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Virtual Events
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.
Cain's Children: Mysticism and Monstrosity in the Jewish Tradition
A virtual event presentation by David Shyovitz
EVENT CO-SPONSORED BY: BMH-BJ
Please note event times are listed in PST.
ABOUT THE EVENT:
Classical Jewish texts are chock full of demons, monsters, incantations, and other occult and fantastical contents. But these elements are often treated dismissively or deemed embarrassing or "superstitious" -- when they are even acknowledged at all. In this session, we will analyze a cryptic series of texts about the monstrous "Children of Cain," and explore the profound spiritual lessons Jewish authors have drawn from them -- lessons that remain relevant today.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER:
David Shyovitz is Associate Professor of Jewish History at Northwestern University and Director of NU's Crown Family Center for Jewish and Israel Studies. He is the author of the award-winning A Remembrance of His Wonders: Nature and the Supernatural in Medieval Ashkenaz.
A Torah of Sexual Ethics: Disappointment, Honesty, Growth
A virtual event presentation by Rabbi Aviva Richman
Please note the event times are listed in PST.
ABOUT THE EVENT:
We live in a world that continues to struggle with how to live out a sexual ethics of mutual dignity. This class will confront moments of disappointment related to sexual ethics - in our leaders and in our tradition - and explore how to inherit this part of Torah in ways that invite honesty and growth. Taking inspiration from contemporary feminist legal philosophers, we will seek seeds of dignity and agency even in the midst of disappointment, turning especially to women in the Talmud who courageously speak up and whose words profoundly impact the law.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER:
Rabbi Aviva Richman is a Rosh Yeshiva at Hadar, and has been on the faculty since 2010. A graduate of Oberlin College, she studied in the Pardes Kollel and the Drisha Scholars' Circle and was ordained by Rabbi Danny Landes. She completed a doctorate in Talmud at NYU. Interests include Talmud, Halakhah, Midrash and gender, and also a healthy dose of nigunim.
Building Intentional Spiritual Communities
A virtual event presentation by Rabbi Sid Schwarz
Please note event times are listed in PST.
EVENT CO-SPONSORED BY: Temple Emanuel
ABOUT THE EVENT:
America is suffering from a spiritual “deficit”. It has been made worse by social media, ideological polarization and an erosion of key parts of the American ethos. Rabbi Sid has been at the forefront of the synagogue transformation movement ever since the publication of his groundbreaking book, Finding a Spiritual Home: How a New Generation of Jews can Transform the American Synagogue (2000). This talk will offer a formula for turning synagogues into “covenantal communities” that can be transformational for individuals and for society.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER:
Rabbi Sid Schwarz is a social entrepreneur, author and teacher. He is currently a Senior Fellow at Adamah: People, Planet, Purpose (formerly, Hazon). Rabbi Sid directs the Clergy Leadership Incubator (CLI), a program that trains rabbis to be visionary spiritual leaders. He also created and directs the Kenissa: Communities of Meaning Network which is identifying, convening and building the capacity of emerging spiritual communities across the country. Rabbi Sid founded and led PANIM: The Institute for Jewish Leadership and Values for 21 years. Its work centeredon integrating Jewish learning, Jewish values and social responsibility. He is also the foundingrabbi of Adat Shalom Reconstructionist Congregation in Bethesda, MD where he continues toteach and lead services. Sid was awarded the prestigious Covenant Award for his pioneering work in the field of Jewish education and was named by Newsweek as one of the 50 most influential rabbis in North America. Sid's most recent book is Jewish Megatrends: Charting the Course of the American Jewish Future (Jewish Lights, 2013). His book, Finding a Spiritual Home: How a New Generation of Jews can Transform the American Synagogue (2000) is one of the seminal works in the field of synagogue transformation.
Who's the Anomaly? American Jews and Israel/Israelis in Contemporary Novels
A virtual event presentation by Professor Sylvia Barack Fishman
Please note the event times are listed in PST.
