Click our logo, above, to return to our main page. See below for Spring Zman registration; class details are below the form for reference, listed in order of the date of the first session, and additional information about faculty will be at the bottom of the page. Please note that this registration form is only for general public classes. If you would like to register for a private Talmud shiur, please use this form. To sign up for our Yiddish poetry translation workshop, click here. Registration for our girls' classes is in the webstore.

Crafting the Seder: Storytelling as a Path Toward Shared Freedom

What does it mean to see ourselves as personally leaving Egypt? What does it mean to be free? The haggadah gives us a script for bringing these questions to life. By contributing our own voices, our own stories, we collectively begin to experience the answers.

In this workshop we'll explore some of the foundational storytelling of the haggadah, as well as interpretations from Hasidic teachers and spiritual poets. Then, we will craft storytelling objects to use during the seder based on our own unique perspectives, that connect us to the seder experience, to our own sense of freedom, and to each other.

Learners of all ages are welcome - we think adults and children ages 7 and up will get the most out of this workshop, but younger ones will still enjoy crafting alongside adults! No prior experience with art making of any kind is required - beginning makers are very welcome!

Materials

All you need is plain printer paper and a writing implement 

Next level options include: 

  • Markers, colored pencils
  • Watercolor paints, brushes and watercolor paper
  • Collage paper, scissors and glue
  • Flat-ish stones or plain children’s blocks and acrylic craft paints and brushes.

Introduction to the Study of the Mishnah:
Tractate Bava Kamma

with Mr. Joel Silber
6 Mondays beginning 1/30

*note new dates*

Jan. 30; Feb. 13; Feb. 27; Mar. 13, 20, 27
11AM ET

Explore the first gate of the Mishnah's Order of Damages with Harvard-educated attorney, Mr. Joel Silber, learning the ins and outs of Rabbinic rationale as relayed through the foundational work of Oral Torah. 

*This class meets in a private Zoom; recordings are only available to registered participants, not the general public.* 

In memory of Rifka Rosenwein z"l



The Sound of Silence?

 with Ms. Miriam Gedwiser
3 Mondays beginning 1/30
8PM ET

R. Shimon ben Gamliel notes in Pirkei Avot that "I have not found better for a person than silence."  What is the role of silence, or desisting from speech, in Jewish law and thought?  We will explore this question through a variety of test cases, from hilkhot shabbat to aggadot.



The Poetics of Mishnah:
Themes and Structures

with Rabbi Avraham Walfish
and Rabbanit Adina Sternberg
8 Tuesdays beginning 1/31
9:30AM ET

This course, while designed as a continuation of last semester's course on the methodology of Mishnah study, stands on its own, and will be accessible to those who did not participate in the previous course.  The premise of the course is that close reading techniques, such as  keywords and literary structures, enable the student of Mishnah to discern the ways in which apparently disparate units are woven together to produce a coherent text. In this course, we will focus on larger Mishnah units, examining how chapters are woven together to produce "divisions" (groups of chapters) and tractates, and develop the "big ideas" which the halakhic and aggadic materials seek to express.  In accordance with the theme of this semester, we will focus on texts that address the issue of piety and its interactions with other Jewish values. 

In memory of Rifka Rosenwein z"l



The Nazir: Sanctity and Separateness

with Rabbi David Silber
8 Thursdays beginning 2/2
9:30AM ET

Within Jewish tradition there are a range of views concerning the nazir. The sessions will focus on the biblical view(s) of the Nazarite as it emerges from the description of the nazir of in the sixth chapter of Bamidbar, as well as biblical narratives and prophetic allusions. This will be followed by an examination of rabbinic texts on the same subject.



Conversations on the Parashah

8 Thursdays beginning 2/2
12:30PM ET

Join core Drisha faculty for weekly investigations in Parashat haShavua. Faculty will lead sessions on a rotating basis, each bringing their insights and methodologies of learning to the conversation.



The Postmodern Piety of Rav Shagar

 with Rabbi Zachary Truboff
8 Thursdays beginning 2/2
2:00PM ET

Rav Shagar is considered one of the most innovative Jewish thinkers of the last few decades. His writings creatively unite Torah with secular philosophy and postmodern thought to reconstruct a passionate Jewish religiosity for a new age. This class will explore how he conceives of faith in the 21st century along with topics such as prayer, zealotry, and messianism.



