In this three-session cohort, we will gather at the Farm to explore Earth-Based Judaism through Talmudic stories about creativity, home, drought, rain, and the relationship between human beings and the natural world.
Together, we will read ancient texts through literary, cultural, and contemporary lenses, paying attention to the landscapes that shape them: caves, streams, trees, homes, dry earth, and falling rain. Our learning will invite reflection on belonging, memory, community, and our responsibilities to one another and the land.
All adults are welcome, of any or no faith background, and of all identities, abilities, and experience levels. No need to identify as Jewish to gain and contribute meaningfully.
Event Details
📅 Dates: Sundays July 26, August 2, and August 23
🕡 10a.m.-12p.m.
📍Meet at the Coffee Cart & Walk to the Makom Esther
🎟️ $90 for the series
Class Details:
CLASS ONE: July 26 - Creativity in a Cave
We’ll explore the famous story of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and ask whether creativity requires withdrawing from ordinary life, or whether it can emerge from within life itself. We’ll also pay attention to the natural landscape of the story, including the cave, the stream, and the carob tree, and consider how these elements shape the Talmud’s understanding of the relationship between human beings and the natural world.
CLASS TWO: August 2 - Home
Can we ever truly return home after a long absence? We’ll read both the Greek story of the Odyssey and Talmudic texts about home and belonging, and think together about home not only as a physical place but also as a relationship to land, memory, and the environment. We’ll ask how distance from the land reflects a deeper disruption in the relationship between people and their surroundings.
CLASS THREE: August 23 - Drought and Rain
We’ll read Talmudic stories about ancient communal practices during times of drought, explore the fascinating figures of Jewish rainmakers, and think about the connection the Talmud draws between rainfall, communal ethics, and the moral condition of society.
Guest Teacher
Chaya Gilboa is joining us this summer as a teaching resident. She is a PhD candidate in the Department of Literature, a Talmud scholar whose research focuses on questions of beauty and time, and has been teaching Talmud for over a decade. Alongside her academic work, she has spent many years leading social initiatives in Israel, particularly in the areas of Jewish-Arab relations and dialogue between secular and ultra-Orthodox communities. She is also a regular voice in Israeli radio and television, where she brings Jewish texts into conversation with contemporary issues.
Registration is for the full series only and closes after the second session. A minimum of 10 participants is needed to run the series.
We never want cost to be a barrier to participation. Scholarships are available upon request. The registration form will also include an opportunity to make an additional contribution, which will help ensure that participants relying on scholarship support are able to attend. Please email Education Manager, Sharone Oren for scholarship information.