EVENT CO-SPONSORED BY: Congregation Or Tzion
ABOUT THE EVENT:
This class will draw on recent American and Israeli novels that portray what it's like to be a Jew in each country as well as changing relationships between Jews in America and Jews in Israel, as Jews in both countries feel threatened by unanticipated challenges.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER:
Sylvia Barack Fishman, Ph.D., is the Joseph and Esther Foster Professor of Judaic Studies, Emerita, in the Near Eastern and Judaic Studies Dept. at Brandeis University, and was the Founding Co-Director of the Hadassah Brandeis Institute. She is the author of eight books and numerous articles and book chapters on contemporary Jewish life and culture, and received the Marshall Sklare award from the Association for the Social Scientific Study of Jewry. Prof. Fishman served on the JOFA Board for many years and continues her active involvement.
Mussar in Recovery - A Jewish Spiritual Path to Serenity and Joy.
A virtual event presentation by Hannah L.
Please note event times are listed in PST.
ABOUT THE EVENT:
Hannah L. will draw on her personal experience to address misinformation and misunderstanding about addiction in the Jewish Community and show how Mussar wisdom and practice provides a blueprint for healing and wholeness. The ideas and solutions Hannah will share apply with the array of intoxicants that can isolate us - beyond substances, technology, food, work, gambling, perfectionism and co-dependence can all take us prisoner. Mussar in Recovery offers an accessible, practical solutions for anyone yearning to reconnect—with themselves, with their community and with the Divine.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER:
Hannah L. is a student and facilitator of the Mussar tradition who draws on 10+ years of living the Twelve Steps and learning Mussar. A scientist, inventor, innovator and explorer, she blends curiosity and creativity with heartfelt faith and love of Jewish wisdom. As a mother, grandmother, friend and mentor, Hannah lives with purpose, guided by the twin blueprints of Mussar and 12 Steps of Recovery.
Why Should Jews Care about Christianity, and Why Should Christians Care about Judaism?
A virtual event presentation by Professor Elias Sacks
Please note event times are listed in PST.
EVENT CO-SPONSORED BY: BMH-BJ
ABOUT THE EVENT:
What can Jews learn from Christianity, and what can Christians learn from Judaism? What might we gain from interreligious dialogue, and what challenges can such conversations pose? To what extent does a commitment to Judaism or Christianity benefit from—or perhaps even require—learning about the other tradition, and what sorts of risks might arise from these encounters? We will explore diverse answers to these questions, examining the changing ways in which Judaism and Christianity have interacted with one another, and wrestling with sources from the Hebrew Bible and New Testament to works of post-Holocaust theology.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER:
Elias Sacks is Associate Professor of Religious Studies and Jewish Studies at the University of Colorado Boulder, where he studies Jewish thought, philosophy of religion, Jewish-Christian relations, religious ethics, and religion and politics. He is the author of Moses Mendelssohn’s Living Script: Philosophy, Practice, History, Judaism (2017), as well as articles on medieval and modern thinkers including Mendelssohn, Moses Maimonides, Baruch Spinoza, Nachman Krochmal, Hermann Cohen, Franz Rosenzweig, and Jacob Taubes. Previously, Sacks served as Director of The Jewish Publication Society.
“What Is Truth?” — Torah, Narrative, and the Power of Framing
A hybrid (in-person & virtual) event presentation by Rabbi Marc Gitler
Please note event times are listed in MST
ABOUT THE EVENT:
This is the first session in a four-part series.
Truth, Media, and Propaganda - A timely look at misinformation, lashon hara, and the ethics of communication—especially in an age of social media and AI.
Session 1: “What Is Truth?” — Torah, Narrative, and the Power of Framing
An opening exploration of how truth is constructed, presented, and sometimes distorted. The class would examine biblical and rabbinic cases where facts, interpretation, and perspective blur together.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER:
Rabbi Marc Gitler serves as Senior Jewish Educator for Valley Beit Midrash and is the 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.