As a people, Jews have a long and storied past. Probelm is, we can often become obsessed with it. Our laws and texts, so many of the rabbis and scholars we quote and study week after week are not just from our past but from humanity’s distant past. In each generation, we find ourselves interpreting and reinterpreting laws and ancient wisdom in an effort to make it resonate once again for our time. And yet, all the while the future of the Jewish people continues to unfold day after day with many Jews oblivious to changes, large and small.

Beyond the demographers, Jewish professionals and cultural anthropologists, how much time and energy do we spend on envisioning our Jewish future? Join us for the April edition of Torah on Tap as we step bodly into the future of Judaism and discuss what is possible. Some topics up for discussion:

•  Is there validity the dire projections of Judaism’s imminent demise as predicted by the 2013 Pew Report?
• What are some of the successful and emerging models of Jewish engagement?
• How is the role of the synagogue changing?

Please note, we will end at 5:15, to allow folks to get to CBI for the important Town Hall Meeting at 5:30.

Torah on Tap gives us a chance to learn, vent, share and, most of all, understand what 4,000 years of cultural development, debate and dialogue has to say about some of the issues that confront us today. Torah on Tap is free and open to all. Varying viewpoints are not only welcome, but encouraged.

In addition to drinks, Archetype also offers small, locally-made bites available for purchase, including Poppy Popcorn, Asheville Pretzel Company pretzels, and Hickory Nut Gap Farm meat sticks. Plenty of parking in the rear.

See you there!

Meet the Midrash
Wednesdays, noon to 1:00 pm
Published Tuesday, March 18, 2014 8:00 am

Out of the texts of the Torah, the Rabbis created teachings bringing deeper meanings to the wisdom of the Jewish people known as Midrash. Each week we will explore some of these teachings based on the weekly Torah portion. We will gain not only an understanding of what the Rabbis were teaching, but how and why they were able to offer these teachings. While there are many compilations of Midrash from different periods in Jewish history, we will focus our studies on Midrash Rabbah.

Wednesdays 12 noon – 1pm

Fridays, April 12, 19, & 26

Our informal discussion group meets every Friday from 12-1 in the CBI Library.  All are welcome to join us, regardless of their level of expertise or attendance at previous noon study group discussions.

Because we are taking our usual one-week break after completing a unit of study and because of the intervention of Passover, the Noon Study group will not meet on April 12, 19, and 26.

We will resume on May 3 with an investigation of the Gospel According to John.  Stay tuned for details.