November 7, 2024 | 6 Cheshvan 5785
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Reimagining Jewish learning and leadership for an interconnected world.
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Parashat Lech-Lecha | Candlelighting 4:10 PM EST
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By Rabbi Sharon Cohen Anisfeld, President of Hebrew College
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On Tuesday morning, election day, I woke up to pray.
Now, to be clear, I am not someone who believes in a God who determines the outcome of an election, or for that matter, the outcome of a surgical procedure or a turbulent airplane flight. That said, I am also not someone who is committed to theological consistency, and I am not above begging. As the old saying goes, “There are no atheists in foxholes,” and I have called out to God from a few metaphorical foxholes in my life.
And so, I was surprised to discover on Tuesday morning that I was not drawn to praying for a particular outcome to this week’s election, in spite of my strong personal feelings about the candidates and the vision of America each has represented.
Instead, I found myself drawn to the ancient words of Birkhot Hashachar, the recitation of daily blessings that would still be there to anchor me when I woke up the next morning, and the morning after that — no matter what the outcome of this particular contest might be.
Read more...
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They Say: There Is A Land
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By Rabbi Avi Strausberg `15, Senior Director of National Learning Initiatives at Hadar
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The land that I imagine when I read God’s promise to Avraham doesn’t match up with the Israel I see today. In Lech Lecha, God says, “Go forth from your native land and from your father’s house to the land that I will show you.” Later in Exodus, God adds detail to this promise, describing it as “a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey.” When I think of the land that we’ve come to call the promised land, I imagine spaciousness, I imagine peace, I imagine rivers of milk and honey. This is a far cry from the reality in Israel today.
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By Rabbi Avi Killip `14, Executive Vice President of Hadar and Hebrew College Trustee
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Rabbi Avi Killip is Executive Vice President at Hadar, where she also teaches on the faculty and is host of the podcasts, Responsa Radio and Ta Shma. A 2014 graduate of Hebrew College's Rabbinical School, she was a Wexner Graduate Fellow and a Schusterman Fellow, and now serves as a dedicated Hebrew College trustee and member of our strategic planning committee. Here, we are pleased to share her recent essay “Praying for Permission.”
I have come to realize this is what I want this year: Permission... I want permission for so much, but more than anything else, perhaps more than anything else ever, I want permission to pray for peace. And by peace, I mean two things. First, I want permission to pray for peace between nations, between peoples, between countries. I want permission to believe that prayers for peace are worth praying, that such a peace can exist and will exist. Permission to pray for peace is not merely something I want, it is something I need. If I cannot pray for peace, I cannot pray.
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This essy first appeared in MyJewishLearning‘s October newsletter. Watch for more trustee spotlights in future issues of Koleinu.
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Hebrew College Awarded $235K in Local, Federal & State Security Grants
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"It is a sad and sobering reality that rising antisemitism is impacting Jewish communities across the United States and around the globe. We are profoundly grateful that we live in a place where our state and federal governments are committing to ensuring the protection of all members of our community — with support that is both symbolically significant and substantively vital to our safety, security, and sense of well-being." — Rabbi Sharon Cohen Anisfeld, Hebrew College President
Learn more...
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Support Hebrew College while celebrating a loved one, milestone, or simcha. Sponsorships personalize the meaning of your contribution. Make a difference throughout the year by sponsoring:
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Tamid Community education courses: Celebrate or honor a loved one by sponsoring a learning opportunity in their name.
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Soul Sounds Music Performance or Series: Mark a meaningful milestone by supporting Hebrew College’s spiritual concerts and performances.
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Art Exhibit Opening Reception(s): Recognize the spiritual beauty of your Jewish practice by sponsoring a reception to celebrate the Jewish art that enlivens our physical spaces each semester.
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Fellowships/scholarship awards: Each year, donors sponsor anonymous or named financial aid opportunities for our rabbinical students. Help a future Jewish leader dedicate more time to their studies and less time worrying about expenses.
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Rabbinical School Open House: What Kind of Rabbi Will You Be?
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If you or someone you know is interested in the rabbinate, we invite you to join us for Ta Sh'ma (Come & Hear), our fall Rabbinical School open houses, November 18 (in-person) or online (December 8).
Learn with our faculty, including Hebrew College President Rabbi Sharon Cohen Anisfeld; Rabbi Jane Kanarek, PhD; Rabbi Daniel Klein; Dr. Devora Steinmetz; Rav Rachel Adelman; Rabbi Nehemia Polen, PhD; Rabbi Dan Judson, PhD; Rabbi Or Rose; and Rabbi Jessica Kate Meyer. Join our current students for an inspiring day of learning, conversation, music and prayer.
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ART EXHIBIT
Silvina Mizrahi: A Sephardic Spirit
Running through Friday, December 20 | Hebrew College
Indulge your senses with artist Silvina Mizrahi's paintings and sculpture.
Learn more
NEW! CONCERT
Klezmer and Friends Fall Concert
Presented by The Vilna Shul in collaboration with Hebrew College
Co-sponsor: Temple Beth Israel, Waltham
Thursday, November 14 | 6:30-8:30 p.m.| The Vilna Shul
Enjoy the interplay of Klezmer, Hassidic nigun, Yiddish song, prayer and jazz.
Learn more & purchase tickets
OPEN HOUSE FOR PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS
Ta Sh'ma (Come & Hear) Fall Ordination Programs
Monday, November 18 at Hebrew College | Sunday, December 8 Online
Experience the vibrant pluralistic communities of Hebrew College’s rabbinical program. In-person and virtual options.
Learn more & register
TAMID OF HEBREW COLLEGE
NEW! Fortress through the Ages: The Fortification of Jerusalem Then and Now
Monday, November 18 | 7-8 p.m. | Hebrew College
An immersive journey through history with Dr. Yehiel Zelinger about the fascinating fortifications surrounding Jerusalem, past and present. Co-sponsor: Israel Antiquities Authority.
Learn more & register
TAMID OF HEBREW COLLEGE
Jewish Journey to Central Europe Trip Info Session
Tuesday, November 19 | 7-8 p.m. | Hebrew College or Zoom
An information session about Hebrew College's May 2025 Jewish Discovery Tour of Central Europe (Vienna, Prague, and Budapest.)
Learn more & register
TAMID OF HEBREW COLLEGE
Adult Learning GROW Series
Wednesday, November 20 | 12-1 p.m. | Zoom
For our November program, we will examine memory in Medieval Ashkenaz.
Learn more & register
THE TRIUMPH OF LIFE
Book Launch with Rabbi Yitz Greenberg & Rabbi Sharon Cohen Anisfeld
Sunday, November 24 | 2-3:30 p.m. | Hebrew College
Rabbi Yitz Greenberg's new book, The Triumph of Life: A Narrative Theology of Judaism, tells the story of God’s relationship with humanity, and illuminates the Jewish vision of God as a force of life and love. In conversation with Rabbi Sharon Cohen Anisfeld, Rabbi Greenberg will explore how this ethic of powerful and triumphant life can be directed towards the challenges of our time.
Learn more & register
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