Congregation B’nai Moshe is delighted to welcome Rabbi Elie Kaunfer as the inaugural speaker of the Sharlene and Seymour Ungar Scholar-in-Residence weekend. This weekend was made possible by the bequest of Seymour and Sharlene, who valued Jewish education.

Sharlene and Seymour Ungar Scholar-in-Residence Weekend

December 6 & 7, 2019

~ A Deeper Look at Rabbi Elie Kaunfer’s Topics ~

Friday, December 6:

How Can I Pray What I Don’t Believe? A Case Study

 We will analyze the first blessing of the amidah as a way of                                   approaching  the question: are traditional prayer formulas able to                     express my own values/ideas of prayer? What do you do when you                   "disagree" with the prayer's content? We will analyze the original                       Biblical context to help us connect to the prayer.

Saturday, December 7 Sermon:

Can Doubters Pray?

Does traditional Jewish prayer make room for people who have doubts about God and/or doubts about the efficacy of prayer? How might an approach to rethinking the meaning of the prayers open up new possibilities for the skeptics among us?

Saturday, December 7 Lunch and Learn:

The Mourner’s Kaddish – A New Interpretation

 Join us as we explore the essence of the kaddish, perhaps the most                       misunderstood prayer in Judaism. We will move on an interpretive                   journey that has implications for all prayers we say.   Along the way                 we will encounter the power of the Kaddish, a poignant depiction of                   God’s relationship with us, and what people can offer the Divine.

Saturday, December 7 Mincha/Ma’ariv:

Beyond Values and Identity: What Being a Jew Can Mean Today

 Jews often fret about survival and continuity, especially in this time.                 But what are we surviving for? What is the essence and nature of being           Jewish, and how is it relevant to our real lives? Together we will open               up new frames on what it means, or could mean, to be Jewish.