The Hardest Ideas in Judaism

The Hardest Ideas in Judaism
with Rabbi Marc Katz
April 23, 30 and May 7 at 7:30pm

Some of Judaism’s most powerful ideas are also its most challenging. In this three-part class, we’ll take an honest look at the concepts that many modern Jews struggle with—ideas that can inspire deep meaning for some but raise difficult questions for others. Together we’ll explore the notion of the Jewish people as “chosen,” the enduring problem of why good people suffer, and Judaism’s strong emphasis on Jewish community and distinctiveness in a universal world. Drawing on biblical texts, rabbinic sources, and modern thinkers, this class invites participants to wrestle openly with the parts of Judaism that can feel uncomfortable—and to consider why these ideas have remained so central to Jewish thought.