Being in Israel is always exciting. I get to see my family (son/daughter-in-law, 3 grandkids, brother, sister-in-law, niece (and hopefully nephew). I also get to see sites that are familiar and explore new sites.
This week there has been another highlight to being in Israel. I am currently participating in the Pardes Executive Learning Seminar in Jerusalem. It is an intensive 5 day seminar held at a pluralistic yeshiva that is being attended by approximately 35 individuals from the U.S., Canada, Englanda, and Israel. I've noticed that I am the only individual that has chosen to attend from a small Jewish community. Never-the-less, the community I'm studying with is not only delightful, it is also very welcoming. I love sitting in a room with men and women from varied professional and denominational (Jewish) backgrounds discussing the text materials that we are learning about the life of Rabbi Akiva. In addition to our yeshiva studies, there are tours that provide hands-on experiential learning and the opportunity to hear speakers. Monday evening, I took my brother Gary with me to hear Rabbi Michael Melchior, the former Chief Rabbi of Denmark, talk about the peace process between Israel and her neighbors. Tuesday I took my son Yehoshua with me on a 12 hour tour of Caesaria and Tzippori led by a Rabbi/archaeologist. Tomorrow my daughter-in-law will join me for a tour of Horvat Ethri, a recently excavated site of the post-Second Temple period.
The yeshiva utilizes a traditional method of Jewish study, hevrutah (partners looking at and wrestling with the text materials together) and provides skilled teachers who provide insights and additional information. It is amazing that as fascinating as it is to study the material about a Rabbi who lived between the years 50-135 c.e., it is also relevant. We have been discussing concepts such as choosing life, the core principles of Judaism, tzedaka, living in a non-Jewish world, messiahs and politics, spiritual journeys, and the power of speech. I know that these same topics will no doubt move into study sessions during the coming year at Tifereth Israel! I appreciate the opportunity to use my time here for increased learning.
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