Friday, September 25,  12-1 

 Last week, our study group examined Chapters 2-5 of Finkelstein and Silberman’s The Bible Unearthed.  We began with a brief consideration of the possibility of re-titling our subject of study.  A few of us thought that the title The Bible Unearthed suggested a search for empirical evidence that lent credence to the narratives recorded in the Hebrew Bible.  Five chapters into this text, it appears that the title The Bible Debunked might be more appropriate because it appears as though Finkelstein and Silberman seem more dedicated to demonstrating that the narratives recorded in the Hebrew Bible are a constructed fiction.  Their method seems to be 1) offer readers an overview of the Biblical narrative (e.g. Joshua’s ”conquest” of Canaan or King David’s rise to power); 2) present readers with a record of archaeological explorations of regions related to the Biblical narrative and plausible historical speculation that emerged as a result of such exploration  (e.g. Israelites were nomadic shepherds who ”gradually infiltrated Canaan and settled there or King Solomon constructed magnificent buildings in Jerusalem); 3) supplying readers with a record of archaeological evidence that essentially negates all such historical speculation (e.g. Israelites were NOT Joshua’s invading armies nomadic shepherds but instead were long-time peasant residents who rebelled against their feudal overlords  or there is no archaeological evidence of King David’s armies or King Solomon’s magnificent palace and Temple).  

Some of the points made by our authors in the material we read last week included:

• the ethnic identity of the Israelites grew slowly among the inhabitants of Canaan who lived not in major cities but small self-sufficient agricultural villages

• the emergence of early Israel was an outcome of the collapse of Canaanite culture, not the cause of it.

• there was no mass exodus from Egypt and no violent conquest of Canaan.  Most  Israelites were local people who were originally Canaanite.

• One factor that distinguished Israelite settlements from those of other inhabitants of the region (e.g. Moabites or Ammonites) was the absence of pig bones.

• the arrival of of monarchy of King David broke a cycle of sin–divine retribution–salvation–sin, etc.  The stories told of Kings David and Solomon depicted a Golden Age.

•  even though there is physical evidence of the existence of these kings, the Golden Age was clearly idealized

• compilers of the Hebrew Bible during the time of King Josiah (7th c. BCE) constructed stories of a mythical Golden Age that were based on theological and political hopes of a united monarchy  

When our group gathers on September 25, we will begin a discussion of Part Two, chapters 6 and 7, of The Bible Unearthed (pp. 149-195), in which our authors present the main outlines of the rise, fall, and rebirth of Israel from 930 -842 BCE  with a perspective quite different from the Biblical narrative.

Our informal discussion group is held online every Friday from 12-1.  All are welcome to join us, regardless of their level of expertise or attendance at previous noon study group discussions. If you have questions, or would like the Zoom link, please contact Jay Jacoby at  jbjacoby@uncc.edu.

Just as healthy foods nourish us through the blood stream, so Jewish meditation nourishes our “soul stream.” Meditation can be transformative, taking us from the intellectual awareness of ourselves to a deeper spiritual practice that links us to Judaism in the most profound way. Each mitzvah, holy day and cycle of life has its own rhythm, nuance, taste and character. Jewish meditation is a practice of infusing their essence into our daily spiritual lives.

Ready to give it a try? Join us via Zoom (every Sunday from 2:30pm – 4pm. No previous meditation experience necessary.  This opportunity is free and open to all. Please contact Linda Wolf at linda@networktype.com for the online meeting information.

Friday, September 25,  12-1 

 Last week, our study group examined Chapters 2-5 of Finkelstein and Silberman’s The Bible Unearthed.  We began with a brief consideration of the possibility of re-titling our subject of study.  A few of us thought that the title The Bible Unearthed suggested a search for empirical evidence that lent credence to the narratives recorded in the Hebrew Bible.  Five chapters into this text, it appears that the title The Bible Debunked might be more appropriate because it appears as though Finkelstein and Silberman seem more dedicated to demonstrating that the narratives recorded in the Hebrew Bible are a constructed fiction.  Their method seems to be 1) offer readers an overview of the Biblical narrative (e.g. Joshua’s ”conquest” of Canaan or King David’s rise to power); 2) present readers with a record of archaeological explorations of regions related to the Biblical narrative and plausible historical speculation that emerged as a result of such exploration  (e.g. Israelites were nomadic shepherds who ”gradually infiltrated Canaan and settled there or King Solomon constructed magnificent buildings in Jerusalem); 3) supplying readers with a record of archaeological evidence that essentially negates all such historical speculation (e.g. Israelites were NOT Joshua’s invading armies nomadic shepherds but instead were long-time peasant residents who rebelled against their feudal overlords  or there is no archaeological evidence of King David’s armies or King Solomon’s magnificent palace and Temple).  

