Hebrew Literature Group: Thursday, March 5th at 5:00 PM
The Messianic Idea in Hebrew Writings: From the Bible to Kabbalah
Our year’s theme is hope in Hebrew writings as exemplified by the Messianic idea. In the upcoming, fourth, meeting of 5786, the Hebrew Literature Group will move on from the joyful and Utopian images that we find in the early and later chapters of Isaiah to a quite different face of messianism – apocalyptic prophecies. We will focus on selections from the prophets, Jeremiah, Joel, and Zechariah, and also look at the Book of Daniel.
In the Hebrew Literature Group texts are read in Hebrew with English translation and discussion is in English. We meet on Zoom about once every other month.
Click HERE for the Zoom link.
If you have questions about the Hebrew Literature Group and this year’s topic, email Mitchell Frank.
Sisterhood Game Night: Tuesday, March 10th at 6:30 PM
Card games, mahjong, board games, and snacks!
History Readers’ Book Club: Thursday, April 23rd at 8:00 PM
Shylock’s Venice: The remarkable history of Venice’s Jews and the Ghetto
Millions of visitors flood to Venice every year. Yet many are unaware of its history – one of dramatic expansion but also of rapid decline. And essential to any history of Venice during its glory days is the story of its Jewish population. Venice gave the world the word ghetto. Astonishingly, the ghetto prison turned out to be as remarkable a place as the city of Venice itself.
With sound scholarship and a narrator’s skill, Harry Freedman tells the story of Venice’s Jews.
From the founding of the ghetto in 1516, to the capture of Venice by Napoleon in 1797, he describes the remarkable cultural renaissance that took place in the Venice ghetto. Gates and walls notwithstanding, for the first time in European history Jews and Christians mingled intellectually, learned from each other, shared ideas and entered modernity together. When it came to culture, the ghetto walls were porous. – Amazon
Harry Freedman is Britain’s leading author of popular works of Jewish culture and history. His books include Leonard Cohen: The Mystical Roots of Genius, Shylock’s Venice: The Remarkable History of Venice’s Jews and the Ghetto, The Talmud: A Biography, Britain’s Jews: Confidence, Maturity, Anxiety and Kabbalah: Secrecy, Scandal and the Soul. He has a PhD on an Aramaic translation of the Bible from the University of London. He lives in London with his wife Karen.
No reservations are required. To participate, click on the Zoom link at 8:00 PM to join the discussion. Or click on it at 7:30PM to join Limud first. There is no charge for this Adult Ed event but donations are always welcome!
