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HIGH HOLIDAYS 2023-5784
Please visit our High Holidays page for details on services, our Yizbor book and pre-holiday programming.
High Holidays 2023-5784
SEPTEMBER 2023 PROGRAMS
THE TASTE OF JEWISH CULTURE
The Walnut Street Synagogue is pleased to present The Taste of Jewish Culture series. Join us in September for our seventh program, Not Just Apples and Honey: Rosh Hashana Foods and Their Many Meanings, on Wednesday, September 6 at 7:00 pm EDT. Please visit our event webpage for more details and to register.
The Taste of Jewish Culture details
CSP
The Walnut Street Synagogue is pleased to be a partner congregation of the Orange County Jewish Community Scholar Program. Please join us at an upcoming program!
In the Pursuit of Happiness or of Meaning? Socrates, Kohelet and Victor Frankel on the Meaning of Life
Thursday, September 28, 1:00 pm EDT
(online in partnership with the Orange County Jewish Community Scholar Program)
It is at times of great rupture or great joy that we are often faced with the fragility of life. And when faced with our mortality and transience of our time on earth we will frequently inquire of its meaning. Once a year on the festival of Sukkot we are forced into conditions of fragility and transience. Moving outside our homes to a temporary structure and remembering our journey in the wilderness conditions us towards asking questions of meaning. Two common responses to these existential questions are hedonism or the creation of meaning. Judaism entertains them both. Kohelet (Ecclesiastes) read on Sukkot is a musing on these responses – everything is vanity, drink be merry for tomorrow we will die. In other places meaning is created through shared narrative, law, order and belief in God. Utilizing ancient philosophy, modern psychology and the wisdom of our tradition and its text we will unpack the question of meaning in our modern lives and show how the Bible and its customs already anticipated this human challenge many centuries earlier.
Dr. Tanya White is a sought after international lecturer, writer and educator with a focus on Tanach and Contemporary Jewish Thought. She is a Senior lecturer at Matan Women’s Institute for Torah Studies and gives weekly classes in other institutions including Pardes and the London School of Jewish Studies (LSJS). Tanya acts as scholar in residence to diverse communities in the U.S., Switzerland and the UK. She is a graduate of the Matan Hasharon Scholars program and holds a B.S.c from the London School of Economics (LSE) in International Relations and an M.A. in Jewish studies and philosophy from LSJS and SOAS London. She holds a doctorate in Jewish Philosophy from Bar Ilan University, and is the recipient of Schupf Fellowship for outstanding students. She was elected as a “Sacks Scholar” in the inaugural cohort program of Rabbi Sacks Scholars 2023/24. Tanya is the mother of four daughters and lives with her husband and family on a moshav in central Israel.
Beyond Plastic Fruit and Popcorn Chains – The Rich History of Sukkah Structures and Adornments
Thursday, September 21, 7:00 pm EDT
(online in partnership with the Orange County Jewish Community Scholar Program)
Plastic fruit and popcorn chains may be the current go-to decor for your backyard or synagogue sukkah, but simple structures and pedestrian decorations were not always the hallmark sukkot. These structures, whether private or communal, have a long history of composition and adornment. By definition they are ephemeral structures, but we have images and information. Join us as we explore the structures that are sukkot.
Dr. Sharon Keller, who served as CSP’s 15th Annual One Month Scholar in residence in January 2016 and who earned her doctorate at New York University (NYU) in the Department of Hebrew and Judaic Studies in the area of Bible and the Ancient Near East, is a member of the Classics faculty at Hofstra University. She has been an Assistant Professor of Bible and Ancient Semitic Languages at The Jewish Theological Seminary and at Hebrew Union College; she has also held appointments at NYU Hunter College, teaching biblical text courses as well as more general courses in biblical literature and history, as well as the courses in the art and archaeology of the lands of the Bible and the ancient Mediterranean world. She has written and edited numerous scholarly articles and academic books, most of which relate to the interplay between biblical Israel and ancient Egypt. Her most popular book, Jews: A Treasury of Art and Literature was awarded the prestigious National Jewish Book Award. Known for the enthusiasm and humor that she brings to all of her talks that make otherwise esoteric subjects easily accessible, Sharon is an in-demand lecturer and adult education course instructor throughout the United States.
The Music of Kol Nidre
Tuesday, September 19, 3:30 pm EDT
(online in partnership with the Orange County Jewish Community Scholar Program)
For many Jews, the melody of Kol Nidre is their most recognizable and most stirring liturgical music. We will investigate its origin and compare it with the way non-Ashkenazic Jews sing the same prayer. We will see the ways in which its motifs reappear as crucial musical signals throughout the Days of Awe. Finally, we will listen to several magnificent orchestral works which were inspired by Kol Nidre.
