Sign In Forgot Password

Talmud Study

Why Not Give our Talmud Class a Try?

You will have an opportunity to find meaning and purpose, and get a sense of belonging and blessing in our group - bonding with your fellow seekers and finding Jewish learning a deeply enriching experience. See you soon! 

It may come as a surprise to you to learn that Scarsdale Synagogue has housed an ongoing Talmud class for over 25 years. The class has a group of devoted, loyal members, and we are always looking for new members to share their unique perspectives with us. We would love for you to come to one class and try us out. 

What will you find?

We sit in the library and read short, stimulating texts and discuss them. For example, we may begin with a Biblical text which describes how in Biblical times people tried to change their behaviors, how they sought to transform their lives. We then might read excerpts from many types of Jewish texts and thinkers – the voices from the Bible through the Talmud, commentators, philosophers, poets, authors, theologians all the way to the 21st century. The experience can be fascinating and transformative. All texts are in English translation along with original Hebrew on many. The discussion is free-wheeling, yet structured and focused. Everyone gets to chime in. There are no right or wrong answers, only opinions and views that are deeply felt and shared in a community of seekers. And we always focus on how WE relate to the texts, what they mean for US. Not only do we think you would enjoy the experience, but we know the class would benefit from learning with you and learning from you. We laugh, we share moments of enlightenment, we struggle, and yet, in just about every class, we share an "AHA MOMENT" in which our perspectives are changed and our lives are enriched. No knock on your grandparents (God forbid), but this is not your grandfather's Talmud Class. We engage with holy texts, in the spirit of collegiality, in order to open ourselves up to a more holy existence. We would truly love for you to join us. 

We meet once a month-

- the schedule is planned for the 2022-23 year. 

  • Sept 13
  • Oct 25
  • Nov 15
  • Dec 13
  • Jan 10 - Zoom ONLY
  • Feb 7 - Zoom ONLY
  • Mar 14 - Zoom ONLY
  • Apr 18 - In person & on Zoom
  • May 16 - In person & on Zoom
  • Jun 13 - In person & on Zoom

Our sessions our guided by Dr. Daniel Rynhold

Dr. Daniel Rynhold is Professor of Jewish philosophy at the Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies and director of the Revel doctoral program Yeshiva University. He arrived in the US from London, England, in August 2007. Educated at the universities of Cambridge and London, received his PhD at the London School of Economics, Daniel previously held a post in the department of theology and religious studies at King’s College London. He has taught across Europe, the US, and Israel, and is the author of Two Models of Jewish Philosophy: Justifying One’s Practices (Oxford University Press, 2005), An Introduction to Medieval Jewish Philosophy (I.B. Tauris, 2009), and most recently Nietzsche, Soloveitchik, and Contemporary Jewish Philosophy (Cambridge University Press, 2018) co-authored with Michael J. Harris. He also co-edited Radical Responsibility: Essays in Ethics, Religion, and Leadership Presented to Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks (Maggid Books, 2012). If you have any questions, feel free to email Harvey Tessler. We look forward to answering your questions and seeing you in class.

Tue, March 19 2024 9 Adar II 5784