Journey Through Genesis: Joseph and Jacob

with Rabbi David Silber
8 Sundays beginning 2/5
10:00AM ET

A continuation of our ongoing Journey Through Genesis, this class will offer an examination of the great narrative of Joseph and his brothers through a close reading of chapters 43-48 of Genesis. Particular attention will be paid to the role of Jacob as he departs to Egypt.



Midrash on the Parashah

with Rabbi Dr. Samuel Lebens

Sundays beginning 2/5

1:00PM ET

A deceptively simple description for this course: each week, we'll explore a number of Midrashim on the weekly Torah reading, in order to get a better sense of what one might call the "Rabbinic imagination."

*Class will not meet on March 5th*

*Class will begin at 1:30PM on March 19th*



The Haftarah as Intertext

with Dr. R. Jon Kelsen
8 Wednesdays beginning 2/8
7:00AM ET

Far from a mere afterthought or drop-in, the institution of the haftarah is actually of tremendous importance in the practice of communal Torah study. The pairing of selected passages from the Nevi'im with the weekly Torah reading constitutes a ritualized act of interpretation; among other functions, the haftarah acts as an inter-text with the parashah, interpreting, nuancing, and dialoguing with the Torah. In this series, we will investigate the weekly haftarah, seeking to understand what it teaches us about the parashah, and how it broadens our understanding of its message.

*This class meets in a private Zoom.*



A Hasid in Medieval Garb: Piety and Popular Religion in Ashkenaz and Beyond

with Dr. Rachel Furst
8 Wednesdays beginning 2/8
1:00PM ET

Sefer Hasidim, a thirteenth-century book of exegesis, halakhah, narrative vignettes, and moral advice has fascinated and mystified generations of readers. Although the work is vivid in its depiction of medieval life, it is unclear whether it represents a pietistic society that actually existed or simply the aspirations of a small, elite group of ascetics. In this course, we will examine this classic text with particular attention to its definitions of pious behavior and devout belief, as well as its prescriptions for shaping a virtuous society.



"Listen, Dear, Esteemed, Pious Women"

with Rabbanit Leah Sarna
3 Wednesdays beginning 3/1
8:00PM ET

"Who has ever heard of or seen such a novelty; has it ever happened in countless years, that a woman has written something of her own accord? And she has read numerous verses and midrashim" wrote the printer, Gersom, the son of Rabbi Bezalel Katz, in Prague in 1609 about Rabbanit Rebecca bat Meir and her book, the Meneket Rivkah. Join Rabbanit Leah Sarna for an exploration of what might be the first printed sefer authored by a Jewish woman. The book is originally in Yiddish, but this class will be working out of the 2008 English translation by Dr. Frauke von Rohden (scans will be provided) entitled Meneket Rivkah:  A Manual of Wisdom and Piety for Jewish Women.



About our presenters...

Rabbi David Silber is the founder and dean of Drisha Institute for Jewish Education in New York and Israel. Rabbi Silber received ordination from the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary. He is a recipient of the Covenant Award, for excellence in innovative Jewish education, and is the author of A Passover Haggadah: Go Forth and Learn (Jewish Publication Society 2011), For Such a Time as This: Biblical Reflections in the Book of Esther (Koren Publishers 2017), and Malkhut Adam: Iyunim Bsefer Shmuel (Maggid 2021). He is also a nationally acclaimed lecturer on the Bible. Rabbi Silber is married to Dr. Devora Steinmetz. They have eight children and live in New York City.

Rabbanit Leah Sarna is the Associate Director of Education and Director of High School Programs at Drisha. She previously served as Director of Religious Engagement at Anshe Sholom B’nai Israel Congregation in Chicago, a leading urban Orthodox congregation. She was ordained at Yeshivat Maharat in 2018, holds a BA from Yale University in Philosophy & Psychology, and also trained at the SKA Beit Midrash for Women at Migdal Oz, Drisha and the Center for Modern Torah Leadership.Rabbanit Sarna's published works have appeared in The Atlantic, The Washington Post, Lehrhaus and MyJewishLearning. She has lectured in Orthodox synagogues and Jewish communal settings around the world and loves spreading her warm, energetic love for Torah and Mitzvot with Jews in all stages of life.