Dr. Joshua R. Jacobson holds a Bachelor’s degree in Music from Harvard College, a Masters in Choral Conducting from the New England Conservatory, a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Cincinnati, and a Doctor of Humane Letters honoris causa from Hebrew College. Before retiring in 2018, Dr. Jacobson served 45 years as Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities at Northeastern University, including nine years as Music Department Chairman and six years as the Bernard Stotsky Professor of Jewish Cultural Studies. He is also Visiting Professor and Senior Consultant in the School of Jewish Music at Hebrew College and the founder and director of the Zamir Chorale of Boston, a world-renowned ensemble, specializing in Hebrew music.
Which Fruit Did Adam and Eve Eat in Eden on Rosh Hashanah?
Thursday, September 14, 3:30 pm EDT
(online in partnership with the Orange County Jewish Community Scholar Program)
Dipping apples in honey is a common practice but is just one in a range of symbolic foods different communities eat on Rosh Hashanah. Why an apple? We could dip any fruit into honey to symbolize a sweet new year. Our sages had five theories, and they all give deep insight into the nature and purpose of the day. Come take a bite.
Rabbi Dr. Raphael Zarum is Dean of the London School of Jewish Studies (LSJS) and holds the Rabbi Sacks Chair in Modern Jewish Thought at the school. He is a rabbinic leader, lecturer and author with a passion for teaching traditional Jewish texts and innovative educational programming for young and old. Rabbi Dr. Zarum earned a Ph.D. in Theoretical Physics from King’s College London, leading to the publication of a number of papers on Quantum Chaos Theory. He also completed an M.A. in Adult Education, with distinction, at the Institute of Education in London. As well as Dean of LSJS, Rabbi Dr. Zarum currently serves as the Scholar-in-Residence at the Central Square Minyan in Hampstead Garden Suburb.
Salvador Dali and the State of Israel
Tuesday, September 12, 3:30 pm EDT
(online in partnership with the Orange County Jewish Community Scholar Program)
Those familiar with the surrealistic output of the eccentric 20th century painter Salvador Dali (1904-1989),— known perhaps most widely for his depictions of limp watches, would find it surprising that the great Spanish artist actually produced a series of paintings on the theme of the historical connection of the Jewish people to the land of Israel. How did this come about?
Evgenia Kempinski is a Russian Jew born and raised in St. Petersburg. Her family was originally from the Pale of Settlement (Poland, Ukraine and Belorussia). They endured the suppression of Judaism in the Soviet Union followed by the rebirth of Jewish culture and religious life in today’s St. Petersburg. She has been an official St. Petersburg tour guide for over 15 years and is the founder and owner of St. Petersburg Jewish Tours, a company offering Jewish travelers a unique experience of showcasing the best of Russia from a Jewish point of view. She currently lives in Haifa, Israel, while still keeping close connections with St. Petersburg and its Jewish community.
First Impressions: Mendelsohn on Tunisia and Chaddad’s Artistic Vision
Monday, September 11, 1:00 pm EDT
(online in partnership with the Orange County Jewish Community Scholar Program)
CSP is excited to invite you to an exclusive event with Dr. David Mendelsohn. Fresh from his journey to Tunis for the art opening of Rafram Chaddad’s “The Good Seven Years” held at B7L9 art space, Dr. Mendelsohn will share his firsthand experiences of the art event and his inaugural visit to Tunisia.
Dr. David Mendelsohn’s areas of expertise include Islamic Studies, History and Culture of Arabs with Israeli Citizenship, Bedouin Law and the relationship between language and culture in Arabic and Hebrew. His current research examines the influence of Hebrew on the dialects of Arabic spoken in Israel. Mendelsohn also lectures on the history and relationships between Middle East countries and militant organizations. David holds advanced degrees in diverse fields: a Ph.D. Classics / Linguistics, an M.A. in Archaeology / Linguistics and an Honors B.A. in Classical Studies. David is the recipient of one of Canada’s highest academic honors, The Trudeau Prize, and is a world medalist in wrestling. He lives in Jerusalem with his wife Ronny and three children.
Program video
Teshuva as Confession of Sin: Jewish Guilt or Christian Absolution
Sunday, September 10, 1:00 pm EDT
(online in partnership with the Orange County Jewish Community Scholar Program)
Religion has been accused of many evils. One of them being the disproportionate obsession with sin, remorse and shame. Today we know that shame and guilt can have many unhealthy psychological consequences for the individual. How do we square the negative affect of shame with the process of repentance? Is there a difference between the Christian and Jewish perspectives on the penitential aspect of religion? Using a wide variety of sources from the Bible and ancient commentaries to modern psychologists and popular writers such as Erich Fromm, Brene Brown and Sheryl Sandberg we will go on a journey of exploration into how guilt and shame can be used constructively towards the transformation of the self.
