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Tuesdays at the J
September 17 @ 10:00 am - 11:30 am MST
Tuesdays at the J
Tuesdays, 10-11:30 a.m. at the East Valley JCC
Tuesdays at the J is a group for individuals and couples ages 55-plus who meet weekly to enjoy presentations on a variety of topics. Past programs have included live musical performances by local musicians and art presentations by museum docents and artists, as well as presentations by authors and more. All sessions are free and no membership is required. The program starts at 10 a.m. with refreshments and the presentations are 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Teshuvah: A Revolutionary Jewish Idea
A High Holiday Discussion by Dr. Nadav Berman, a visiting scholar from the University of Haifa
Tuesday, Sept. 17 | 10-11:30 a.m.
During the month of Elul, Jews are called for a process of self-reflection and moral perfection which is captured in Judaism by the term Repentance, or “Teshuvah”: a Hebrew word whose meaning is “return”. However, what exactly is Teshuvah?
As we shall learn in this shi‘ur, this idea runs counter to various scientific beliefs that push toward a deterministic view of the human creature. In addition, the idea of Teshuvah is seemingly contrasted with the moral conviction that a sin or a crime must be paid for completely. In fact, the Hebrew Bible itself includes a stark opposition to the moral adequacy of Teshuvah: Jonah the Prophet. In this talk, accompanied by a Powerpoint presentation, we ask what Teshuvah is and whether it is at all possible, by considering several early Jewish texts; the philosophy of Rabbi Avraham Yitzhak haCohen Kook, who made Teshuvah into the keystone of his Jewish thinking; and the poem “The Life You Have” by Yona Wallach.
About the Speaker
Dr. Nadav Shifman Berman is a scholar of Jewish thought, ethics, and law. He is a Research Fellow at the Faculty of Law, University of Haifa, and previously was a postdoctoral associate at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and at Yale University. During September-October 2024, he will be a Visiting Scholar at the Jewish Studies program at Arizona State University. Nadav’s scholarly publications are available at https://haifa.academia.edu/NadavSBerman, and his musical compositions of Hebrew poets’ songs are available here.