​​​Lunch & Learn with Rabbi Wendy

Torah on Trial: When Jewish Traditions Meet Modern Life

Wednesdays at 11:45 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (RSVP Required - $22 per person)

​​

During our Lunch & Learn series, we will dive into the fascinating world of Reform Responsa, where real-life questions about Jewish practice meet thoughtful inquiry. Reform Responsa is the continuation of a rich tradition of Jewish legal and ethical inquiry that has helped communities navigate changing times for centuries. Together, we'll wrestle with relevant, real-life questions such as whether chanting Torah on a Friday night truly honors Shabbat, how to respectfully fulfill a loved one’s request for cremation, whether a Pride flag—or any flag—belongs on the bimah, and if Jews should embrace secular holidays with complex histories. We'll unpack the historical sources behind each case, weigh the Reform Responsa Committee’s ruling, and decide whether we agree – because Reform Judaism is a living, breathing tradition shaped by every generation. Expect lively debate, fresh insight, and perhaps forming questions which we will send to the Responsa Committee! I look forward to learning and debating these real-life cases with you!

 

9/10     Lineage and the Ignition Key – Patrilineal descent and driving on Shabbat – two rulings that redrew denominational borders and everyday practice

10/15   Shabbat 3.0 – The Reform Upgrade – Three teshuvot trace our movement’s journey from rejecting to creatively reclaiming sacred rest

11/19   One Roof, Many Jews -  Real-life cases show how responsa help congregations juggle mixed practice, mixed marriages, and mixed beliefs

12/10   Deck the Halls? December (and beyond) Dilemmas – Which secular holidays fit a Jewish home – and makes a celebration “kosher-enough”?

1/14     End of Life Responsa – Cremation, green burials, online memorials, how modern teshuvot navigate dignity at life’s end

2/11     Sacred Cells and Designer Genes – IVF, stem cells, organ swaps, CRISPR – pikuach nefresh meets 21st century medicine

3/4       Scrolls with Scars – Can a Holocaust damaged Torah be made kosher again? And should it be? Responsa on memory and law collide

4/15     Flags on the Bimah, Faith in the Pew – Zionism, nationalism and the Reform sanctuary; should there be a division of religion and state in the sanctuary

5/13     When Justice Calls the Hotline – From climate to AI, emerging responsa ask if Halakhah can legislate Tikkun Olam for 5786 and beyond

​

​

Ultimate Questions with Rabbi Josh - "Whose Answers You Can't Google"

Tuesdays at 2:00 p.m.  7/21, 8/18, 10/20, 11/17, 12/15, 1/26, 2/16, 3/16, 4/13, 5/18

Judaism has never avoided the big questions.  It was built on them.  This class is for skeptics and believers alike, for the curious and the searching.  No prior background required - only a willingness to think deeply and wrestle with what matters most. 

​

​