Dr. R. Jon Kelsen is the senior director of teaching and learning at Drisha, having formerly served as Dean at Yeshivat Chovevei Torah as well as Rosh Kollel of our Drisha Kollel and adjunct faculty at the Pardes Institute. He received ordination from Rabbis Daniel Landes and Zalman Nehemiah Goldberg, holds an MA in Jewish Civilization from Hebrew University, and is currently pursuing doctoral studies in Education and Jewish Studies at New York University as a Wexner Graduate Fellow.

Ms. Miriam Gedwiser is the Rosh Kollel of the Drisha Summer Kollel and teaches Talmud and Tanakh at the Ramaz Upper School. She has a B.A. in the History, Philosophy, and Social Studies of Science and Medicine from the University of Chicago and a J.D. from N.Y.U. School of Law. Miriam studied at Midreshet Lindenbaum and in the Drisha Scholar’s circle. She previously practiced commercial litigation at a large law firm and clerked for the Hon. Debra Freeman, U.S.M.J., in Manhattan. Miriam serves as a guest lecturer at synagogues and programs around the Northeast, and has written on topics of Jewish and Torah interest for The Lehrhaus, The Forward, the Center for Modern Torah Leadership blog, and Project 929. Miriam lives Teaneck, New Jersey with her family.

A retired teacher of Talmudic Literature and Rabbinic Thought, Rabbi Dr. Avraham (Avie) Walfish was recently appointed as head of the Halakhic Beit Midrash of the Beit Hillel Rabbinical Organization. At Yeshiva University he completed his B.A. in philosophy, while studying Talmud with Rav Aharon Lichtenstein and Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveichik. After making aliyah, he received his rabbinic ordination from R. Zalman Nehemiah Goldberg and completed his M.A. and Ph.D. at Hebrew University, writing his dissertation on literary features of Mishnah. He has taught and lectured in many frameworks in Israel and abroad, including Herzog College, Michlala, Pardes Institute, Bar Ilan University, and Drisha. His extensive publications in different areas of Jewish studies include the Iyun Mishnah website and a commentary on Mishnah Berakhot, Mishnaic Tapestries. In 2005 he was awarded the Prize of the Israeli Minister of Education for creative work in Jewish culture.

Rabbanit Dr. Adina Sternberg has a B.A. in Bible from Hebrew University and a M.A. and Ph.D. in Talmud from Bar Ilan University. Adina studied in Midreshet Lindenbaum, Migdal Oz, Havruta and the Advanced Talmud Institute in Matan. She currently teaches Bible and Talmud at Matan, and Efrata and Orot colleges. Adina lives in Adam (Geva Binyamin) with her family.

Rabbi Zachary Truboff is the author of Torah Goes Forth From Zion: Essays on the Thought of Rav Kook and Rav Shagar and the Director of Rabbinic Education for the International Beit Din, where he teaches about the halakhic approaches used by the beit din to free agunot. Before making aliyah, he served for nearly a decade as the rabbi of Cedar Sinai Synagogue in Cleveland, Ohio. Rabbi Truboff is originally from Sharon, Massachusetts and now lives in Jerusalem with his wife, Jen, and their four children.

Dr. Rachel Furst is a research fellow in medieval Jewish history at the University of Haifa, where she recently relocated from Munich, Germany. She holds academic degrees from Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Columbia University of New York and has lectured widely in Israel, Europe, and the United States.

Rabbi Dr. Samuel Lebens is Associate Professor in the philosophy department at the University of Haifa; he is also an Orthodox Rabbi and Jewish educator. Sam's academic interests span the philosophy of religion, metaphysics, epistemology, and the philosophy of language. He is also the Co-Founder and served as the Founding Chair of the Association for the Philosophy of Judaism.

Mr. Joel Silber is a Harvard-educated attorney who has taught in a variety of settings.






About our presenters...

Rabbi David Silber is the founder and dean of Drisha Institute for Jewish Education in New York and Israel. Rabbi Silber received ordination from the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary. He is a recipient of the Covenant Award, for excellence in innovative Jewish education, and is the author of A Passover Haggadah: Go Forth and Learn (Jewish Publication Society 2011), For Such a Time as This: Biblical Reflections in the Book of Esther (Koren Publishers 2017), and Malkhut Adam: Iyunim Bsefer Shmuel (Maggid 2021). He is also a nationally acclaimed lecturer on the Bible. Rabbi Silber is married to Dr. Devora Steinmetz. They have eight children and live in New York City.

