Scholar in Residence | Stamford, CT

at Temple Sinai
458 Lakeside Drive
Stamford, CT

After Equality: Queering Jewish Theology
Progressive Jews are beyond “it is okay to be gay?” and have begun asking more interesting questions about the intersections of Judaism with queer sexualities and genders. So, what’s next after equality? Are there distinctively queer voices and perspectives which are beginning to enrich the Jewish conversation, much as women’s voices have done over the last generation? What are some of the ways to “queer” Jewish theological categories such as God, Torah, and Israel? What does it mean to “queer” Jewish text and theology? We”ll answer these questions experientially, by queerly reading a few Biblical texts on the subject of masculinity and heroism. Bring your minds sharp and hearts open, and prepare to learn something new!

iJudaism: Trendlines in 21st Century Jewish Affiliation — and why it might not be so bad.
Traditional Jewish institutions are in trouble. Affiliation is declining in non-Orthodox communities, denominations are going broke, federations are struggling to retain relevance, and the old model of the synagogue is increasingly being questioned. Is this the end of the Jewish world?

As someone who has been at the center of the post-whatever, independent/DIY Judaism phenomenon for over a decade, I see ours as a moment of great peril and great opportunity. Particularly among younger, educated Jews, there is a renaissance underway of new Jewish culture, spirituality, and identity. They are mixing and matching from different religions and cultures, and are no longer quite as enchanted with the Holy Trinity of antisemitism, Israel, and the Holocaust. Best of all, there is a lot that all of us (even those of us who like synagogues and denominations) can learn from this new, postmodern American Judaism — in our congregations, our homes, and our lives together.