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20 Talmudic Stories Every Jew Should Know
A virtual class series hosted by Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz
ABOUT THE CLASS:
Discover the depth, drama, and enduring wisdom of the Talmud in this inspiring new Valley Beit Midrash 20-part Zoom series with Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz: “20 Talmudic Stories Every Jew Should Know.” Each class brings to life a powerful narrative from the Talmud—stories of courage, curiosity, compassion, conflict, and transformation. Rabbi Yanklowitz will guide participants through the historical context, spiritual meaning, and ethical challenges embedded in each tale, revealing how these ancient narratives still speak urgently to the modern Jewish experience. Whether you’re a seasoned learner or brand new to Talmud study, you’ll find yourself captivated by the richness and relevance of these stories.
More than just storytelling, this series is an invitation to think, question, and grow. Each session will open space for thoughtful discussion, personal reflection, and practical takeaways that can elevate daily life, relationships, and spiritual practice. Come connect with a vibrant community of learners, deepen your understanding of Jewish tradition, and be energized by Rabbi Yanklowitz’s uniquely passionate, inclusive, and justice-centered approach to Torah. These are stories that shape who we are—and who we can become. Join us and let them inspire you.
All are held over Zoom every Tuesday at 10am PT (1pm ET).
Cost: $360 for the whole series, free for VBM members
ABOUT THE SPEAKER:
Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz is the President & Dean of Valley Beit Midrash.
We Are Free—Now What?
A virtual event presentation by Rabbi Marc Gitler
Please note event times are listed in MDT
ABOUT THE EVENT:
In this class, we'll explore the complex reality the Israelites faced after leaving Egypt, when liberation gave way to uncertainty in the wilderness. Drawing on the biblical narrative of their journey through the desert, the class examines how sudden freedom can be disorienting—marked by fear, lack of direction, nostalgia for the past, and the struggle to build a new identity.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER:
Marc Gitler is the Senior Jewish Educator at Valley Beit Midrash and visiting Rabbi of Aish SanDiego. A recipient of the Wexner Fellowship, he was ordained at Yeshivat Chovevei Torah. The founder of Fast for Feast, he lives in Denver, Colorado with his wife Sarah and their four children.
Holocaust Testimony Reimagined
A virtual event presentation by Martin Herskovitz
EVENT CO-SPONSORED BY: BMH-BJ
Please note event times are listed in PST.
ABOUT THE EVENT:
Eighty years after the Holocaust, a new narrative is taking its place alongside the heretofore trauma-based narratives: the artistic narratives of the Second and Third Generations. It is no longer just the atrocities themselves that are at the center of attention, but also how the heirs of the victims, the Second and Third Generations are taking ownership of these stories and transforming them. The narrative of the Second and Third Generation is a story, not of devastation, but of connection to family, allowing the possibility of grieving, compassion, and healing.This new testimony of postmemory transforms Holocaust remembrance from a narrative of destruction and restoration to a personal journey of healing. The listeners are invited to join Martin Herskovitz, a poet and a child of survivors on his journey.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER:
Martin Herskovitz, from Rehovot, Israel, is a child of Holocaust survivors. He is a public fellow at Finkler Institute for Holocaust Studies Bar Ilan University and a poet. Via his poetry and his endeavor Creating Memory, he propounds a more personal and emotionally resonant approach to Holocaust remembrance.
ZEICHICK FAMILY LECTURE – Being Jewish in Hollywood *IN-PERSON*
A hybrid event presentation (in-person and virtual) by Mayim Bialik
Please note all event times are listed in the local time zone.
ABOUT THE EVENT:
Actor, author, director, and neuroscience PhD, Mayim Bialik, will discuss her Jewish journey, what it’s like to be proudly Jewish in Hollywood, how she’s responded to recent streams of antisemitism in the media and much more.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER:
Mayim Bialik is best known for her lead role as Blossom Russo in the early-1990s NBC television sitcom Blossom. She played the role of Amy Farrah Fowler on the critically acclaimed CBS comedy, The Big Bang Theory, a role for which she received 2 Critics’ Choice Award wins, 4 Emmy nominations and a SAG Award nomination. She served as host of Jeopardy! for 2 seasons, earning her fifth Emmy nomination for her contributions to the iconic show which won its first primetime Emmy the year she hosted. In 2021, Bialik wrote and directed the feature film As They Made Us, starring Dustin Hoffman, Candice Bergen, Dianna Agron and Simon Helberg. She hosts a popular mental health podcast, Mayim Bialik’s Breakdown with over 100 million downloads. Bialik holds a BS and PhD in Neuroscience from UCLA and she has authored four books, two of which are on the New York Times Best-Sellers list (Girling Up: How to be Strong, Smart and Spectacular and Boying Up: How to be Brave, Bold and Brilliant).
This event is presented in loving memory of Gloria and Herb Zeichick.
