Text Study: Community Decision-Making
This handout is a text study of Talmud Bava Metzia 59b, the story of Akhnai’s oven. The discussion questions provided encourage participants to reflect on how decisions should […]
Text Study: The Need for Change
This text study links traditional Jewish sources and writers on organizational change to encourage participants to reflect on the nature of change in the congregation and why it […]
Text Study: When Does Speech Become Harmful?
This text study explores when speech can become harmful using texts from the Babylonian Talmud (Arakhin 15b-16a), the Bible (Leviticus 19:16, Psalms 34:13-14), and from two modern sources […]
Text Study: Taking the Long Way
This text study focuses on Exodus 13:17-18, which describes God leading the Israelites the “long way around” from Egypt through the wilderness. The questions provided guide participants to […]
Text Study: Engaging in the Study of Torah
This text study includes an excerpt from Joel Grishaver’s “Learning Torah” and an excerpt from Peter Senge’s “The Dance of Change.” The questions guide participants to reflect on […]
Text Study: Becoming the Wilderness
This text study explores the text “One who does not make himself like the wilderness, hefker, it is impossible for him to attain wisdom or Torah. Therefore, it […]