Blessing is a remarkably direct, even easy, form of prayer. Fundamentally, it's about seeing and responding and draws on the rudiments of spirituality: wonder, humility, and gratitude. This interactive text study draws mostly from Torah and the Siddur. All texts will be provided in Hebrew and English. We'll learn a little insight that's also a big idea.
Come and learn about the structure of the IDF and the meaning of the term “Tzva Ha’am.” There are set values I believed at the beginning of my service which then evolved over time. I will go through my timeline as well as some personal stories regarding my struggle with an identity crisis. I will also discuss women in the army and lone soldiers.
Should non Jews be asked to wear a kippah when they attend services? This will be our jumping off point to address the question of the social and religious questions surrounding the issue of the Jews full acceptance into American culture, as proven through the growing number of non Jews who find themselves in our synagogues. So how do we make room for, invite in and warmly embrace others?
The Jews In Sports session will be an interactive discussion on how far Jewish Athletes have come in today's sports world both nationally and internationally. We will cover the all-time greats & introduce the audience to some new and up and coming Jewish Athletes who are making their mark today. There will be handouts, prizes, and it will be a lot of fun!
The questions keeps echoing in your mind: I'm dating someone who isn't Jewish and I can't tell my parents - what do I do? What will my bubbe think about the rabbi and priest co-officiating at our wedding? We've just had kids, how do I instill Jewish identity in them when my spouse celebrates Christmas? Come to this interactive discussion about interfaith families and relationships - and be prepared to share your opinions!
Embark on an entirely new way of encountering Torah through the lens of Eco-Judaism. Based on religious, historical, agricultural and climatic data from the Ancient Near East and the work of structural criticism, discover how the Torah becomes a three-dimensional mandala the "eye" of which is the Holiness Code of Leviticus. Explore the encoded literary devices that offer us a radical new way of interpreting Torah as a sustainability message for the whole Earth.
What if instead of 1000 virtual Facebook friends, you just had one...God. What can Facebook teach us about creating a meaningful and disciplined prayer life.
A short description of Jewish genetic diseases, why, where, and how to get screening and when is the best time to be screened. This will be followed by a discussion of In Vitro fertilization and how pre-implantation genetic diagnosis can help the couple who are both carriers to have healthy children. Other reproductive options will also be discussed.
Come hear from the Deputy Consul General of Israel in Philadelphia the latest update regarding current events in Israel and the Middle East. Topics including; Israeli Politics, Relations between Secular and religious in Israel, Middle East update, Iran and the race to nuclear weapon, Israel-USA relations, and any topic which is Israel related that you would like to know more about.
Norich will describe how America's most respected Jewish media organization has transformed itself from a Yiddish newspaper into a digital medium publishing in English and Yiddish, online and in print, that is increasingly relying on public support. The Forward competes for readers and advertisers with other Jewish media as well as Israeli and American corporate media, at a time when consumer habits are shifting, organizations are less salient, and Jewish literacy grows wider and deeper.
How does a culturally or ethnically identified Jew navigate her or his identity while living 'outside' Jewish and Gentile communities? This class explores the provocative and often very isolating experiences of Jews who identify culturally with Judaism but don't have the knowledge or motivation to feel comfortable participating in Jewish life. We will explore specifically the research I did at UVa on Jewish students who feel lost within both UVa's WASP-centric culture and its Jewish community.
Storyteller Marc Young uses the ancient Jewish legend of the Golem to illuminate a young woman's struggle to overcome a dangerous eating disorder. The performance will be followed by a discussion of how family and friends can help their loved ones deal with ED.
Jeff Lieberman's new documentary film, "RE-EMERGING: The Jews of Nigeria" has been engaging audiences around the US with an in-depth look at the Igbo people of Africa's most volatile nation. Lieberman will share stories from his many weeks living amongst these communities, in addition to detailing the history, culture and debate surrounding the Igbo Jewish population. Clips from the film will give attendees a glimpse into their music, prayer, practice, and vibrant enthusiasm for Judaism.
An historical and religious approach to circumcision from ancient Egypt to the present, with an emphasis on the medical, cultural, and religious controversies of the last 100 years.
