Scholar in Residence

I would love to come to your community to teach and learn from you as  a Scholar in Residence or Visiting Teacher. I am available for one day or weekend programs.

I have varied presentations on many different subjects. Topics include:

Unique commentaries on the holidays and festivals:

  • The Four Children of the Haggdah: Brilliant Rabbinic Wisdom and Tragic Rabbinic Mistake
  • The Two Most Important Words of the Entire Seder (Hint: They are Found in the Four Questions)
  • How the Rabbis Rewrote the Book of Esther or “I have a Feeling We’re Not in Shushan Anymore“
  • Two Hanukkah Songs that Should Never Be Sung Together (But We Do!)

Jewish Lessons from Popular Culture:

  • From Allan Sherman to Harry Chapin to Jimmy Buffett: Music and Midrash.
  • The Foul Lines as a Jewish Symbol: Judaism’s deep Spiritual Connection to Baseball
  • Great moments in classic TV Sitcoms and the Jewish lessons they provide
  •  Close Encounters of the Third Kind, E.T. and Contact: Reflections on Our Obsession with Searching the Heavens

Discussions on Jewish Ritual:

  • The Contemporary Meaning of Bar and Bat Mitzvah (With Help from Episodes from Situation Comedies)
  • A Study of the 7 Wedding Blessings
  • Smell O Israel! The importance of the sense of smell as reflected in traditional Jewish Texts

Study of Midrash on Torah Narratives:

  •   The Long Road to Mt. Moriah: The Binding of Isaac
  •   The Family Comes Together: Joseph and His Brothers Reunite
  •   Angels and Grasshoppers: The Story of the 12 Spies
  • The Curious Incident on Mt. Sinai: Moses and the Breaking of the Tables

Personal Reflections and Storytelling:

  • The Great-Uncle I never knew: How A Stunning Discovery of Family History led to An Unforgettable Journey and Serious Soul-Searching
  • Lessons Learned from Decades of Involvement in Interfaith Dialogue
  • The Significance of Human Rights Work in Today’s Rabbinate
  • The Rabbi and the Orangutans: Spiritual Reflections of a Zoo Volunteer.

These and other topics will provide an engaging, educational and inspirational experience for your community.