Rabbanit Leah Sarna is the Associate Director of Education and Director of High School Programs at Drisha. She previously served as Director of Religious Engagement at Anshe Sholom B’nai Israel Congregation in Chicago, a leading urban Orthodox congregation. She was ordained at Yeshivat Maharat in 2018, holds a BA from Yale University in Philosophy & Psychology, and also trained at the SKA Beit Midrash for Women at Migdal Oz, Drisha and the Center for Modern Torah Leadership.Rabbanit Sarna's published works have appeared in The Atlantic, The Washington Post, Lehrhaus and MyJewishLearning. She has lectured in Orthodox synagogues and Jewish communal settings around the world and loves spreading her warm, energetic love for Torah and Mitzvot with Jews in all stages of life.

Dr. R. Jon Kelsen is the senior director of teaching and learning at Drisha, having formerly served as Dean at Yeshivat Chovevei Torah as well as Rosh Kollel of our Drisha Kollel and adjunct faculty at the Pardes Institute. He received ordination from Rabbis Daniel Landes and Zalman Nehemiah Goldberg, holds an MA in Jewish Civilization from Hebrew University, and is currently pursuing doctoral studies in Education and Jewish Studies at New York University as a Wexner Graduate Fellow.

Ms. Miriam Gedwiser is the Rosh Kollel of the Drisha Summer Kollel and teaches Talmud and Tanakh at the Ramaz Upper School. She has a B.A. in the History, Philosophy, and Social Studies of Science and Medicine from the University of Chicago and a J.D. from N.Y.U. School of Law. Miriam studied at Midreshet Lindenbaum and in the Drisha Scholar’s circle. She previously practiced commercial litigation at a large law firm and clerked for the Hon. Debra Freeman, U.S.M.J., in Manhattan. Miriam serves as a guest lecturer at synagogues and programs around the Northeast, and has written on topics of Jewish and Torah interest for The Lehrhaus, The Forward, the Center for Modern Torah Leadership blog, and Project 929. Miriam lives Teaneck, New Jersey with her family.

A retired teacher of Talmudic Literature and Rabbinic Thought, Rabbi Dr. Avraham (Avie) Walfish was recently appointed as head of the Halakhic Beit Midrash of the Beit Hillel Rabbinical Organization. At Yeshiva University he completed his B.A. in philosophy, while studying Talmud with Rav Aharon Lichtenstein and Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveichik. After making aliyah, he received his rabbinic ordination from R. Zalman Nehemiah Goldberg and completed his M.A. and Ph.D. at Hebrew University, writing his dissertation on literary features of Mishnah. He has taught and lectured in many frameworks in Israel and abroad, including Herzog College, Michlala, Pardes Institute, Bar Ilan University, and Drisha. His extensive publications in different areas of Jewish studies include the Iyun Mishnah website and a commentary on Mishnah Berakhot, Mishnaic Tapestries. In 2005 he was awarded the Prize of the Israeli Minister of Education for creative work in Jewish culture.

Rabbanit Dr. Adina Sternberg has a B.A. in Bible from Hebrew University and a M.A. and Ph.D. in Talmud from Bar Ilan University. Adina studied in Midreshet Lindenbaum, Migdal Oz, Havruta and the Advanced Talmud Institute in Matan. She currently teaches Bible and Talmud at Matan, and Efrata and Orot colleges. Adina lives in Adam (Geva Binyamin) with her family.

Rabbi Zachary Truboff is the author of Torah Goes Forth From Zion: Essays on the Thought of Rav Kook and Rav Shagar and the Director of Rabbinic Education for the International Beit Din, where he teaches about the halakhic approaches used by the beit din to free agunot. Before making aliyah, he served for nearly a decade as the rabbi of Cedar Sinai Synagogue in Cleveland, Ohio. Rabbi Truboff is originally from Sharon, Massachusetts and now lives in Jerusalem with his wife, Jen, and their four children.

Dr. Rachel Furst is a research fellow in medieval Jewish history at the University of Haifa, where she recently relocated from Munich, Germany. She holds academic degrees from Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Columbia University of New York and has lectured widely in Israel, Europe, and the United States.

Rabbi Dr. Samuel Lebens is Associate Professor in the philosophy department at the University of Haifa; he is also an Orthodox Rabbi and Jewish educator. Sam's academic interests span the philosophy of religion, metaphysics, epistemology, and the philosophy of language. He is also the Co-Founder and served as the Founding Chair of the Association for the Philosophy of Judaism.

Mr. Joel Silber is a Harvard-educated attorney who has taught in a variety of settings.