Some of the points made by our authors in the material we read last week included:

• the ethnic identity of the Israelites grew slowly among the inhabitants of Canaan who lived not in major cities but small self-sufficient agricultural villages

• the emergence of early Israel was an outcome of the collapse of Canaanite culture, not the cause of it.

• there was no mass exodus from Egypt and no violent conquest of Canaan.  Most  Israelites were local people who were originally Canaanite.

• One factor that distinguished Israelite settlements from those of other inhabitants of the region (e.g. Moabites or Ammonites) was the absence of pig bones.

• the arrival of of monarchy of King David broke a cycle of sin–divine retribution–salvation–sin, etc.  The stories told of Kings David and Solomon depicted a Golden Age.

•  even though there is physical evidence of the existence of these kings, the Golden Age was clearly idealized

• compilers of the Hebrew Bible during the time of King Josiah (7th c. BCE) constructed stories of a mythical Golden Age that were based on theological and political hopes of a united monarchy  

When our group gathers on September 25, we will begin a discussion of Part Two, chapters 6 and 7, of The Bible Unearthed (pp. 149-195), in which our authors present the main outlines of the rise, fall, and rebirth of Israel from 930 -842 BCE  with a perspective quite different from the Biblical narrative.

Our informal discussion group is held online every Friday from 12-1.  All are welcome to join us, regardless of their level of expertise or attendance at previous noon study group discussions. If you have questions, or would like the Zoom link, please contact Jay Jacoby at  jbjacoby@uncc.edu.

Just as healthy foods nourish us through the blood stream, so Jewish meditation nourishes our “soul stream.” Meditation can be transformative, taking us from the intellectual awareness of ourselves to a deeper spiritual practice that links us to Judaism in the most profound way. Each mitzvah, holy day and cycle of life has its own rhythm, nuance, taste and character. Jewish meditation is a practice of infusing their essence into our daily spiritual lives.

Ready to give it a try? Join us via Zoom (every Sunday from 2:30pm – 4pm. No previous meditation experience necessary.  This opportunity is free and open to all. Please contact Linda Wolf at linda@networktype.com for the online meeting information.

Friday, September 25,  12-1 

 Last week, our study group examined Chapters 2-5 of Finkelstein and Silberman’s The Bible Unearthed.  We began with a brief consideration of the possibility of re-titling our subject of study.  A few of us thought that the title The Bible Unearthed suggested a search for empirical evidence that lent credence to the narratives recorded in the Hebrew Bible.  Five chapters into this text, it appears that the title The Bible Debunked might be more appropriate because it appears as though Finkelstein and Silberman seem more dedicated to demonstrating that the narratives recorded in the Hebrew Bible are a constructed fiction.  Their method seems to be 1) offer readers an overview of the Biblical narrative (e.g. Joshua’s ”conquest” of Canaan or King David’s rise to power); 2) present readers with a record of archaeological explorations of regions related to the Biblical narrative and plausible historical speculation that emerged as a result of such exploration  (e.g. Israelites were nomadic shepherds who ”gradually infiltrated Canaan and settled there or King Solomon constructed magnificent buildings in Jerusalem); 3) supplying readers with a record of archaeological evidence that essentially negates all such historical speculation (e.g. Israelites were NOT Joshua’s invading armies nomadic shepherds but instead were long-time peasant residents who rebelled against their feudal overlords  or there is no archaeological evidence of King David’s armies or King Solomon’s magnificent palace and Temple).  

Some of the points made by our authors in the material we read last week included:

• the ethnic identity of the Israelites grew slowly among the inhabitants of Canaan who lived not in major cities but small self-sufficient agricultural villages

• the emergence of early Israel was an outcome of the collapse of Canaanite culture, not the cause of it.

• there was no mass exodus from Egypt and no violent conquest of Canaan.  Most  Israelites were local people who were originally Canaanite.

