Friday, September 12, 2014

Rabbi Klein's Torah Study 2014-2015

Dear Torah Study Participants,
I am pleased to inform you that we will begin another year of Torah Study together on Shabbat morning, September 6th at 9:15 a.m. in the Hartzmark Room at the Temple in Beachwood.   This year our topic will be: The Torah: Judaism's Master Story.  And we will consider this topic at length throughout the year by examining the Torah Portion (the Parsha) of the week, week by week.
For several years now the Shabbat Morning Torah Study Group has devoted its attention to a variety of biblical topics including The Search for a Sturdy Faith, The Family, and Biblical Politics.  This year we return to the Five Books of Moses, Judaism's central book, and follow the calendar of synagogue readings.
The Torah begins at the beginning ... the creation of the world ... and takes its story up to the  moment when the Israelites are poised to enter the Promised Land, the Land of Israel.  They are about to do so without the preeminent leader, Moses, who is consigned to die before the people cross the Jordan River.  In between the beginning and the end, the Torah creates a vast panorama of remarkable individuals, dramatic incidents, and fundamental and consequential ideas: Covenant, Faith, Ethics and Law, The Ups and Downs of History, Hope, Community, Ritual, Service ... and many more.
As always, we will devote our first session to an overview of biblical literature and biblical history, a consideration of some of the themes, structure, and literary contents of the Hebrew Scriptures, the place of the Bible in the history of Judaism, the division of the Torah into weekly portions, and the Bible's essential wisdom about the human condition.  And since the new cycle of readings does not begin until October 24th (the high holidays are late this year!), this will give us a chance to spend more time on the great stories in the Book of Genesis.
I am very much looking forward to another year of exciting study and lively conversation.   I hope that you will be a regular participant in our discussions.
And, if you know others who might find pleasure and meaning in Torah Study with old and new friends, please do invite them to join us.
I want to take this opportunity to wish you and your loved ones a healthy, happy and fulfilling New Year.
Sincerely yours,