The Jewish Community Scholars Program began in 2001 in Orange County California to provide high level adult Jewish education. Technology has given CSP a global reach with partner synagogues in Israel, Europe and all of North America. As a partner synagogue, Temple Israel members have access to CJP’s vast array of live presentations from top notch scholars. CSP also has an extensive archive of past programs on You Tube.
Tuesday, October 28th, November 25th & December 30 from 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. (PT) and 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. (ET) live on Zoom from New York (members only series)
“Survival and Renewal: The Modern Jewish Story of Rome” led by Dr. Samuel Gruber
Following our recent three-part exploration of the Jews of Rome from antiquity through the era of the Ghetto, Dr. Gruber returns to guide us into the next, equally dramatic chapter of this community’s story. In our new three-part series, we will trace the journey of Roman Jewry from the 19th century to the present, a period marked by seismic change and reinvention. From the fall of the Ghetto walls in 1870 and the opportunities and challenges of emancipation, through the rise of Fascism and the devastating impact of the Holocaust, to the difficult but determined postwar efforts at renewal, remembrance, and cultural preservation, we will explore how one of the world’s oldest Jewish communities adapted, endured, and reshaped its identity in the face of modern upheaval. Along the way, we will encounter voices of resilience, creativity, and leadership that illuminate not only the history of Rome’s Jews, but also broader questions of Jewish belonging, survival, and continuity in the modern world. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.
Sundays, November 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd & 30th from 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. (PT) and 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. (ET) live on Zoom from Poughkeepsie, NY
“Judaism: The Big Questions” led by Professor Marc Michael Epstein
Prof. Marc Michael Epstein returns for a five-part, exclusive CSP series that tackles Judaism’s most urgent, perennial questions—rooted in deep tradition, framed for today’s seekers. Across five Sunday sessions, we’ll probe: Nov 2nd – The Monotheism Question (are Jews really monotheistic, and what does “real” monotheism mean?); Nov 9th – The Prophecy Question (who speaks for God—and who decides?); Nov 16th – The Land Question (why the Promised Land is both anchor and flashpoint); Nov 23rd – The Rationalism Question (how far reason can stretch when it meets mysticism); and Nov 30th – The Gender & Sex Question (reconciling ancient texts with contemporary understandings). Come to wrestle, question, and discover—together. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.
Thursdays, November 13th, 20th & Tuesday, December 2nd from 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. (PT) and 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. (ET) live on Zoom from London, UK
“Shakespeare and the Jews” led by Dr. Aviva Dautch
Join us at CSP for a new three-part series with Dr. Aviva Dautch, exploring Shakespeare through a Jewish lens—history, geography, and biography. Together we’ll revisit The Merchant of Venice in light of fresh archival discoveries, map London’s Jewish landscape in Shakespeare’s time, and consider the case for Emilia Bassano Lanier as the “Dark Lady.” Come learn, question, and discover how these stories reshape what we think we know about Shakespeare—and about ourselves. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.
Tuesday, October 28th, November 25th & December 30 from 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. (PT) and 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. (ET) live on Zoom from New York (members only series)
“Survival and Renewal: The Modern Jewish Story of Rome” led by Dr. Samuel Gruber
Following our recent three-part exploration of the Jews of Rome from antiquity through the era of the Ghetto, Dr. Gruber returns to guide us into the next, equally dramatic chapter of this community’s story. In our new three-part series, we will trace the journey of Roman Jewry from the 19th century to the present, a period marked by seismic change and reinvention. From the fall of the Ghetto walls in 1870 and the opportunities and challenges of emancipation, through the rise of Fascism and the devastating impact of the Holocaust, to the difficult but determined postwar efforts at renewal, remembrance, and cultural preservation, we will explore how one of the world’s oldest Jewish communities adapted, endured, and reshaped its identity in the face of modern upheaval. Along the way, we will encounter voices of resilience, creativity, and leadership that illuminate not only the history of Rome’s Jews, but also broader questions of Jewish belonging, survival, and continuity in the modern world. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE UPCOMING SESSIONS IN NOVEMBER
