melodies. If Gwen Stefani and Will.i.am had been on the mountain with Moses, they would have come down sounding a lot like Stereo Sinai.
