2022 June 4 Tikkun Leil Shavuot

In honor of the festival of the Giving of the Torah, we will receive Torah from each other. Members (and Rabbi Dayle) will be teaching sessions in which they will share a piece of Jewish learning in their own inimitable way. Since Shavuot is also a festival of first fruits, we’ll take a break midway to sample fruits of members’ hands—specifically, entries into our cheesecake and kugel bake-offs, which will be judged by panels of members. It will prove to be a delicious and rich evening!

SCHEDULE

Face to Face at the Synagogue | Track 1

8-8:30 | Announcement of the Kugel/Cheesecake Bakeoff and Glorious Sampling

8:30-9:30 | Nancy Kriseman
“The Jewish Path Toward Self-Compassion”
The famous Hillel quote, “If I am not for myself, who will be for me?” is one that many people tend to dismiss. We often show compassion to others, but little toward ourselves. In our time together we will explore some of the Jewish text as it relates to self-compassion, along with a compassion exercise that can help bring more self-compassion awareness into your life.

9:30-10:30 | Rabbi Dayle
“Ruth and Naomi: Resilience Amid Loss”
The book of Ruth, which is traditionally read on Shavuot, has at its heart an unlikely pair: Naomi, a Jewish woman who has lost her husband, sons, and wealth, and Ruth, her Moabite daughter-in-law who elects to stay by Naomi’s side when her husband’s tragic death. Through text study and creative imagining, we’ll explore Ruth and Naomi’s individual and collective resilience as a model for us.

Face to Face at the Synagogue | Track 2

7-8 | Paul Wolpe 
“Holy, Holy, Holy! What do we mean by ‘Holiness’?”
We use the word kedushah, "holiness," throughout our tradition; but what does it really mean? Drawing from a source sheet, we will examine deeply this unique and enigmatic idea in Judaism.

8-8:30 | Announcement of the Kugel/Cheesecake Bakeoff and Glorious Sampling

8:30-9:30 | Rick Stone
“Midrashic Revelations: How Rabbis Invented New Stories to Explain Torah Conundrums”
Torah has often left scholars and rabbis scratching their heads as they attempt to resolve inconsistencies in the text, and sometimes what would appear to be downright contradictions. They have turned to their imaginations to find inspiration and understanding. In this session Rick will lead you into the practice of Midrash, and share some of the seminal stories that have emerged over the centuries to shed light or the complexities of Torah.

9:30-10:30 | Bob Schwartz:
“Sh'mita: The Sabbatical Year and Forgiveness of Debt”
Led by CBH member Bob Schwartz, a bankruptcy attorney, we will explore what the Torah says about the forgiveness of debt and seek to understand present day debt collection, debt forgiveness, and bankruptcy in that context.

Zoom Track

7-8 | Val Wolpe
"Asherah: The Goddess in our Midst"
Valerie Root Wolpe and Rabbi Ariel Wolpe of Ma’alot (maalotatlanta.com) present a rabbinic and midrashic look at Asherah’s presence in our texts and ritual practices.

8-8:30 | Break

8:30-9:30 | Amy Lighthill
"What Makes a Convert Convert?" 
Why would a person choose a faith which, traditionally, should reject them a few times before granting admittance? A panel of CBH's own "Jews by Choice" will share their personal stories of what they've found challenging, as well as wondrous, in their path to commitment with Judaism. Questions will be welcomed in this fascinating discussion.