Wednesdays, 12:15—1:30 PM, Social Hall

Ever since Abraham’s famous argument with God, Judaism has been full of debate. Moses and Korah, David and Nathan, Hillel and Shammai, the Vilna Gaon and the Ba’al Shem Tov, Spinoza and the Amsterdam Rabbis . . . the list goes on. No wonder that Judaism cherishes the expression machloket l’shem shamayim, “an argument for the sake of heaven.”

Beyond their historical importance, what makes these disputations so compelling is that nearly all of them, regardless of their epochs, are still being argued.

The parade of characters spanning three millennia of biblical, rabbinic, and modern disputation reflects the panorama of Jewish history with its monumental political, ethical, and spiritual challenges.

Join as we re-open these timeless debates that lead us to the core of 3,000 years of Jewish conversation.

• Justice: Abraham vs. God (October 19)
• Holiness and Authority: Moses vs. Korah (November 9)
• Inclusion: The Five Daughters vs. the Twelve Tribes (November 30)
• Accountability and Morality: David vs. Nathan (December 21)
• Resistance: Ben Zakkai vs. the Zealots (January 18)
• Law: Hillel vs. Shammai (February 8)
• Spirituality: The Vilna Gaon vs. the Baal Shem Tov (March 15)
• Boundaries: Spinoza vs. the Amsterdam Rabbis (April 19)
• Religious Evolution: Geiger vs. Hirsch vs. Frankel (May 10)
• Zionism: Herzl vs. Wise (May 31)