I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the Talmudic story of the proselyte — the ger — who approaches Hillel and Shammai and says, “Teach me the entire Torah while I’m standing on one foot.” At first glance, it’s an outrageous, even impudent request. But Rabbi Menacem Mendel of Vitebsk has a different reading of this encounter — one that I love. He invites us to listen to what’s behind the rushed request. In his commentary, Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk suggests that what the ger is really asking is, “Teach me Torah that will keep me from toppling over.” Teach me Torah that will enable me to keep standing when life destabilizes me and threatens to blow me over.

At Hebrew College, we’re sticking with the ancient wisdom of Hillel, as we work every day to put learning and lovingkindness at the center of Jewish life. Join us, study with us (consider taking a Tamid course this summer), support us, and help make rich Jewish learning and community available to all with a gift to Hebrew College by June 30.

Thank you for helping us continue to bring Hillel’s wisdom to life.

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At last month’s ordination ceremony, Hebrew College celebrated two significant milestones in the life of its Rabbinical School: the ordination of its largest class to date (16 new rabbis) and the crossing of a remarkable threshold — 202 rabbis ordained since the program’s founding. “We believe that our graduates are transforming the Jewish community,” says Hebrew College Provost Rabbi Dan Judson. “The goal of Hebrew College was not simply to be yet another training ground for rabbis, rather through those rabbis we would impact the institutions where are our graduates serve. Jewish institutions would become more pluralistic, more committed to a thoughtful engagement with tradition, and more open-hearted. We see evidence of that at the many congregations which are rabbis now lead, the college campuses where they serve, and the new institutions which they have founded.”

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This summer, Tamid of Hebrew College invites learners into a rich season of Jewish exploration, offering opportunities to deepen understanding, broaden perspective, and nourish the mind and soul. In July, journey into the mystical world of the Zohar and classical Kabbalah with Rabbi Dr. Jeffrey Amshalem, uncover the captivating stories of Judaism’s most fascinating false messiahs with Rabbi Neal Gold, or look beyond the headlines to explore the complexities of contemporary Israeli society with Joel Chasnoff. From vacation, the back deck, or beneath a whirring A/C, make the most of our online classes by digging into Jewish history, thought, spirituality, and culture!

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In Parashat Chukat the Israelites are searching for something that will relieve the discomfort of uncertainty —searching for solid ground, for assurance God is with them and that they will survive the wilderness. This is not the first time they have struggled. Since entering the wilderness, the Israelites have longed for Egypt – for the predictability of slavery over the uncertainty of freedom. They have manna and water from Miriam's well — miraculous, yes, but unpredictable, not what they would choose at the moment they wanted it, if they had the option. When things don’t go the way they desire, they complain over and over again. Then comes a strange and unsettling turn.

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