Whose Torah is it Anyway?

Sundays 4 & 18 February and 3 & 17 March
10:00-11:15 on Zoom

Creative approaches to reading Torah started with the Talmud, where the rabbis’ imaginative comments legitimise the rest of us to engage with the texts in our own way, too. And there is no better aspect of the Tanakh to engage with than the characters we meet. How do you understand them? What do you think motivated them? Do they seem timeless to you? And do you relate to them? How do they connect with our lives now?

We’ll be asking these questions as we read (in English) some of the most fascinating characters of the Tanakh: Manoah’s wife, Jonah, Hannah and Jephthah.

Manoah’s wife is Samson’s mother and never given her own name, although she runs rings round Manoah; Jonah doesn’t do what he’s told, and there are consequences; Hannah is seemingly devastated by her inability to have children but why?; and Jephthah makes a rash vow, but did he have any choice?

We will read and discuss each character teasing out what is said about them and how we respond to them. The sessions are discussion based.

The sessions will be led by Dr Sherry Ashworth, whose own research on the Book of Esther has led her to a fascination with the reading process, particularly the Jewish reading process!

Rabbi Tanya will be hosting these sessions and help with Hebrew when required.

Please email admin@ehrs.uk for Zoom details