CTI 2024 Scholar In Residence Shabbaton

Featuring

Rabbi Dr. Joshua A. Berman

Professor of Tanakh

Bar-Ilan University

November 22 - 23, 2024

CTI is delighted to host Rabbi Dr. Joshua A. Berman as this year’s Scholar-In-Residence!

A graduate of Princeton University and of Yeshivat Har Etzion, Professor Berman is the author of Created Equal: How the Bible Broke with Ancient Political Thought (Oxford, 2008), which was a National Jewish Book Award Finalist in Scholarship, Inconsistency in the Torah: Ancient Literary Convention and the Limits of Source Criticism (Oxford, 2017), and Ani Maamin: Biblical Criticism, Historical Truth and the Thirteen Principles of Faith (Maggid, 2020). His most recent book is a commentary on the Book of Lamentations (Cambridge University Press, 2023). 

His articles on biblical theology and contemporary society have appeared in the pages of Mosaic Magazine and The Wall Street Journal.  He also served as a member of the International Advisory Board for the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C.

Professor Berman plans to deliver four talks during his visit, including one at a Communal Shabbat Dinner in the Dell JCC Community Hall on Friday, November 22. All other talks will be at the shul.

Shabbaton Agenda:

• Friday night Communal Dinner (immediately following services, at approximately 6:00PM.) Dinner is by advance registration only. The Cradle of Equality: The Torah as a Document of Political Thought -- Throughout the ancient world the truth was self-evident: All men were not created equal. The Torah appropriates and reconstitutes ancient norms and institutions to create a new blueprint for society. Theology, politics, and economics are marshalled anew to weaken traditional seats of power, and to create a homogeneous class of empowered common citizens. Much of this anticipates developments in the history of political thought that would recur only during the Enlightenment and in the thought of the American Founding Fathers.
• Shabbat morning: Anti-Semitism in Our Midst: What is our Response? -- This talk revolves around four themes: 1) The importance of public displays of our Judaism in our dress  wherever possible, and what we lose by hiding our identity; 2) Our capacity for kiddush shem-shamayim when we do display our Jewish identity; 3) the importance of realizing how much support we have in the wider community and the downsides of inflating the proportions of the problem; 4) the need to muster the courage to inwardly accept that institutions that we held in high esteem might not be worthy of that esteem in light of their positions on Israel.
• Saturday afternoon before Mincha, at 4:25PM: Only a Start-Up Nation Can Build the Beit Ha-Mikdash -- Although many think of the Beit Ha-Mikdash as simply a place for bringing sacrifices, the meaning and symbolism of the Mikdash in the Tanakh is deeply tied with Israel’s success in the eyes of the world—spiritually, politically and economically.
• Seudah Shlishit, 5:10PM: The Principles of Faith: A Brief History -- When did the idea of principles of faith begin in Judaism?  Why were there no lists of principles of faith beforehand?  What has “acceptance” of these principles meant in different generations?

If you have any questions please email Arthur Altman at ahaltman55@gmail.com

CTI is deeply grateful to the generous sponsors of this program:

Tayler and Joe Lonsdale

Bernie Groveman and Barbara Ancona

Camille and Sandy Kress

Myles Shaftel

Beth Steinberg and Sam Glassman

Isaac and Michelle Reitberger

Barb and Arthur Altman