Jessi Roemer and Sonic Theology perform fresh, original Jewish music that blends Sephardic, Ashkenazi, Middle Eastern, and North & South American styles. Sweet, sinuous melodies and lively, celebratory drum rhythms inspire the body and move the spirit! Sung in Hebrew, Yiddish, and English, their music expresses the celebration, emotion, and spirituality of Jewish texts, bringing listeners along on a musical journey of the soul!
What roles can the Jewish media in Philadelphia play to best support Jewish life? How can a community with divergent views on many subjects be best represented in both a Federation-owned publication and an independent website? How is the fast-changing world of online journalism — and of Jewish life — influencing the way local Jewish media cover our community? Come meet the editor of the Jewish Exponent, Editor of The Jewish Community Voice of Southern New Jersey and the publisher of the Philadelphia Jewish Voice to get their perspectives and to ask some tough questions of your own.
This session focuses specifically on ELItalks (short videos with the central themes of Jewish literacy, Jewish religious engagement, peoplehood, with Israel at the center, any combination of those three) that have ties to education and leadership that can be applied to all stakeholders in schools. Join Miriam Brosseau as she leads discussion about how each talk’s theme or big idea impacts education and leadership and how these ideas can be shared and implemented in your own community.
Do you love to eat? Join the ""Foodie Rabbi"" in this fun, challenging workshop. Together, will explore eating as part of our covenantal relationship with God. Be prepared to expand your mind and consciousness. You will never take a bite out of food the same way again!
Israel has recently gained international fame as a "Startup Nation". But the Jewish People have a long-standing, rich history of innovation and entrepreneurship. In this session we will explore "what is Jewish about innovation?" using a few Hebrew texts and PresenTense core concepts.
Did you know Israel was one of the first countries in the world that appealed the "Don't ask don't tell" in the military? Did you know that the State of Israel recognize gay marriage even though the law doesn't allow it? Did you know that for many years there's a gay pride parade in Jerusalem? Did you know that Tel Aviv is one of the most popular gay tourist destinations in the world? Join me to hear from first hand about gay life in Israel and the progress made regarding gay rights in Israel.
We will explore the origins of the Sephardi Diaspora and contrast it with the Ashkenazi one. We will discuss the different customs in the Jewish observance, Israel, philosophy and organized life. We will put these discussions in the outlook to life and Judaism in the original Sephadi context.
Hashpa'ah (Spiritual Direction), a contemplative practice, explores and expands one's connection and understanding of the Holy in our everyday activities and in the extraordinary events of our lives. The goal of this program is for participants to experience how Jewish Spiritual Direction can support his/her spiritual and religious life. Spiritual Direction has a rich history and is referenced in Pirke Avot 1:6. which states, “Make for yourself a teacher and acquire for yourself a friend.
Medical breakthroughs in the world of genetics, stem cell research, and nanotechnology are producing far-reaching changes in how we think about our health. What are the implications of our ever-increasing ability to reprogram our biology? This session will cast the light of Jewish wisdom on issues such as the elimination of disease, the arresting and reversing of aging, and the prospects of human immortality.
Do you find that you get impatient? Learn how to control your impatience. Mussar is a Jewish practice that creates an environment which brings unconscious impediments to light and replaces them with a consciousness of living a more mindful life. You will leave this course understanding yourself better and with specific tools to help you navigate the daily slippery slope of being in relation to others and the feelings and actions that goes along with those encounters.
Intermarried Jews, their partners, and their children may face restrictions on the roles they can play in religious life. These include leadership roles on committees and boards, and honors during services, such as reciting blessings over the Torah, leading prayers, or opening the ark. Why do these restrictions exist? We will look at the historic implications by examining Jewish law and explore the ways in which some synagogues are including those in their communities who are not Jewish.
Who are the Jews? In his book, Harry Ostrer, an internationally renowned medical geneticist, joins this century-old debate by exploring previous efforts to define a biological basis for Jewishness and the recent discoveries of his own Jewish HapMap Project team of investigators. Recognizing the rising popularity of genetic genealogy, he discusses whether knowledge of the genetic legacy is providing a new basis for shared Jewish identity.