ZEICHICK FAMILY LECTURE – Being Jewish in Hollywood *VIRTUAL*
A hybrid event presentation (in-person and virtual) by Mayim Bialik
Please note all event times are listed in the local time zone.
ABOUT THE EVENT:
Actor, author, director, and neuroscience PhD, Mayim Bialik, will discuss her Jewish journey, what it’s like to be proudly Jewish in Hollywood, how she’s responded to recent streams of antisemitism in the media and much more.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER:
Mayim Bialik is best known for her lead role as Blossom Russo in the early-1990s NBC television sitcom Blossom. She played the role of Amy Farrah Fowler on the critically acclaimed CBS comedy, The Big Bang Theory, a role for which she received 2 Critics’ Choice Award wins, 4 Emmy nominations and a SAG Award nomination. She served as host of Jeopardy! for 2 seasons, earning her fifth Emmy nomination for her contributions to the iconic show which won its first primetime Emmy the year she hosted. In 2021, Bialik wrote and directed the feature film As They Made Us, starring Dustin Hoffman, Candice Bergen, Dianna Agron and Simon Helberg. She hosts a popular mental health podcast, Mayim Bialik’s Breakdown with over 100 million downloads. Bialik holds a BS and PhD in Neuroscience from UCLA and she has authored four books, two of which are on the New York Times Best-Sellers list (Girling Up: How to be Strong, Smart and Spectacular and Boying Up: How to be Brave, Bold and Brilliant).
This event is presented in loving memory of Gloria and Herb Zeichick.
The Questions that Never Go Away
A hybrid event presentation (in-person & virtual) by Rabbi Ed Feinstein
EVENT CO-SPONSORED BY: United Jewish Federation of Utah
Please note the event will take place at 6pm PT / 7pm MT.
ABOUT THE EVENT:
A child asks innocently, Where is God? Where did Grandma go when she died? Why do bad things happen? The language may be childlike, but the questions are profound. These are the questions that grow from being human. And Judaism offers answers, profound and moving answers. So let’s open our tradition and share these deep insights into the human condition.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER:
Rabbi Feinstein serves the Valley Beth Shalom community as a teacher, pastor and visionary leader. He also serves on the faculty of the Ziegler Rabbinical School of the American Jewish University, the Wexner Heritage Program, the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem and lectures widely across the United States. He is the author of several books, including: Tough Questions Jews Ask – A Young Adult’s Guide to Building a Jewish Life, (Jewish Lights, 2003), Jews and Judaism in the Twenty-First Century: Human Responsibility, the Presence of God and the Future of the Covenant (Jewish Lights, 2007), Capturing the Moon (Behrman House, 2008) and most recently, Chutzpah Imperative! - Empowering Today's Jews for a Life that Matters (Jewish Lights, 2014).
Rabbi Feinstein was raised in the back of his parents’ bakery on the frontiers of the West San Fernando Valley. He graduated with honors from the University of California at Santa Cruz, the University of Judaism, Columbia University Teachers College, and the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, where he was ordained a rabbi in 1981. Most recently, he received his Doctorate in Education from the Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS) at Park Avenue Synagogue in New York for his dissertation: Rabbi Harold Schulweis and the Reinvention of the American Rabbinate.
An engaging lecturer and storyteller, Rabbi Feinstein unites the ancient Jewish love of ideas with the warmth of Jewish humor.
Forging White Heat: A Post–October 7 Haiku Journey
A virtual event presentation by Sara Tropper
Please note event times are listed in PST.
EVENT CO-SPONSORED BY: Congregation Or Tzion
ABOUT THE EVENT:
In this book talk, I will present the forging of “White Heat” and read select poems from the volume. I will share what spurred me to write the book, define haiku and its interesting history, and discuss the sumi-e (Japanese pen-and-ink) artwork that accompanies the poems. The talk is designed to give the audience time to absorb the poems and images.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER:
Sara Tropper lives in Israel with her husband, children, grandchildren, and large, affectionate dog. When she is not editing books for scholars, she enjoys losing on the soccer field to her grandsons. She wrote "White Heat" on the hillside with her canine sidekick.
Models of heroism and independence in our time
A hybrid event presentation (in-person & virtual) by Rabbi Mike Feuer
EVENT CO-SPONSORED BY: Congregation Beth Israel
Please note event times are listed in the local time zone (PST).
ABOUT THE EVENT:
On the day after Israel’s Independence Day, this talk explores how certain models of Jewish heroism - the warrior and the public leader - have made sovereignty possible, yet cannot by themselves fulfill its deeper promise. Drawing on the Torah of Jewish heroism, we will ask what fuller independence requires today. The answer points to different forms of Jewish heroism: the judge, the healer, and the storyteller - those who shape conscience, restore wholeness, and give meaning to power on the road toward redemption.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER:
Rav Mike Feuer is an educator, content creator, and spiritual counselor. Through the Jewish Heroism Project he brings a Torah of Jewish heroism to leaders, educators, activists, and idealistic Jews seeking to develop courage, capacity, and spiritual strength for our time.