SAN DIEGO (Press Release)– Is it possible to gain deep insight into our personal human struggles by exploring familiar Bible characters and their stories? Modern master of biblical interpretation, Rabbi Norman J. Cohen, brings biblical ancestors to life as husbands, wives, parents and siblings. Using midrash – interpretive literature that reads between the lines of ancient texts to find contemporary meaning – he invites us to be provoked and challenged toward personal growth.
From Friday, February 4 through Sunday, February 6 Congregation Beth Israel will hold its Scholar-in-Residence Weekend with celebrated teacher Rabbi Norman J. Cohen, offering four learning sessions that are open to the community.
Rabbi Cohen, panelist on Bill Moyers’ PBS series on Genesis, and professor of midrash and past provost at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in New York, is widely recognized as one of the great rabbinic teachers of his generation. He frequently lectures to Jewish and Christian lay people and scholars. He brilliantly presents interpretive analysis, pushing us to confront these sacred stories to discover who we are and what we can become. “Throughout history the heroes and leaders of the Jewish people have mostly been scholars,” states Congregation Beth Israel Senior Rabbi Michael Berk. “Rabbi Cohen is an extraordinary scholar who makes the Bible come alive. We are in for a treat.”
All Scholar-in-Residence study sessions and related worship services are open to the community. Weekend admission (includes meals): $35 CBI members, $45 nonmembers. Saturday only: $25 CBI members, $30 nonmembers; Sunday only: $15 members, $20 nonmembers. Patrons: $100 per individual, $180 per couple (includes Shabbat dinner with Rabbi Cohen and weekend admission).
RSVP and pay online at www.cbisd.org/rsvp, or contact Program Director Bonnie Graff at 858-535-1111, ext. 3800 or bgraff@cbisd.org.
On Friday, February 4, Rabbi Cohen will speak during the 8:00 p.m. Erev Shabbat worship service, introducing Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Ishmael, Jacob and Esau, and Joseph and his brothers. ”As we discuss the patriarchs and matriarchs in Genesis, we’ll reflect on our relationships with our own children and parents,” he explains. The presentation is entitled Hineni (Here I Am): The Power of Being ‘Here’ for Our Parents and Children.
On Saturday, February 5, he will lead two study sessions. The first, at 11:30 a.m., following the informal Shabbat service in the Foster Family Chapel, is called Abraham’s Journey and Ours: Finding Balance in our Lives. “Abraham is a revered symbol of faith, commitment, strength and loyalty – but is he really a role model for today’s spouse and parent?” Rabbi Cohen questioned. “As we engage the tantalizing texts, we’ll take a fresh look at our own struggles to balance who we are in our professional and personal lives.”
After a catered lunch, Rabbi Cohen will lead a second study session on Saturday: Moses’ Struggle with Self-Doubt: Confronting Our Own Demons. According to Rabbi Cohen, participants will grapple with the story of Moses at the burning bush and God’s call to him to liberate the Israelites from slavery. “We witness a human being struggling to overcome his own personal history, limitations and self-perception,” Rabbi Cohen explains. “We will reflect on the personal baggage we all carry and the doubts we harbor as we confront challenges in our own lives.”
Sunday, February 6 at 9:30 a.m. the temple’s Scholar-in-Residence Weekend will conclude with a brunch and study session led by Rabbi Cohen: Cain and Abel Then and Now: The Age-Old Story of Sibling Rivalry. “Relationships with siblings are truly complicated and fueled by memories carried over many years,” he said. In considering the story of Cain and Abel, “We can examine and reflect on our own relationships with our siblings and those of our children with each other.”