Education Catalog Spring 2011
For All your Torah-Learning Needs

Class Descriptions

Below is the schedule of weekly shiurim, chaburot, and other learning opportunities for Spring Semester 2011. Stay tuned for updates, guest speakers, and other exciting events!All classes meet in the Beit Midrash (located in the basement of Shapiro Residence Hall Room 10B, Massel Quad) unless otherwise noted. Schedule changes will be publicized in BOO announcements.
If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, contact BOO Education Coordinator Dana Kandel (dkandel@brandeis.edu). You can also contact our Beit Midrash Coordinator, Yael Marks (ybm90@brandeis.edu).

Daily (Sun.-Fri.)
The Breakfast Club: Weekly Parasha at 9:00am
Yael Marks (ybm90@brandeis.edu)
and Adena Morgan (aemorgan@brandeis.edu)
There is no better way to pre‐game a busy day of schoolwork than with a 5-minute dose of Torah. The weekly Torah Parasha will present you with ideas on the portion that you have never before thought of! The events and actions of your week will be inspired by the stories of our ancestors. You will be actively counting down the days until Shabbos, awaiting to hear the parasha you have heard so much about read aloud in shul.

Sunday
SNL: Sunday Night Learning
Gabe Nemzow (gnemzow@brandeis.edu)
Sunday night…the evening preceding another hard week of homework and papers. What better way to cope with the brain‐drain than with a little Torah! Come down to the basement of Shapiro dorm (the Beit Midrash) for Sunday Night Learning from 7–8PM. There’s FREE PIZZA every week so grab a chavruta and enjoy some open learning! If you don’t have a special someone, you can be set up with a partner and some material with which to start.

Trei Asar at 7:30pm
Zack Sax (zsax@brandeis.edu)
This chabura will cover the Trei' Asar books by including each member in the learning process and general overview of the individual perakim. The goal is to cover ground while becoming more aware of the intricate stories and nuances these often glossed- over Nach stories present. Check out our Facebook group at http://tinyurl.com/625rcj9.


Monday
Miniseries: Meet the Majors at 8:00pm
Rabbi Kaplowitz (rabbikap@brandeis.edu)
Each time this class meets we will look at interesting Halachic and philosophic challenges presented by various careers and fields of study. Rabbi Kaplowitz will present textual material and a local professional in the field will talk about his/her personal experience. Fields to be studied include: law, medicine, and business.
*This will alternate weeks with the event below

Movies and Discussion with Toby 8:00pm
Toby Kaplowitz (toby@brandeis.edu)
JLIC Film Festival 2011
Join Toby at the Kaplowitz Cinema for 4 evenings of film, discussion and learning. We'll be viewing films and learning together about the halakhic (Jewish law) implications of the film as well as the possible Jewish moral and ethical issues raised. All are welcome and encouraged to attend.
*This will alternate weeks with the event above

Halakhic Man, Authentic Jew: Modern Expressions of Jewish Thought from Rav Soloveitchick and Rabbi Eliezer Berkovits at 9:00pm
Avi Snyder (asnyder8@brandeis.edu)
Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik and Rabbi Eliezer Berkovits were two of the leading Modern Orthodox thinkers of the 20th century. Yet despite their common denominational affiliation, their respective philosophies on a whole array of important issues diverge significantly. Through the lens of modern secular philosophy, we'll explore the thinking of these two gedolim on issues such as the philosophical justifications of halakha, Zionism, and theodicy. Speaking up and sharing your thoughts is highly encouraged. Stimulating discussions will be had!

Tuesday
Meet the Sages 8:00pm
Adena Morgan (aemorgan@brandeis.edu)
In this chaburah we will examine aggadot about Tanaim in hope to better understand their personalities and concerns.

Nechama Leibowitz on Sefer Bamidbar with Toby at 8:00pm
Toby Kaplowitz (toby@brandeis.edu)
Come learn Sefer Bamidbar in depth using the writings and insights of Nechama Leibowitz. This shiur will be held at the Kaplowitz residence.

Sephashki Chaburah at 8:00pm
Leah Naghi (nudnick9@brandeis.edu)
Sephardi and Ashki unite! No, we’re not starting a color war…we’re starting Sephashki Chaburah! We are seeking people who want to learn a little about their own minhagim (either ashkenazi or sephardic) for specific holidays and present them… Sephardi “vs” Ashki! If anyone would like to be a part of this super‐cool, multi‐cultural endeavor, please speak with Leah! You can help with: Cooking (yes, there will be delicious food). Topic ideas: Preparing a topic of your choice for each chabura (feel free to partner up). Researching the origins of minhagim and how they have developed over time. So ya’alah! Contact Leah if you’d like more info on planned topics! Get excited‐this is going to be awesome!! A joint program of Sephardi Party and BOO Education.

Women in Jewish Law class (men only) at 9:00pm
Toby (toby@brandeis.edu)
Rabbi Kaplowitz (rabbikap@brandeis.edu)
The role of women in Jewish Law raises many interesting questions and provides great insight into the workings of the Halachic system. In this class open to men only we will explore a number of topics of women in Jewish law – looking at the development from Talmudic sources through contemporary scholars. Topics to be studied include: Kol Ishah, Tzniut, Women’s Tefilah Groups, hair covering, and much more. This shiur will be held at the Kaplowitz residence.

