T’shuvah Lecture 5784
In person at Or Zarua.
Atonement, Redemption, and Justice: Earning Your Degree for Life
Professor Randy Friedman, Department of Judaic Studies, Binghamton University
Wednesday, Sept. 20, 7:00 pm
Sponsored by Owen Pell in memory of Pearl Pell, Beatrice, and Leonard Pell of blessed memory
Join Professor Friedman for a lecture that surveys how powerful spiritual concepts of the Jewish Days of Awe made their way into the university course list. And deepen understandings and reflections on the pursuits of personal, communal and societal atonement, redemption and justice.
As we work on ourselves during the Yamim Noraim between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, we will move the conversation from the secular classroom to our synagogue. What do we mean, as Jews, when we reflect on atonement in the wider context of our concerns with justice? Is atonement an individual or social task? Does it require others’ forgiveness? Is redemption something to be pursued in our lives? With or for others? How? As we work through these questions, we will engage Biblical and Rabbinic texts, as well as excerpts from Primo Levi.
Randy Friedman has taught at Binghamton University for 18 years. He and Brenda Schlaen, a family medicine doctor, are the parents of Ellie, Mika, and Zohar, all Ramah in the Rockies kids. Randy teaches philosophy of religion at Binghamton University in the Department of Judaic Studies and serves on the Federation and Temple Israel boards.