Radical Texts for an Unreasonable Time: An Approach to Activist Talmud Study

Join us for a lecture, text study, and discussion with Rabbi Benay Lappe while we explore what it means to include and give voice to folks in our community who have often been overlooked or unrecognized. Rabbi Lappe approaches the study of Talmud through the application of queer theory and guides learners in finding their own stories within the text. During this session, we hope to convey and grapple with the notion that identities that are best equipped to enhance the Jewish tradition may not be the mainstream ones that we're used to seeing represented at the front of the room.

Part of the Jewish Communal Leadership Program's  "WHAT NOW? Communal Conversations for Unreasonable Times" a weekend of provocative study and discussion that can help us meet this challenging moment. Programs run February 18th and 19th, and feature diversity educator Yavilah McCoy and Rabbi Benay Lappe.

RSVP here »

Rabbi Benay Lappe is Founder and Rosh Yeshiva of SVARA, a traditionally radical yeshiva based in Chicago that offers accessible, complex, and highly accountable traditional Jewish education from a Queer perspective. Ordained in 1997 by the Jewish Theological Seminary, Rabbi Lappe has founded multiple programs to support LGBTQ Jews of all ages, taught at six different universities, and been named by The Forward as one of America’s Most Inspiring Rabbis (2014). Rabbi Lappe is an award-winning educator, and a 2016 recipient of the prestigious Covenant Award and is an associate at two progressive Jewish think tanks (Institute for the Next Jewish Future and CLAL). While learning and teaching Talmud are Rabbi Lappe’s greatest passions, she is also a licensed pilot, shoemaker, and patent-holding inventor.

Presented as part of the Frankel Speakers Series with the generous support of the Covenant Foundation.   Co-sponsored by Jean & Samuel Frankel Center for Judaic Studies, Michigan Hillel, Department of America Culture, Dean's TBLG Matters Initiative, and AHAVA.