Webinars for Rabbis in Preparation for the Holidays
Join JTS for these free webinars designed to inspire you as you prepare for this year’s fall holiday season.
This program is offered in collaboration with the Rabbinical Assembly.
Commemorating October 7: A Workshop on Ritual
Wednesday, July 31, 2024
1:00–2:15 p.m. ET
Online
With Rabbi Jan Uhrbach, Director, Block/Kolker Center for Spiritual Arts, JTS
How will we mark the first anniversary of October 7? Join Rabbi Jan Uhrbach for a workshop on how to craft effective ritual for your community. We will begin by reviewing some general principles and guidelines around creating ritual. We will also discuss some of the particular challenges in creating a ritual moment to commemorate October 7. Then together we’ll workshop some specific practical possibilities. Our goal is to leave with skills for approaching any moment demanding a ritual response and concrete ideas for what to do with your kahal this fall.
Note: While components of the session will be recorded for later viewing, this webinar will be workshop style and will include break-out groups. We encourage you to attend live.
Liturgy as Philosophy: The High Holiday Mahzor as a Source of Inspiration in Jewish Thought
Thursday, August 15, 2024
1:00–2:15 p.m. ET
Online
With Dr. Shira Billet, Assistant Professor of Jewish Thought and Ethics, JTS
The siddur is arguably the most important Jewish book ever printed, in that it was designed for daily use by the entire community and not just by an elite group. The mahzor similarly guides the entire community through the holiest days of the Jewish year. The siddur and the mahzor have long served as sources of Jewish philosophical reflection.
In this session, we will introduce the idea of the siddur, and liturgy in general, as a source of philosophical reflection, and then dive into specific examples of how Jewish philosophers have found inspiration in the High Holiday liturgy—examining themes such as regret and hope; forgiveness and repentance; the relationship between God and human beings; human frailty; and human empowerment.