Dr. Tanya White is a sought after international lecturer, writer and educator with a focus on Tanach and Contemporary Jewish Thought. She is a Senior lecturer at Matan Women’s Institute for Torah Studies and gives weekly classes in other institutions including Pardes and the London School of Jewish Studies (LSJS). Tanya acts as scholar in residence to diverse communities in the U.S., Switzerland and the UK. She is a graduate of the Matan Hasharon Scholars program and holds a B.S.c from the London School of Economics (LSE) in International Relations and an M.A. in Jewish studies and philosophy from LSJS and SOAS London. She holds a doctorate in Jewish Philosophy from Bar Ilan University, and is the recipient of Schupf Fellowship for outstanding students. She was elected as a “Sacks Scholar” in the inaugural cohort program of Rabbi Sacks Scholars 2023/24. Tanya is the mother of four daughters and lives with her husband and family on a moshav in central Israel.
In the Footsteps of “Conversos” – A Virtual Jewish Walking Tour of Lima, Peru
Thursday, September 7, 3:30 pm EDT
(online in partnership with the Orange County Jewish Community Scholar Program)
Did you know that there was a secret Jewish community in Lima during the 16th and 17th centuries? And that many natives of Lima are of Jewish descent without knowing it? The presence of Jews in Peru dates back to the Spanish conquest in the 16th century. The new world proved inhospitable to these Iberian Jews, however, many of whom were forced to convert by the Peruvian Inquisition, which was established in 1570. As a result of this persecution, there is little reliable data on the country’s Jewish population until the Inquisition’s end in the early 19th century, after which Peru enjoyed an influx of German and Russian Jews. Join us for a live walking tour and discover the secret Jewish community of Lima, Peru in the 16th and 17th centuries. We will learn about this hidden story by walking through downtown Lima and stopping at historic sites, including the location of the first synagogue. We will also hear about some of Lima’s famous Jews, and how the community is faring today.
Our guide for this adventure, Vanessa, was born and raised in Lima, Peru. She has been a professional tour guide and an ambassador for the city of Lima since 2006 and has been a virtual tour guide since 2020. With over 15 years of guiding experience, guiding is her passion. Vanessa loves to share her knowledge of the history, architecture, cuisines, culture, and more about Lima with her travelers.
Language, Longing, and Belonging – The Art of Leaving
Tuesday, September 5, 3:30 pm EDT
(online in partnership with the Orange County Jewish Community Scholar Program)
Ayelet Tsabari’s memoir, The Art of Leaving, traces Tsabari’s journey from her childhood home on the outskirts of Tel Aviv to Vancouver and Toronto, from her native Hebrew to her adopted English, and alongside the story of her grandparents’ migration from Yemen to the land of Israel in the 1930s. An astute observer of the lives of Mizrahi Jews in Israel and beyond in her award-winning short story collection. The Best Place on Earth (2016), in The Art of Leaving Tsabari delivers a powerful coming-of-age story that reflects on identity and belonging and explores themes of family and home, both inherited and chosen.
Ayelet Tsabari was born in Israel to a large family of Yemeni descent. She is the author of The Art of Leaving, winner of the Canadian Jewish Literary Award for memoir, finalist for the Writer’s Trust Hilary Weston Prize, and an Apple Books and Kirkus Review Best Book of 2019. Her first book, The Best Place on Earth, won the Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature and the Edward Lewis Wallant Award, and was long listed for the Frank O’Connor International Short Story Award. The book was a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice, a Kirkus Review Best Book of 2016, and has been published internationally. She is the co-editor of the anthology Tongues: On Longing and Belonging Through Language and has taught creative writing at the University of Guelph, The University of King’s College MFA, Tel Aviv University, and at Bar Ilan University.
YAD CHESSED
Yad Chessed helps Jewish individuals and families who struggle with financial hardship pay their bills and buy food. As a social services agency rooted in the Jewish values of kindness (chessed) and charity (tzedakah), they are committed to helping those in need navigate a path toward financial stability while preserving their privacy and dignity. They provide emergency financial assistance, grocery gift cards and compassionate advice for those trying to make ends meet. Hundreds of families and individuals throughout the state rely on Yad Chessed to provide for their essentials, and even at times, a Jewish burial for a loved one. Members of our community, as well as others in the Jewish community, who need assistance may contact Yad Chessed by phone at 781-487-2693 or by Email at intake@yadchessed.org for a confidential conversation. Questions can be directed to info@yadchessed.org.
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COMMUNITY PROJECTS
CJP Plan to Combat Antisemitism
Combined Jewish Philanthropies (CJP) has developed a plan to combat rising antisemitism in Massachusetts. They have also recently launched their Face Jewish Hate campaign. Their campaign combines the real-life stories of antisemitic incidents happening in Greater Boston to draw attention to this issue and provides a resource center focused on educating, mobilizing and empowering our community.
Learn more