• One factor that distinguished Israelite settlements from those of other inhabitants of the region (e.g. Moabites or Ammonites) was the absence of pig bones.

• the arrival of of monarchy of King David broke a cycle of sin–divine retribution–salvation–sin, etc.  The stories told of Kings David and Solomon depicted a Golden Age.

•  even though there is physical evidence of the existence of these kings, the Golden Age was clearly idealized

• compilers of the Hebrew Bible during the time of King Josiah (7th c. BCE) constructed stories of a mythical Golden Age that were based on theological and political hopes of a united monarchy  

When our group gathers on September 25, we will begin a discussion of Part Two, chapters 6 and 7, of The Bible Unearthed (pp. 149-195), in which our authors present the main outlines of the rise, fall, and rebirth of Israel from 930 -842 BCE  with a perspective quite different from the Biblical narrative.

Our informal discussion group is held online every Friday from 12-1.  All are welcome to join us, regardless of their level of expertise or attendance at previous noon study group discussions. If you have questions, or would like the Zoom link, please contact Jay Jacoby at  jbjacoby@uncc.edu.

Just as healthy foods nourish us through the blood stream, so Jewish meditation nourishes our “soul stream.” Meditation can be transformative, taking us from the intellectual awareness of ourselves to a deeper spiritual practice that links us to Judaism in the most profound way. Each mitzvah, holy day and cycle of life has its own rhythm, nuance, taste and character. Jewish meditation is a practice of infusing their essence into our daily spiritual lives.

Ready to give it a try? Join us via Zoom (every Sunday from 2:30pm – 4pm. No previous meditation experience necessary.  This opportunity is free and open to all. Please contact Linda Wolf at linda@networktype.com for the online meeting information.

Friday, September 25,  12-1 

 Last week, our study group examined Chapters 2-5 of Finkelstein and Silberman’s The Bible Unearthed.  We began with a brief consideration of the possibility of re-titling our subject of study.  A few of us thought that the title The Bible Unearthed suggested a search for empirical evidence that lent credence to the narratives recorded in the Hebrew Bible.  Five chapters into this text, it appears that the title The Bible Debunked might be more appropriate because it appears as though Finkelstein and Silberman seem more dedicated to demonstrating that the narratives recorded in the Hebrew Bible are a constructed fiction.  Their method seems to be 1) offer readers an overview of the Biblical narrative (e.g. Joshua’s ”conquest” of Canaan or King David’s rise to power); 2) present readers with a record of archaeological explorations of regions related to the Biblical narrative and plausible historical speculation that emerged as a result of such exploration  (e.g. Israelites were nomadic shepherds who ”gradually infiltrated Canaan and settled there or King Solomon constructed magnificent buildings in Jerusalem); 3) supplying readers with a record of archaeological evidence that essentially negates all such historical speculation (e.g. Israelites were NOT Joshua’s invading armies nomadic shepherds but instead were long-time peasant residents who rebelled against their feudal overlords  or there is no archaeological evidence of King David’s armies or King Solomon’s magnificent palace and Temple).  

Some of the points made by our authors in the material we read last week included:

• the ethnic identity of the Israelites grew slowly among the inhabitants of Canaan who lived not in major cities but small self-sufficient agricultural villages

• the emergence of early Israel was an outcome of the collapse of Canaanite culture, not the cause of it.

• there was no mass exodus from Egypt and no violent conquest of Canaan.  Most  Israelites were local people who were originally Canaanite.

• One factor that distinguished Israelite settlements from those of other inhabitants of the region (e.g. Moabites or Ammonites) was the absence of pig bones.

• the arrival of of monarchy of King David broke a cycle of sin–divine retribution–salvation–sin, etc.  The stories told of Kings David and Solomon depicted a Golden Age.

•  even though there is physical evidence of the existence of these kings, the Golden Age was clearly idealized

• compilers of the Hebrew Bible during the time of King Josiah (7th c. BCE) constructed stories of a mythical Golden Age that were based on theological and political hopes of a united monarchy  

When our group gathers on September 25, we will begin a discussion of Part Two, chapters 6 and 7, of The Bible Unearthed (pp. 149-195), in which our authors present the main outlines of the rise, fall, and rebirth of Israel from 930 -842 BCE  with a perspective quite different from the Biblical narrative.

