Library Committee
About the Library Committee
The Library Committee’s goal is to help to meet the Judaic educational and informational needs of our congregation's adult and young adult members. In addition to acquiring, processing, cataloging and circulating books, the committee plans the annual "One Book Mishkan" program series.
The Library is open to the public and all are welcome to check-out books and other materials. The Library is open whenever the building is open. To confirm building hours, contact the office at (215) 508-0226 or office@mishkan.org.
ONE BOOK MISHKAN: As A Driven Leaf, by Rabbi Milton Steinberg
LIBRARY COMMITTEE CAPS SEVENTH ANNUAL ‘ONE BOOK MISHKAN’ SERIES
VISITING SCHOLAR RABBI JACOB STAUB
JEWISH SPIRITUAL SEARCHING:
HISTORICAL PRECEDENTS & CONTEMPORARY RESPONSES
SUNDAY, MAY 6 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. in the Social Hall
PANEL OF RESPONDENTS:
RABBI YAEL LEVY, RABBI NANCY FUCHS-KREIMER, KOHENET SHOSHANA BRICKLIN
Welcome: RABBI LINDA HOLTZMAN Suggested Donation $10.00
All are welcome to the capstone program of this year’s ‘One Book Mishkan’ series, as the Library Committee concludes our year-long exploration into the nature and effects of spiritual seeking in the Jewish past and in the Jewish present. Come learn, question and reflect on these ageless questions presented so powerfully in As a Driven Leaf, by Rabbi Milton Steinberg, our seventh-annual ‘One Book Mishkan’ selection.
We are delighted to welcome Visiting Scholar Rabbi Jacob Staub and our panel of notable respondents to teach on “Jewish Spiritual Searching: Historical Precedents & Contemporary Responses.” Rabbi Staub’s expertise spans both the historical and contemporary aspects of this question. He is Chair of the Department of Medieval Jewish Civilization and Professor of Jewish Philosophy and Spirituality at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, and was instrumental in founding the program in Jewish Spiritual Direction there. He is co-author with Rabbi Rebecca Alpert of “Exploring Judaism: A Reconstructionist Approach;” a published poet; and author of over 100 articles on Jewish thought and contemporary Jewish life.
Rabbi Staub will deliver a talk on historical precedents of Jewish spiritual searching, discussing -- among other things -- how far one could challenge tradition and still be considered Jewish. His talk will be followed by presentations on contemporary responses – the nature of Jewish spiritual searching today – by our own Rabbi Yael Levy and Mishkan Shalom members Rabbi Nancy Fuchs-Kreimer and Kohenet Shoshana Bricklin.
There will be time for questions following Rabbi Staub’s lecture and following the panelist’s presentations. Then, each of our four guest speakers will lead smaller group discussions about their areas of special interest. We will come together to conclude the afternoon’s study as a full group and then enjoy informal conversation over refreshments.
Last fall, we began by studying “The First Reconstruction of Judaism,” a survey of the variety of religious expressions which posed challenges to the survival of Judaism from Biblical times until the beginnings of Rabbinic Judaism. In the winter, we viewed the film “Agora” and drew parallels between the seeking of Hypatia of Alexandria and Rabbi Elisha ben Abuyah, protagonist of “As a Driven Leaf.” Our discussion of the novel in April provided an opportunity to learn about Rabbi Steinberg’s own role as a seeker and teacher as well as providing a bridge to this gathering of our own teachers.
To learn more about today's speakers, please see the attached document.
The program is open to the public and we encourage you to invite friends, family and colleagues to join us for this very special afternoon. A requested donation of $10.00 per person will help us defray costs. For more information, please be in touch at library@mishkan.org.
