"Back to Basics: Midrash and Philosophy"
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 at 11:22AM The next series of Temple Shir ongoing "Back to Basics" adult education program will explore the world of Jewish philosophy through the lens of midrash and storytelling. Jews have not often "done philosophy" in the way of other peoples -- until medieval confrontations with Christianity and Islam, Jews could hard1y be said to have done systematic philosophy at all. But this does not mean that Jews haven't thought or written about the great issues of philosophy - what does existence mean? What does life mean? What is our human place in the universe? How do we really know what we seem to know?
In fact, Jews have produced a vast trove of philosophical wisdom, a wisdom that can help us lead better lives today, through the medium of Midrash, stories told to illuminate the meaning of the Torah text. Using classic texts in translation as well as a classic modern "guidebook" to midrash and philosophy, these classes will provide a specifically Jewish perspective on the art of living.
''Back to Basics" classes in this series will meet on the following dates:
Wednesday, October 19
Thursday, November 3
Thursday, November 17
Thursday, December 8
All classes begin at 7pm, and all are free and open to the public. Please contact the Temple Shir Shalom office for further information.