“I have had conversations with well-intentioned people who express sentiments about Jews, Judaism, and the State of Israel that are clearly based on misinformation and bias. But it has given me the opportunity to refine my skills as an educator and dialogue partner. I do so knowing that we all have limited understanding of other individuals and groups, and that we have to be willing to challenge assumptions, and when possible, enter into deeper, more sustained, conversation.”   — Rabbi Or Rose, Director of Hebrew College's Miller Center for Interreligious Learning & Leadership

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The College is excited to share that it was recently invited to raise matching funding to be eligible for a challenge grant from a well-respected national foundation. This presents an opportunity to increase our impact on the Jewish community by supporting program expansion, more collaborative community and interreligious partnerships, increased security and safety, and the establishment of a robust endowment. The grant support also allows us to broaden our base of foundation support. We will now have the resources to add a grant writer position to our staff and lay the groundwork for an endowment campaign to help ensure the College’s long-term financial well-being and growth.

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One phrase that’s been living in my mind a lot recently is hachnasat orchim, welcoming guests, which is sort of a Jewish expression as a value of hospitality. And I think hospitality has built into it a lot of reciprocity and a lot of mutual aid. There’s always, in my mind, the expectation that in a well-functioning community, everyone is hosting and everyone is guesting and there’s a handing off and a taking turns of taking care of each other. — Chaim Spaulding, co-founder of Hebrew College's new Food Co-op with classmates David Mahfouda and Becca Heisler

LISTEN: Founding a Food Co-op | Azara: A Scottish Yeshiva

These past few parashiot, we have been deeply engaged with Joseph, that maddening, inspiring, outsized personality whose story looms large over both Genesis and Exodus and yet who remains nameless in our liturgy. That in itself is curious, that he gets four parashiot (maybe four and a half) and yet not a word in our daily prayers.

Who is this fascinating and difficult character?

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