For many Jews, your pet is like a member of the family. So can you sit shiva for Fluffy or Fido? We'll explore what Jewish sources say about our relationship with companion animals. Pet-free types, as well as animal lovers, are encouraged to attend.
For centuries, Judeo-Spanish was the primary language of thousands of Sephardic Jews who found refuge from expulsion and the Spanish Inquisition in the Ottoman Empire. In this session, we will discuss the roots of this fascinating language, the evolution of its many dialects, its rise and fall in popularity, and its current status as a spoken, written, and studied language. We will also learn some basic words and phrases and listen to popular Judeo-Spanish music.
Ever feel like some of your best moments at a conference were those conversations in the hall between sessions, or unplanned discussions during lunch? LimmudPhilly provides great opportunities for people to connect and talk about issues that are important to them. We want to find ways to promote even more participatory discussions. Come brainstorm with us about how we can add more open conversation to the LimmudPhilly program.
We as Jews know more today about our history than ever before through the latest archeological finds in the land of Israel. Surprising discoveries have altered our understanding of Jewish history. Sources had yielded certain conclusions that have been challenged and we will explore a new history in light of how the archeology coexists with the literature. We better know who we are and where we come from as Jews today because we live in an age with the opportunity to explore our past in Israel.
This session will explore Women of the Wall's 24 year struggle to be able to pray as a group with Tallit and Tefillin in the Ezrat Nashim of the Kotel. We will discuss WOW's commitment to mutual respect and support across the various denominations of Judaism, WOW's ongoing Rosh Chodesh prayers in the Ezrat Nashim despite harassment and police detention, WOW's trials and tribulations in Israel's Supreme Court, and the meaning of WOW in the broader context of religious pluralism in Israel.
A frank discussion, grounded in sources, on what non-Orthodox observance looks like today, and what we should be working towards. The presenter and his wife have spent the past year working on Penn's campus for Mechon Hadar, a non-denominational, egalitarian yeshiva in Manhattan.
In an interactive slide show smorgasbord, the Jewish Daily Forward's Artist in Residence will lead an afternoon of neurotic superheroes, xenophobic Jedi, paranoid turtles, memories and mayhem. Eli will recount the influences and inspiration for his satirical fantasies, interweaving personal history, American culture and contemporary Jewish life in an exploration of the limits of communal self-criticism and the meaning of Jewish pride. *Not Appropriate For Children*
A discussion of the only kosher insect, the history and geography of its consumption, and what it would mean for sustainability if more Jews ate locusts today.
Speech is what defines us as human beings. How we speak determines the type of human beings that we are. This class demonstrates how to properly communicate feelings of need, hurt and criticism in a constructive and loving manner. Through discussing 5 levels of communication, according to Kabbalah, we will see how verbal communication is not only the essential foundation to a healthy relationship but an intrinsic part and predecessor to any form of physical contact.
An open, facilitated conversation about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with a format that promotes reflection and mutual learning, rather than polarized debate. Jews of all perspectives and backgrounds are welcome! Come share your experiences, feelings, ideas, and questions, and learn about viewpoints different from yours. The session will also introduce you to tools that can help you hold more constructive conversations in your daily life and foster respectful dialogue in your community.
Each year there are 1,000,000 suicide attempts in the USA alone. Several characters in the Bible express emotional anguish including Moses, Channa, Elijah and Jonah. What can we learn from their accounts that might be helpful as we face our own struggles in 2013?
Spirituality is the where the brain meets the heart. The prayer book is the road map. In this session we will explore why Jewish prayer adapts and adds to the spiritual practices of the ancient and modern world. In other words, "Why does the Shema work?"
Ex-Rockapella star Sean Altman's comedy song concert Jewmongous is "tuneful and sharply witty" (LA Times), "relentlessly clever" (Chicago Tribune), "bawdy with a wicked modern streak" (Washington Post), combining "the tunefulness of the Beatles and the spot-on wit of Tom Lehrer" (Boston Globe), and NOT FOR KIDS. Altman, who "writes hilarious and irreverent songs about his awakening Jewish awareness" (Jerusalem Post), founded Rockapella and composed "Where In The World Is Carmen Sandiego?". Not Appropriate For Children.
