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Burstein Scholar-in-Residence Weekend
By Nora Renthal*
Torah
Bobbie and Maxwell Burstein continue to bring blessing and learning into our midst; this has never been more true than in this year’s Burstein Scholar-in-Residence Program with Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson, December 4-6, 2015.
The Scholar-in-Residence Program was founded in 1979 through the thoughtful generosity of Roberta and Maxwell Burstein, and this year, is one of many programs in honor of Rabbi Ronne Friedman. The lecture series brings outstanding Jewish scholarship to Temple Israel and the greater Boston Jewish community, working to broaden our educational program and celebrate learning as integral to vibrant Jewish living.
Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson holds the Abner and Roslyn Goldstine Dean’s Chair of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies at the American Jewish University in Los Angeles, California. He is also Vice President of the American Jewish University and teaches courses in Ancient & Medieval Jewish Philosophy and Modern & Contemporary Jewish Theology.
Rabbi Artson is a provocative Jewish thought-leader and exemplifies our value of finding continuous inspiration, inquiry, and discovery in the Torah. He is an active writer and speaker. His works connect Torah with modern physics, evolutionary biology, and a wholesome balance of logic and emotion. Rabbi Artston’s Qabbalat Shabbat lecture was entitled “Almighty? No Way! Embracing the God You Actually Love,” which outlined his belief that God does not exercise coercive power, but rather lures us to be continually self-surpassing with persuasive influence. His lecture was followed by an expanded Oneg Shabbat and Q&A session, with questions from the audience including, “why should we pray?” and “how is your spiritual outlook specifically Jewish?”
During Saturday morning Torah study, Rabbi Artson spoke on “Why Bad Things Happen,” delivering a session rich with textual references from Rambam and Mishnah Sanhedrin to Hellen Keller. This study was followed by an energetic Qiddush reception and opportunities for congregants to converse with Rabbi Artson and Rabbi Friedman.
Other sessions throughout the Scholar-in-Residence weekend included “Israel and the Diaspora in Contemporary Jewish Life” and “What’s the Future of American Judaism?” Rabbi Artson’s lectures are available for review on our website at: www.tisrael.org/adulteducation. For more information on Rabbi Bradly Artson, visit www.zieglertorah.org/category/artson.
and discovery in the Torah. ” *A Temple Israel member since 2014, Nora Renthal is mother to TI Religious School students Amber and Sawyer, and a pediatric endocrinologist at Boston Children’s Hospital.