Our informal discussion group is held online every Friday from 12-1.  All are welcome to join us, regardless of their level of expertise or attendance at previous noon study group discussions. If you have questions, or would like the Zoom link, please contact Jay Jacoby at  jbjacoby@uncc.edu.

Just as healthy foods nourish us through the blood stream, so Jewish meditation nourishes our “soul stream.” Meditation can be transformative, taking us from the intellectual awareness of ourselves to a deeper spiritual practice that links us to Judaism in the most profound way. Each mitzvah, holy day and cycle of life has its own rhythm, nuance, taste and character. Jewish meditation is a practice of infusing their essence into our daily spiritual lives.

Ready to give it a try? Join us via Zoom (every Sunday from 2:30pm – 4pm. No previous meditation experience necessary.  This opportunity is free and open to all. Please contact Linda Wolf at linda@networktype.com for the online meeting information.

With so much of CBI’s programming unavoidably cancelled, we’re working hard to find ways we can support each other as a community when we can’t be together in person. Please join me this Sunday, April 26, at 4:00pm, when we will be holding Torah on Tap via Zoom. A link to the online discussion group is below.  Zoom is easy to use and will let us see and hear each other as we speak.  If you haven’t already downloaded Zoom to your computer or phone, you must do so before joining the meeting on Sunday at 4:00pm.  You only need to download Zoom once, after that you simply log in, always using the same Meeting ID: 819 7668 2790.  Easy instructions are below this message. This is a temporary measure to keep us all connected while we can’t be together physically. Alan Silverman Torah on Tap Host Instructions for Downloading Zoom The first time you ever use Zoom on a computer, do the following: Go to https://zoom.us Hover over (don’t click) “RESOURCES” on the top right and then click “Download Zoom Client” from the drop-down menu that appears Click “Download” under “Zoom Client for Meetings” If it asks you to allow it to download “zoom.us”, click “Allow” or “Yes” Open the downloaded file and follow the instructions to install Zoom on your computer The first time you ever use Zoom on a smart phone, do the following: Go to the App Store and find “Zoom Cloud Meetings” and download it (it is free) Instructions for attending Torah on Tap on CBI’s Zoom Account: Right before the start of services, either go to https://zoom.us on your computer or open your Zoom app on your smartphone Click “Join a Meeting” Type in this Meeting ID: 819 7668 2790 and click “Join” If you’re using the computer and Zoom asks you to allow it to open “zoom.us”, click “Allow” or “Yes” or “Open” and then click “Join With Computer Audio” If you’re using a smart phone and Zoom asks you to allow using the microphone/camera, allow it If it says “Waiting for the host to start this meeting”, just wait a few minutes for Alan to start the meeting Unless you’ve been out of the country for the last several weeks, you probably know that there’s some pretty important proceedings taking place in our nation’s capitol. In the 230-year history of the American presidency, only two sitting presidents have been impeached. President Trump may well be the third. The historicity of the proceedings, however, pale in comparison to real underlying battle. This is not just an investigation to determine whether impeachable offenses occurred; it is a tug war between strength and morality, and it’s as old as humanity itself. Join us this Sunday as we look at the dynamics of accountability from a Jewish perspective. More specifically, we will consider one very particular confrontation involving Rabbi Shimon ben Shetach and King Yannai. “Why is a king of Israel “not judged” [Mishnah Sanhedrin 2:1]? Because of what once happened.”  Intrigued? Wait until you see how many parallels there are between this 2,100-year-old Talmudic tale and what is happening now in our country. To see how the story unfolds and to unlock the universal lessons it holds, join us this Sunday at Archetype Brewing (the former Habitat Tavern, 174 Broadway St., Asheville). Rabbi Justin will help us understand this epic power struggle between the executive and legislative branches of ancient Israel. This program is free and open to all. Differing opinions are not only welcomed but encouraged. Non-alcoholic beverages are available, there is ample parking in the Moog Music parking lot off Bordeau Pl. Looking forward to seeing you there!!

Join us on the last Sunday of the month online for a refreshing and often provocative discussion. Each month, we take on a new topic – often ripped from the headlines of today’s news. We spend the first 45 minutes wrapping our arms around it, defining it, dissecting and analyzing it from various viewpoints. Then we spend the rest of the time discussing it from Judaism’s point of view.

• What’s Judaism’s take on universal healthcare?
• Would Moses walk the streets of Chicago today packing heat?
• Is it okay to punch a white supremacist?

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.

See you there!