Adult Education Blog

For our next book, we will be reading The Source by James Michener.

This historical novel spans all of Jewish history, linking characters from generation to generation through the persecution of the early Hebrews, the rise of Christianity, and the Crusades to the founding of Israel and the modern conflict in the Middle East.

As such, it is a very long read, so we will meet to discuss it on the last Wednesday of October...Read more...

Our Book Club meets monthly at the home of a member. Each member takes turns picking the book and providing the snacks for the meeting at which we discuss their pick. 

June's pick is Jewish Children by beloved Yiddish writer Sholem Aleichem, to be discussed at 10:30 am on June 19th. Jewish Children is available for free on Kindle. 

July's pick is rather long, so you may want to start reading that in June as well! On...Read more...

Nehemiah 11-13

In an Age of Prose - Notes on the rest of the book

Rabbi Lizz's Source Sheet

This post by Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg is not about Ezra-Nehemiah, but I thought it was a nice drash for our final moments together of Purim Weekend, and she pulls in some knowledge from Tamara Cohn Eskanazi who wrote "In An Age of Prose."

Nehemiah chapters 4-6

Rabbi Lizz's Source Sheet

Judaism: The First Phase (Last Chapters Notated)

Notes on "In An Age of Prose"

Nehemia Chapters 1-3

Rabbi Lizz's Sefaria Source Sheet

Notes on Joseph Blenkinsopp's book "Judaism: The First Phase" (Some new notes have been added)

Ezra Chapters 7-10

Wikipedia - Historical Background section has a helpful timeline of the Historical Persian Kings and Wider World Events that Coincide with Ezra-Nehemia

Rabbi Lizz's Sefaria Sourcesheet

Notes on Joseph Blenkinsopp's book "Judaism: The First Phase"