Guest Speakers at Temple Beth Or

Temple Beth Or has had an outstanding opportunity to invite noted and noteworthy guest speakers, often sponsored by the Rothschild-Blachschleger Lecture and Enrichment Fund. Some of our past speakers include:

  • Lawrence Hoffman, “Limits, Truth, and Meaning: The Anxious Search for Meaning in our Time”
  • Mark Potok, “The Never-Ending Fight Against Hate Groups”
  • Norman Finkelstein, scholar of American Jewish history
  • Albert Berry, producer of the movie, “The Lost Synagogues of Europe”
  • Rabbi Judith Abrams, Talmudic scholar, “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous…2000 years ago”
  • Jennifer Moses, author, “Bagels and Grits”
  • Karen Stabiner, author, “The Empty Nest”
  • Dr. Mark Kligman, professor of Jewish Musicology at Hebrew Union College, “Sephardic Music and Culture”
  • Rabbi Harold Kushner, noted author of “When Bad Things Happen to Good People” and numerous other publications. Click here to see selected photos from the presentation.

 These enriching programs are usually on Thursday evening at 7:00, but please check the Calendar for future programming.

 

A Sampling of Past Adult Education Topics

The topics listed below are a sampling chosen from programs led by Rabbi Stevens. If you have been curious about any aspect of Judaism or Jewish life and would like to find out more, please forward suggested program subjects directly to Rabbi Stevens or call him at 334 262-3314, extension 222. Your input is both welcomed and appreciated. Adult Education programs are scheduled at various times during the week to suit diverse needs of the congregation; some are at noon and others on a weekday evening. There is no charge to attend these programs and members and non-members are welcome to attend. Please check our Calendar for future programming.

  • The Eight Degrees of Charity
  • The Blessings and Curses of Deuteronomy
  • What is ‘Oral Law’ in Judaism?
  • How our Torah Text Came to Be
  • The High Holy Days – Part I, Rosh Hashanah
  • The High Holy Days – Part II, Yom Kippur
  • The Many Stories of Creation
  • The Jewish View of Messiah
  • The Kippah, Tallit and Jewish Dress Codes
  • You Be The Judge
  • Some Unusual Responsa
  • The Beginning Of Life
  • A Whirlwind Tour of Jewish History
  • Introduction to Kabbalah
  • Friedman’s Fables
  • Sources of Jewish Mysticism
  • Pirkei Avot: The Wisdom of the Sages
  • The Sh’ma
  • Birth, Naming and Raising a Jewish Family
  • End-of-Life Issues and the Jewish Practice of Mourning
  • Angels in Judaism
  • Jewish Perception of Purgatory, Heaven and Hell
  • Rabbinic Commentaries on the Stories of Torah