Shabbat Shalom ~ SIR Weekend 2025

Dear WJC Family,

This Shabbat we are so excited to welcome our two Scholars-in-Residence, journalist Abigail Pogrebin and Rabbi Dov Linzer. Their book, “It Takes Two to Torah” reveals some very enlightening and enriching interpretations of the Torah. Perhaps more importantly, it reveals the novel and beautiful insights that can be revealed when two people of very different backgrounds collaborate and communicate honestly, respectfully, and with an eye towards what each brings to the conversation. I am particularly looking forward to their remarks during the sermon time on Saturday morning entitled, “Building the Mishkan in a post-10/7 World.”

Rabbi Linzer is Rosh Yeshiva of Chovevei Torah, a renowned scholar of Jewish law in the modern Orthodox community. Abigail Pogrebin is not only a renowned author and podcaster, she is also a committed Reform Jew, a past-president of Central synagogue in Manhattan. I expect we will learn as much from how this unlikely pairing came to study Torah together and learn with and from one another as we will from their extraordinary intellects and teaching styles. I hope I will see you at any of the multiple opportunities to hear our guests teach – click here for details. And it’s not too late to support the SIR program. If you love having renowned scholars visit our WJC community, click here to support the effort.

I particularly want to thank our SIR Chairs Susan and Allan Abravanel. Susan and Allan are relatively new to the WJC family, but they have already had an outsized impact on the congregation. I have rarely met two people with a greater love of learning or of the Jewish people. Their desire to share that passion with the whole WJC community is an extraordinary example of everything WJC strives to be and who we are at our best. They may love to learn, but in their willingness and desire to share their thirst for knowledge with all of us, they are our teachers. 

I hope you will follow the example Allan and Susan set and share the things you love with your WJC family. Do you have an idea for a program, class, or ceremony based on the things that interest you? It is calendering season for 2025-2026, so let me know and let’s see if we can make it happen!

In addition to the great SIR events we have planned this Shabbat and Sunday, on Saturday afternoon we will celebrate the bat mitzvah of Serena Klein. Mazal tov to Serena and her parents Danielle and Michael. We will also have a separate mincha-maariv with seudah shleshit and learning for the congregation starting at 7pm.

See you in shul,

RJA

 

PS: Sunday is also the first day of the Hebrew month of Nisan – Passover is almost here! Next week’s email will include lots of details about the holiday in general and here at WJC. If you want to get a head start on selling your chametz, click here.