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.
CSP Online Member Event
Sunday, July 20th from 10:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. (PT) and 1:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m. (ET) live on Zoom from North Carolina.
“Jerusalem in Transition: The Early Islamic Period Uncovered” led by Prof. Jodi Magness
Join us for a special one-hour online session with Professor Jodi Magness, CSP’s 24th Annual Scholar-in-Residence, as we return to The Archaeology of the Holy Land to explore a topic we didn’t cover during her January–February 2025 residency: Early Islamic Jerusalem. In this slide-illustrated lecture, Prof. Magness will examine the transition from Byzantine to Islamic rule in Jerusalem, with a special focus on the Dome of the Rock—the iconic early Islamic structure on the Temple Mount that continues to define the city’s skyline. Don’t miss this opportunity to deepen your understanding of one of Jerusalem’s most pivotal and visually striking periods in history. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.
Thursdays, July 15th, 22nd & 29th from 10:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. (PT) and 1:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m. (ET) live on Zoom from Syracuse, NY
The Jews of Rome: with Dr. Samuel Gruber
July 15th: Part 1 – Jews in the Ancient City
July 22nd: Part 2 – The Long Jewish Middle Ages (550–1550)
July 29: Part 3 – The Ghetto (1555–1870)
Join us for a powerful three-part series exploring the extraordinary 2,000-year history of Jews in Rome. From their earliest presence in the imperial capital to life in the medieval city and the experience of the Ghetto, each session uncovers a different chapter of Jewish resilience, adaptation, and continuity. Through archaeology, archival texts, and the living memory of Rome’s streets, we’ll trace the evolving identity of one of the world’s oldest Jewish communities. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.
Thursdays, July 10th, 17th & 24th from 10:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. (PT) and 1:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m. (ET) live on Zoom from Philadelphia
“The Past 100 Years of American Jewish Theology” led by Rabbi Dr. Shai Cherry
The past century of Jewish thought and theology has undergone, for the most part, more change in style than substance. Given the momentous events of the 1940s, that is surprising. The century from 1820 to 1920, and the rise of denominationalism in western Europe, largely established the axes of modern Judaism along lines relating to halakhah, its authority, and its history. This series will focus on three thinkers who refused to ignore the centrality of the divine in Judaism: Mordecai M. Kaplan, Abraham Joshua Heschel and Arthur Green. While philosophy often explores ideas about existence and meaning in abstract terms, theology insists on grappling directly with the reality of God. In choosing to focus on theology, this series highlights thinkers for whom the divine was not an idea to be dissected but a presence to be encountered. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.
Sunday, July 27 from 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. (PT) and 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. (ET) live on Zoom from NYC
“Ghosts of a Holy War: The 1929 Massacre in Palestine That Ignited the Arab-Israeli Conflict” led by Yardena Schwartz
Join us for a powerful one-hour CSP online event with award-winning journalist Yardena Schwartz as she discusses her compelling new book, Ghosts of a Holy War: The 1929 Massacre in Palestine That Ignited the Arab-Israeli Conflict. Sparked by a box of century-old letters found in a Memphis attic, Schwartz uncovers the story of a young American Jew killed in the 1929 Hebron massacre—a little-known but pivotal moment that she argues became ground zero for a conflict still raging today. Drawing from deeply personal archival material, wide-ranging interviews, and decades of context, Schwartz weaves a gripping and even-handed narrative that connects the past to the present, shedding new light on the events of October 7, 2023, and the enduring struggle for peace in the land both Israelis and Palestinians call home. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.
Thursday, July 31st from 10:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. (PT) and 1:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m. (ET) live on Zoom from Los Angeles, CA
“Pre-State Photographic Archives & the Zionist Movement” led by Dr. Rotem Rozental
In the 1920s, the Jewish National Fund relocated its operations from Europe to Jerusalem, bringing with it a bold vision for documenting—and directing—the story of the Jewish people in the land of Israel. One of its first major initiatives was the creation of a groundbreaking photographic archive, conceived not merely as a record of events but as a tool for shaping collective memory and mobilizing support. These striking images played a central role in fundraising campaigns, public outreach, and the construction of a new national narrative in pre-state Palestine. From portraits of pioneers to depictions of settlement and transformation, the archive helped define how the Zionist enterprise was seen both at home and abroad. Join us to explore the archive’s formative years, the visual strategies it employed, and the enduring impact of its imagery on the making of a nation. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER UPCOMING SESSIONS IN AUGUST
