The Jewish Theological Seminary’s Rabbinic Training Institute (RTI) | Baltimore

Sun, Jan 10
2016

at Pearlstone Center

Reisterstown, MD
More Info / Registration

The Jewish Theological Seminary’s 31st annual Rabbinic Training Institute (RTI) will be held Sunday, January 10, through Thursday, January 14, 2016, at the Pearlstone Center on the outskirts of Baltimore, Maryland. The program begins at 3:00 pm on Sunday and concludes at 3:00 pm on Thursday.

For three decades, JTS’s Rabbinic Training Institute has been the premier continuing education program for Conservative rabbis in the field. RTI brings participants to an off-site location for a week of intellectual, professional, personal, and spiritual growth.

Jay will be teaching an evening seminar:

The Secrets of the Cherubs: Eros and Religion
Supposedly, the kruvim in the Holy of Holies were having sex in the middle of the Temple. Unfortunately, many rabbis have been doing the same thing lately — often with layers of abuse, exploitation, and self-destruction. In this session, we will move beyond the (important, crucial) boundaries we all must draw in positions of spiritual leadership, to explore the deeper connections between eros and spirit. We”ll cover predatory Zen roshis, Lilith, polytheism, polyamory, Snapchat Cam-Sex, the Zohar, hookup culture, charisma, Camille Paglia, and Bill Cosby. An open and robust conversation is intended.

Each day of RTI includes:

  • Text study with leading scholars and thinkers
  • Professional development with expert consultants
  • Small groups for personal and spiritual reflection led by professional facilitators
  • Communal tefillah and meals
  • Free time for individual reflection and the cultivation of one-on-one connections
  • Plenty of opportunities for socializing, relaxation, and fun
  • The backdrop of a beautiful pastoral setting conducive to deep learning, relationship building, and temporarily letting go of the daily urgency of professional concerns

The faculty for RTI 2016 will include:

  • Mary Jo Barrett, Executive Director, Center for Contextual Change
  • Rabbi Aryeh Ben David, Director, Ayeka: Center for Soulful Jewish Education
  • Rabbi Dr. Eliezer Diamond, Rabbi Judah Nadich Associate Professor of Talmud and Rabbinics, JTS
  • Professor Arnold M. Eisen, Chancellor, JTS
  • Dr. Mona Fishbane, Clinical Psychologist, Chicago Center for Family Health
  • Rabbi Dr. David Hoffman, Vice Chancellor and Chief Advancement Officer, JTS
  • Natalie Hyatt, President, Leading Growth
  • Judy Klitsner, Senior Lecturer, Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies
  • Rabbi Dr. Jay Michaelson, Affiliated Assistant Professor, Chicago Theological Seminary
  • Dr. Devora Steinmetz, Faculty, Drisha Institute for Jewish Education
  • Rev. Douglas Tanner, Founder and Senior Advisor, The Faith & Politics Institute
  • Rabbi Melissa Weintraub, Co-Director, Resetting the Table: Open Conversations on Israel, Jewish Council for Public Affairs