Brotherhood Breakfasts
Breakfast events are held on Sunday mornings, starting at 9:30 AM, with the speaker usually beginning his or her talk at 10:00 AM following the bagel and lox breakfast. General admission is $10 (free for Brotherhood members).
October 18th: Marc Brettler
“Social Justice in the Bible: The Jubilee Year and Isaiah”
We refer to Isaiah constantly, as we talk about our temple and our community, but we rarely stop to ask: Who was Isaiah? What did he do? Why did we choose to name our synagogue after him? As part of our 50th anniversary celebration, our Scholar-In-Residence, Dr. Marc Brettler, will teach us about the prophet Isaiah and his continuing relevance to our modern lives.
What does being religious mean in the Bible? Dr. Brettler will lead us through a variety of texts from the Torah, from the Prophets, and from Psalms that offer various answers to this question. What is the connection between rite, that is religious ritual, and right and ethics? What do various texts mean when they say that sacrifices and even prayer are worthless? What is the purpose of various practices, such as the jubilee year, when debts are remitted, and slaves are released? How typical is Isaiah's statement "Your new moons and fixed seasons Fill Me with loathing; They are become a burden to Me, I cannot endure them. And when you lift up your hands, I will turn My eyes away from you; Though you pray at length, I will not listen. Your hands are stained with crime"?
About the Speaker…
Marc Brettler is the Dora Golding Professor of Biblical Studies at Brandeis University. He has also taught in various adult Jewish education settings, including the Wexner Heritage Program and the innovative Me'ah program in Boston. A graduate of Brandeis University, he has published and lectured widely on metaphor and the Bible, the nature of biblical historical texts, and gender issues and the Bible. He is co-editor of the Jewish Study Bible, which won a National Jewish Book Award, and wrote How to Read the Jewish Bible, among other books and articles. He has contributed commentaries to all volumes of My People's Prayer Book, and to My People's Haggadah. He was interviewed on “Fresh Air” by Terry Gross.