Jewish Reconstructionist Federation

WHO'S THE SCHOLAR: Rabbi Richard Hirsh, author of The Rabbi-Congregation Relationship: A Vision for the 21st Century
and Executive Director of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association

WHERE: All events will take place at Keddem Congregation, 3900 Fabian Way, Palo Alto.

HOW TO REGISTER: Some events require pre-registration; please register by May 1st by contacting us at: 650-494-6400, or by sending e-mail to s-in-r@keddem.org. You are welcome to attend any individual service, meal or talk without attending others on the same day.

SPECIAL THANKS: This event was made possible by a generous donation from Dr. Victor Fuchs.

PROGRAM:

FRIDAY, MAY 16

“If Reconstructionist Judaism Was the Answer, What Was the Question?”

Rabbi Hirsh places Kaplan in his context, the goal being to see what can be extracted from that setting that remains relevant today, in an age of diminishing ideologies and denominationalism.

Service: 6:30-7:15 PM

Dinner: 7:30-8:30 PM (Reservations are required for dinner)

Talk: 8:30

SATURDAY, MAY 17

Torah study 9:00-10:00 AM

Rabbi Hirsh will lead Torah study on the portion of the week

“Meet Me at the Corner of Heart and Mind”

What would Judaism look like if we reconstructed it through an artistic/aesthetic lens of art, poetry, music, theatre, rather than through the prisms of philosophy, theology and sociology?

Service: 10:00 AM

Lunch: 12:00 noon (No charge, but reservations are appreciated)

Talk: 12:45 PM

Havdalah and pot-luck dessert get-together 8:00 PM

A short musical program, followed by informal discussion with Rabbi Hirsh

SUNDAY, MAY 18

“Talk Amongst Yourselves”

"Reconstructionism as ideology" confronts "Reconstructionism as Methodology." What makes a Reconstructionist community different from any other "warm, welcoming, inclusive, egalitarian, democratic" Jewish community?

Bagels and Coffee: 9:30 AM

Talk: 10:00 AM