Course Overview

Lesson 1: 

What attracted a Roman Caesar’s nephew to convert to Judaism, and what message does his revolutionary Hebrew-to-Aramaic Torah translation provide us? Why did a twelfthcentury Italian priest surrender his career to live as a wandering Jew, and what cultural gifts did he bring with him? How did a young Polish eighteenth-century nobleman become a legend of devotion and sacrifice for Judaism? This lesson explores the fascinating life stories of three converts to Judaism: Onkelos, Ovadiah of Normandy, and Avraham ben Avraham. Through their remarkable lives we will discover what it means to become a Jew, and we will learn about the invaluable contributions converts have made to Jewish life.

Lesson 2: 

How did a leading Torah sage of eleventh-century Spain command a Muslim army? How did a child born in the terrifying shadow of the Portuguese Inquisition open the gates of Jewish wisdom to non-Jewish scholars, and open the doors of England for his oppressed brethren? How did the relationship between a leading Italian rabbi and his young non-Jewish German pupil save the Talmud from destruction and establish it as a source of wisdom for all humanity? XII This lesson explores the respective dramas and triumphs of three rabbis: Shmuel Hanagid, Menasheh ben Yisrael, and Ovadiah Seforno. They provide us with insight into the historic Jewish mission of serving as “a light unto the nations,” and they teach us how to become part of this mission ourselves.

Lesson 3: 

How did a clandestinely Jewish businesswoman smuggle thousands of her brethren from the clutches of the Inquisition and launch an ambitious settlement project in the Holy Land? How did a Polish rabbi’s wife influence Jewish ritual practice and custom? What profound life-lessons did a seventeenth century German Jewish entrepreneur impart via her remarkable autobiography? This lesson delves into the experiences of three extraordinary women: Doña Gracia, Rebbetzin Bayla Katz, and Glikl of Hameln (the story of Glikl is optional, appearing as an appendix to the lesson). They collectively gift us with fresh insight into the unique role of Jewish women as nurturers of their families, communities, and faith.

Lesson 4: 

How did a band of pirates’ capture of a ship ferrying four rabbis change the course of Jewish history? Why did the top German Talmudic sage of the thirteenth century refuse to be released from prison? How did a seventeenth-century hostage crisis in Ukraine unite the Jewish world for an unprecedented rescue mission? This lesson explores the sagas of the “Four Captives”: Maharam of Rothenburg, and Rabbi Yaakov Koppel Margolis and his fellow captives from the 1648 Khmelnytskyi Massacres. Their moving stories of tragedy and bravery leave us with new insight into the foundations of Jewish unity and the extent of our responsibilities toward Jewish hostages