Wednesday
What’s Brewing? at 5:00pm
Rabbi Kaplowitz (rabbikap@brandeis.edu)
Join us each week for a different brew—we will switch between the Stein and Einstein’s—as we study the weekly parsha together. Drinks are on the Rabbi!
*There will be non‐alcoholic drinks available.
Note: This meets alternately between the Stein and Einstein’s.
Through Midrashic Eyes: A Parsha Chabura at 8:15pm
Shani Rosenbaum (shani@brandeis.edu)
This weekly chaburah will aim to uncover new depths of understanding in the Parsha, using the lens of the rabbinic exegetical wonder known as Midrash. Each week, we will explore the Midrash’s understanding of the ideas underlying the Torah’s text, learning to identify the problems and subtexts the Midrash reveals and opening doors to new understanding of the Parsha, G‐d, and the human situation.

Malbim on Esther at 9:00pm
Liora Mendelsberg (lmberg@brandeis.edu)
Ever wonder what makes Megillat Esther such an important story that we are required to read it twice in a period of less than 24 hours? This weekly chaburah will take a look at the Malbim's interpretation of the Purim story in order to come to a deeper understanding of what exactly happened in those days and why it is so significant today.

Thursday
Beit Midrash hours with Rabbi Kaplowitz at 8:30–10:00pm
Rabbi Kaplowitz (rabbikap@brandeis.edu)
Rabbi Kaplowitz will be available in the Beit Midrash to answer questions about your learning or to schmooze. To set up a learning time within or outside of these hours, contact Rabbi Kaplowitz.

Mishmar at 10:20pm
Rebecca Pollack (rpollack@brandeis.edu)
Come enjoy words of Torah from your friends and eat delicious chulent every Thursday night! Each week will feature a Dvar Torah given by a different student followed by a yummy treat. Mishmar is a great way to share and gain from friends while participating in a long‐standing tradition. Please contact Rebecca if you are interested in speaking at Mishmar.

Niggun Seminar at 10:50pm
Jacob Chatinover (jchat564@brandeis.edu)
Ethan Goldberg (ecgold@brandeis.edu)
Stick around after Mishmar for some tunes and Torah! We will share niggunim* from various times and places in the Jewish experience, and commentaries on their texts. If you would like to lead a Niggun Seminar.
*A niggun is a sometimes‐wordless melody that has the power to feed the hungry and bring world peace.

Shabbat
Eim HaBanim Semeichah Chaburah at 1:30pm
Avi Fuld (avifuld@brandeis.edu)
Pinchus Polack (pinchusp@brandeis.edu)
A group discussion which focuses on the profound zionist insights made by Rabbi Teichtel, in his ground‐breaking novel, Eim HaBanim Semeichah. Discussions will include many different questions about Zionism, such as: are we allowed to populate Eretz Yisrael? Should we make aliyah? How can moshiach be brought with a secular government? We will meet this Shabbat for the first time. We will be having a general overview and discussion of the sefer.

Practical Hilchot Shabbat at 2:30pm
Eitan Mosenkis (emosenkis@brandeis.edu)
This chaburah studies the laws of Shabbat on a practical level and the concepts involved using the book Shmirat Shabbat Kehilchatah. Copies of the book are made available in both English and Hebrew.

Mussar Vad at 3:30pm
Rocky Reichman (rockster@brandeis.edu)
MUSSAR Group Study is rooted in the core principles of Judaism’s MUSSAR Tradition. As a follow‐up to MUSSAR Group Study, practical tools are introduced based on the topics being studied in order to apply the topics to daily living. The goal is to help, guide, and motivate all to improve the qualities of both our interpersonal interactions and, by extension, our inner essence. Thus, we will be nurturing the good spirit of our souls and bettering this world!

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LOOKING FOR SOME ONE‐ON‐ONE TORAH TIME?
Get yourself a Chavruta!
Talk to a friend and set up a time to learn from one of the multitudes of books in the Beit Midrash. Whether it’s the weekly parasha, the laws of brachot, or Jewish philosophy, grab a partner and enjoy the friendly atmosphere in the Beit Midrash, located in the basement of Shapiro Dormitory.

Looking to get closer with someone over some Torah‐talk? Contact BOO Beit Midrash Coordinator Yael Marks at ybm90@brandeis.edu to be set up with someone who will not only be your chavruta but will became a friend as well.
Want to Get Involved?

Do you have some Torah to share? Take the plunge and give a Dvar Torah on Shabbos, speak at Mishmar, or give an impromptu shiur.

To give a Dvar Torah, please contact Gabrielle Kaplan at gkaplan@brandeis.edu
To give Mishmar, please contact Zahvi Glasenberg at zglasenb@brandeis.edu
For more ways to get your amazing ideas heard, please contact BOO Education Coordinator Dana Kandel at dkandel@brandeis.edu.

Torat Emet
If you are interested in writing for Torat Emet, BOO’s weekly Torah publication, please contact Michelle Kaplow (mkaplow@brandeis.edu) or Tali Puterman (taliput@brandeis.edu)

Leining
To volunteer to read the Torah, contact Ora Gold (goldtz@brandeis.edu).